Judges 4

Chap. IV. Ver. 1—24. Deborah and Barak deliver Israel from Jabin and Sisera.—We have in this chapter another and especially melancholy instance of the proneness of mankind, and especially of this stiff-necked nation, Israel, to rebel against their best friend and benefactor. No sooner was Ehud dead, by whose influence they had been restrained, than they apostatized to idolatry: and the Lord “sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Hazor, the prince of whose host was Sisera; and he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.” Jabin, a former enemy of Hazor, who confederated against the children of Israel, had been slain by Joshua, and his city burnt.

((Joshua 11:10-11).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. IV. Ver. 5. The palm-tree of Deborah.—It is common for the Hindoos to plant trees in the names of themselves and friends; and some retire under trees.” —Ward’s Hindoos mendicants live for a considerable y[ear] Ver. 13. Chariots of iron.—[Probably chariots armed with iron scythes, projecting from the axle on each side, by which the infantry might be easily cut down, or thrown into confusion. The ancient Britons are said to have had such chariots.] —Bagster. Ver. 14. Mount Tabor.—[Mount Tabor, called by the Arabs Djebel Tour, is almost entirely insulated, and rises up in the plain of Esdraelon, about six miles from Nazareth, in a conical form, somewhat like a sugar loaf. Josephus states its height to be thirty stadia, with a plain of 26 stadia in circumference on its top, on which was formerly a city which was used as a military post.

It is described as an exceedingly beautiful mountain, having a rich soil, producing excellent herbage, and adorned with groves and clumps of trees.] Ver. 19. A bottle of milk.—Probably sour camel’s milk, which was not only cooling, but inebriating. Ver. 21. A nail of the tent.—Dr. Shaw saith, “kept firm and steady by bracing, or stretching; the tents of the Arabs are own their eves with cords, tied down to hooked wooden pins, well pointed, which they drive into the ground with a mallet.” —Orient. Cust. No. 81. Those nails are generally supposed to have been pointed with iron.