Judges 4
Lutheran reading notes
In Judges chapter 4, the account continues the story of cycles of Israel’s disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
1
And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
Judges 4:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host {was} Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
Judges 4:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
Judges 4:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Judges 4:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Judges 4:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, {saying}, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
Judges 4:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
Judges 4:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, {then} I will not go.
Judges 4:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Judges 4:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.
Judges 4:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
Now Heber the Kenite, {which was} of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which {is} by Kedesh.
Judges 4:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
Judges 4:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, {even} nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that {were} with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. {together: Heb. by cry, or, proclamation}
Judges 4:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this {is} the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
Judges 4:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all {his} chariots, and all {his} host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off {his} chariot, and fled away on his feet.
Judges 4:15 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; {and} there was not a man left. {a man: Heb. unto one}
Judges 4:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for {there was} peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Judges 4:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. {mantle: or, rug, or, blanket}
Judges 4:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
Judges 4:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Judges 4:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. {and took: Heb. and put}
Judges 4:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her {tent}, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail {was} in his temples.
Judges 4:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
Judges 4:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. {prospered...: Heb. going went and was hard}