Antiguo Testamento

Judges — Capítulo 4

DEBORAH AND BARAK DELIVER ISRAEL FROM JABIN AND SISERA. (Jdg. 4:1-17) The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead--The removal of the zealous judge Ehud again left his infatuated…

Versión

Texto — Reina-Valera 1960

1Después de la muerte de Aod, los hijos de Israel volvieron a hacer lo malo ante los ojos de Jehová.

2Y Jehová los vendió en mano de Jabín rey de Canaán, el cual reinó en Hazor; y el capitán de su ejército se llamaba Sísara, el cual habitaba en Haroset-goim.

3Entonces los hijos de Israel clamaron a Jehová, porque aquel tenía novecientos carros herrados, y había oprimido con crueldad a los hijos de Israel por veinte años.

4Gobernaba en aquel tiempo a Israel una mujer, Débora, profetisa, mujer de Lapidot;

5y acostumbraba sentarse bajo la palmera de Débora, entre Ramá y Bet-el, en el monte de Efraín; y los hijos de Israel subían a ella a juicio.

6Y ella envió a llamar a Barac hijo de Abinoam, de Cedes de Neftalí, y le dijo: ¿No te ha mandado Jehová Dios de Israel, diciendo: Ve, junta a tu gente en el monte de Tabor, y toma contigo diez mil hombres de la tribu de Neftalí y de la tribu de Zabulón;

7y yo atraeré hacia ti al arroyo de Cisón a Sísara, capitán del ejército de Jabín, con sus carros y su ejército, y lo entregaré en tus manos?

8Barac le respondió: Si tú fueres conmigo, yo iré; pero si no fueres conmigo, no iré.

9Ella dijo: Iré contigo; mas no será tuya la gloria de la jornada que emprendes, porque en mano de mujer venderá Jehová a Sísara. Y levantándose Débora, fue con Barac a Cedes.

10Y juntó Barac a Zabulón y a Neftalí en Cedes, y subió con diez mil hombres a su mando; y Débora subió con él.

11Y Heber ceneo, de los hijos de Hobab suegro de Moisés, se había apartado de los ceneos, y había plantado sus tiendas en el valle de Zaanaim, que está junto a Cedes.

12Vinieron, pues, a Sísara las nuevas de que Barac hijo de Abinoam había subido al monte de Tabor.

13Y reunió Sísara todos sus carros, novecientos carros herrados, con todo el pueblo que con él estaba, desde Haroset-goim hasta el arroyo de Cisón.

14Entonces Débora dijo a Barac: Levántate, porque este es el día en que Jehová ha entregado a Sísara en tus manos. ¿No ha salido Jehová delante de ti? Y Barac descendió del monte de Tabor, y diez mil hombres en pos de él.

15Y Jehová quebrantó a Sísara, a todos sus carros y a todo su ejército, a filo de espada delante de Barac; y Sísara descendió del carro, y huyó a pie.

16Mas Barac siguió los carros y el ejército hasta Haroset-goim, y todo el ejército de Sísara cayó a filo de espada, hasta no quedar ni uno.

17Y Sísara huyó a pie a la tienda de Jael mujer de Heber ceneo; porque había paz entre Jabín rey de Hazor y la casa de Heber ceneo.

18Y saliendo Jael a recibir a Sísara, le dijo: Ven, señor mío, ven a mí, no tengas temor. Y él vino a ella a la tienda, y ella le cubrió con una manta.

19Y él le dijo: Te ruego me des de beber un poco de agua, pues tengo sed. Y ella abrió un odre de leche y le dio de beber, y le volvió a cubrir.

20Y él le dijo: Estate a la puerta de la tienda; y si alguien viniere, y te preguntare, diciendo: ¿Hay aquí alguno? tú responderás que no.

21Pero Jael mujer de Heber tomó una estaca de la tienda, y poniendo un mazo en su mano, se le acercó calladamente y le metió la estaca por las sienes, y la enclavó en la tierra, pues él estaba cargado de sueño y cansado; y así murió.

22Y siguiendo Barac a Sísara, Jael salió a recibirlo, y le dijo: Ven, y te mostraré al varón que tú buscas. Y él entró donde ella estaba, y he aquí Sísara yacía muerto con la estaca por la sien.

23Así abatió Dios aquel día a Jabín, rey de Canaán, delante de los hijos de Israel.

24Y la mano de los hijos de Israel fue endureciéndose más y más contra Jabín rey de Canaán, hasta que lo destruyeron.

JAMIESON-FAUSSET-BROWN BIBLE COMMENTARY

Versículo 2

I. Jabin king of Canaan--"Jabin," a royal title (see on Jos 11:1). The second Jabin built a new capi…

Jabin king of Canaan--"Jabin," a royal title (see on Jos 11:1). The second Jabin built a new capital on the ruins of the old (Jos 11:10-11). The northern Canaanites had recovered from the effect of their disastrous overthrow in the time of Joshua, and now triumphed in their turn over Israel. This was the severest oppression to which Israel had been subjected. But it fell heaviest on the tribes in the north, and it was not till after a grinding servitude of twenty years that they were awakened to view it as the punishment of their sins and to seek deliverance from God.

Versículo 4

II. And Deborah, a prophetess--A woman of extraordinary knowledge, wisdom, and piety, instructed in d…

And Deborah, a prophetess--A woman of extraordinary knowledge, wisdom, and piety, instructed in divine knowledge by the Spirit and accustomed to interpret His will; who acquired an extensive influence, and was held in universal respect, insomuch that she became the animating spirit of the government and discharged all the special duties of a judge, except that of military leader. the wife of Lapidoth--rendered by some, "a woman of splendors."

Versículo 5

III. she dwelt under the palm tree--or, collectively, "palm-grove." It is common still in the East to …

she dwelt under the palm tree--or, collectively, "palm-grove." It is common still in the East to administer justice in the open air, or under the canopy of an umbrageous tree.

Versículo 6

IV. she sent and called Barak--by virtue of her official authority as judge.

she sent and called Barak--by virtue of her official authority as judge. Kedesh-naphtali--situated on an eminence, little north of the Sea of Galilee, and so called to distinguish it from another Kedesh in Issachar. Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded?--a Hebrew form of making an emphatic communication. Go and draw toward mount Tabor--an isolated mountain of Galilee, northeast corner of the plain of Esdraelon. It was a convenient place of rendezvous, and the enlistment is not to be considered as limited to ten thousand, though a smaller force would have been inadequate.

Versículo 8

V. Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go--His somewhat singular request to be…

Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go--His somewhat singular request to be accompanied by Deborah was not altogether the result of weakness. The Orientals always take what is dearest to the battlefield along with them; they think it makes them fight better. The policy of Barak, then, to have the presence of the prophetess is perfectly intelligible as it would no less stimulate the valor of the troops, than sanction, in the eyes of Israel, the uprising against an oppressor so powerful as Jabin.

Versículo 9

VI. the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman--This was a prediction which Barak could not …

the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman--This was a prediction which Barak could not understand at the time; but the strain of it conveyed a rebuke of his unmanly fears.

Versículo 11

VII. Now Heber the Kenite . . . pitched his tent--It is not uncommon, even in the present day, for pas…

Now Heber the Kenite . . . pitched his tent--It is not uncommon, even in the present day, for pastoral tribes to feed their flocks on the extensive commons that lie in the heart of inhabited countries in the East (see on Jdg 1:16). plain of Zaanaim--This is a mistranslation for "the oaks of the wanderers." The site of the encampment was under a grove of oaks, or terebinths, in the upland valley of Kedesh.

Versículo 13

VIII. the river of Kishon--The plain on its bank was chosen as the battlefield by Sisera himself, who w…

the river of Kishon--The plain on its bank was chosen as the battlefield by Sisera himself, who was unconsciously drawn thither for the ruin of his army.

Versículo 14

IX. Barak went down from mount Tabor--It is a striking proof of the full confidence Barak and his tro…

Barak went down from mount Tabor--It is a striking proof of the full confidence Barak and his troops reposed in Deborah's assurance of victory, that they relinquished their advantageous position on the hill and rushed into the plain in face of the iron chariots they so much dreaded.

Versículo 15

X. the Lord discomfited Sisera--Hebrew, "threw his army into confusion"; men, horses, and chariots b…

the Lord discomfited Sisera--Hebrew, "threw his army into confusion"; men, horses, and chariots being intermingled in wild confusion. The disorder was produced by a supernatural panic (see on Jdg 5:20). so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet--His chariot being probably distinguished by its superior size and elegance, would betray the rank of its rider, and he saw therefore that his only chance of escape was on foot.

Versículo 16

XI. But Barak pursued . . . unto Harosheth--Broken and routed, the main body of Sisera's army fled no…

But Barak pursued . . . unto Harosheth--Broken and routed, the main body of Sisera's army fled northward; others were forced into the Kishon and drowned (see on Jdg 5:21).

Versículo 17

XII. Sisera fled . . . to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of rec…

Sisera fled . . . to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of receiving the stranger in the sheik's absence devolves on his wife, and the moment the stranger is admitted into his tent, his claim to be defended or concealed from his pursuers is established.

Versículo 19

XIII. she . . . gave him drink, and covered him--Sisera reckoned on this as a pledge of his safety, esp…

she . . . gave him drink, and covered him--Sisera reckoned on this as a pledge of his safety, especially in the tent of a friendly sheik. This pledge was the strongest that could be sought or obtained, after he had partaken of refreshments, and been introduced in the inner or women's apartment.

Versículo 20

XIV. he said unto her, . . . when any man doth come and enquire of thee and say, Is there any man here…

he said unto her, . . . when any man doth come and enquire of thee and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No--The privacy of the harem, even in a tent, cannot be intruded on without express permission.

Versículo 21

XV. Then Jael took a nail of the tent--most probably one of the pins with which the tent ropes are fa…

Then Jael took a nail of the tent--most probably one of the pins with which the tent ropes are fastened to the ground. Escape was almost impossible for Sisera. But the taking of his life by the hand of Jael was murder. It was a direct violation of all the notions of honor and friendship that are usually held sacred among pastoral people, and for which it is impossible to conceive a woman in Jael's circumstances to have had any motive, except that of gaining favor with the victors. Though predicted by Deborah [Jdg 4:9], it was the result of divine foreknowledge only--not the divine appointment or sanction; and though it is praised in the song [Jdg 5:24-27], the eulogy must be considered as pronounced not on the moral character of the woman and her deed, but on the public benefits which, in the overruling providence of God, would flow from it. Next: Judges Chapter 5

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