Matthew Henry Commentary Judges 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
Judges 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
Judges 4
"And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, when Ehud was dead. And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel." — Judges 4:1-3 (ASV)
The land had rest for eighty years, which should have confirmed them in their religion; but instead, it made them complacent and indulge their lusts. Thus, the prosperity of fools destroys them.
Jabin and his general Sisera mightily oppressed Israel. This enemy was nearer than any of the former. Israel cried to the Lord when distress drove them to Him, and they saw no other way of relief. Those who disregard God in prosperity will find themselves compelled to seek Him in trouble.
"Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded, [saying], Go and draw unto mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 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 thy hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding, the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh." — Judges 4:4-9 (ASV)
Deborah was a prophetess: one instructed in divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel as God's mouth to them, correcting abuses, and redressing grievances.
By God's direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army and engage Jabin's forces.
Barak strongly insisted on her presence. Deborah promised to go with him. She would not send him where she would not go herself.
Those who in God's name call others to their duty should be ready to assist them in it. Barak valued the satisfaction of his mind and the good success of his enterprise more than mere honor.
"And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. And they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 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 Kishon. And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Jehovah hath delivered Sisera into thy hand; is not Jehovah gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. And Jehovah discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left." — Judges 4:10-16 (ASV)
Sisera's confidence was chiefly in his chariots. But if we have ground to hope that God goes before us, we may go on with courage and cheerfulness.
Do not be dismayed at the difficulties you encounter in resisting Satan, in serving God, or suffering for him; for has not the Lord gone before you? Follow him then fully. Barak went down, though on the plain the iron chariots would have an advantage against him; he left the mountain in dependence on the Divine power; for in the Lord alone is the salvation of his people (Jeremiah 3:23). He was not deceived in his confidence.
When God goes before us in our spiritual conflicts, we must exert ourselves; and when, by his grace, he gives us some success against the enemies of our souls, we must improve it by watchfulness and resolution.
"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. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he turned in unto her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 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. And he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. Then Jael Heber`s wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died. And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And he came unto her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan." — Judges 4:17-24 (ASV)
Sisera's chariots had been his pride and his confidence. Thus are those disappointed who rest on created things; like a broken reed, it not only breaks under them but also pierces them with many sorrows. The idol may quickly become a burden (Isaiah 46:1); what we craved, God can make us sick of.
It is probable that Jael initially intended kindness to Sisera, but by a Divine impulse, she was later led to consider him as the determined enemy of the Lord and of his people, and to destroy him. All our connections with God's enemies must be broken off if we would have the Lord as our God and His people as our people.
He who had thought to destroy Israel with his many iron chariots was himself destroyed with one iron nail. Thus, the weak things of the world confound the mighty. The Israelites would have prevented much mischief if they had destroyed the Canaanites sooner, as God commanded and enabled them. But it is better to be wise late, and buy wisdom by experience, than never to be wise.
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