weaker vessel had the stronger faith. So sure is she success because of God's promise, that she calls the peril war which he was undertaking simply a way' or 'journe that thou takest shall not be for thine honour [God us the weakness of a woman to inflict the decisive blow Cor. i. 26-31)], for the LORD [Jehovah] shall sell Sisera [ as before He sold Israel into Sisera's hand (ver. 2) into the h of a woman [Barak would think Deborah to be meant. event alone unfolded the prophecy]. And Deborah arose, went with Barak to Kedesh [not that in Naphtali, whic distant 30 miles of most difficult country from Mount T but at Kadis, along the sea of Galilee, within easy reac Mount Tabor, which was only 16 miles distant, and was scene of the battle. The sources of the Kishon are a Mujahiyeh, the springhead', 3 miles west of the foot of M Tabor]. (10) And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Ke and he went up [to Mount Tabor, ver. 12] with ten thou men at his feet [i.e., following him, so margin Exod. x 1 Kings xx. 10]; and Deborah went up with him. (11) Heber the Kenite, (which was) of the children of Hobab [r place the clause thus, "had severed himself from the Ke (which were) of the children of Hobab"], the father-i [rather "brother-in-law," as in, chotheen, means often. Raguel was Hobab's father, and Moses' father-in-law (Ex 18). Jethro, as being the elder brother, succeeded Reueli hereditary priesthood. He left the Israelites to go to his in Midian, before they reached Sinai (Exod. xviii. 27). Hobab, at Moses' entreaty (Numb. x. 29–32), accompanied and settled in Canaan (Judg. i. 16). Being the younger, I not, like Jethro, bound to his tribe by the duties devolvi an eldest son. As Jethro helped Moses in counsel, so I like an experienced Arab chief, was quick-eyed in disc the best places for encampment, water, and pasture. H family by joining Israel escaped the doom of Amalek (1 xv. 6)] of Moses, had severed himself [permanently; f Hebrew participle, niphrad, implies continuous action, ins the perfect. Like Ruth i. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 17] from the 1 and pitched his tent unto the plain [rather the oak' or

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binth' tree ] of Zaanaim (Josh. xix. 33). Zaanaim is identical with Bitzaanaim, probably the modern Bessum, in a broad plain between Mount Tabor and Kedesh or Kadis, near Adami (Dameh) and Nekeb (Nakib), which are associated with Zaanannim in Josh. xix. 33. The Kenite Heber's migration from Southern Judah, whither he had previously come from Jericho (i. 16; 1 Chron. ii. 54, 55), took place a short while before, probably owing to the pressure of the Philistines. on Judah (iii. 31, v. 6, 24). This is introduced here with a view to the sequel ver. 17-22] which (is) by Kedesh [see note ver. 10]. (12) And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor. (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 [i.e., from west to east of the plain of Jezreel; unto the sources of the Kishon, at the modern El Mujahiyeh, the 'springhead,' where there is an extensive chain of pools and springs, 3 miles west of the foot of Mount Tabor, the scene of the battle (Palest. Explor. Quart. Statem., Jan. 1877, page 14, and Oct., page 191)]. (14) And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this (is) the day in which the LORD [JEHOVAH] hath delivered Sisera into thine hand is not the LORD [JEHOVAH] gone out before thee? [Isa. lii. 12; Mic. ii. 13]. So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him [rushing from the high ground down upon the Canaanites posted southward at the foot of the conical mountain on which Endor is situated. So Napoleon acted in his battle. of Tabor]. (15) And the LORD [JEHOVAH] discomfited [Exod. xiv. 24 D the same Hebrew 'troubled'; applied to God's confounding the foe with a crash by miraculous interposition through the phenomena of nature (Ps. cxliv. 6; 2 Sam. xxii. 15; Judg. v. 20, implies that God arrayed the powers of nature against Sisera)] Sisera, and all (his) chariots, and all (his) host, with the edge of the sword before Barak [Ps. xcviii. 1, Jehovah's interposition left the foe a prey to Israel's sword]; so that Sisera lighted down off (his) chariot, and fled away on his feet [like a common soldier. His chariot, which had been his help (Ps. lxix. 22), became a hindrance, when God was against him].

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(16) But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the h unto Harosheth of the Gentiles; and all the host of Sisera upon the edge of the sword: (and) there was not a man [Hebr unto one] left. (17) Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite [he fled to the wom tent which was separate from, and more secure than, the m tent (see Gen. xviii. 6, 10, xxiv. 67). The Kenites retail their primitive tent life (Jer. xxxv. 6–10). If we iden Kedesh with Kadis (note ver. 10, 11) and Zaanaim with Bess the whole of Sisera's flight, instead of 30 miles over mount 4000 feet high to Kedesh Naphtali (!), is but 5 or 6 miles f the battle-field in the opposite direction to the course whi his army was pursued towards Harosheth, a distance o possible to him, though fatigued with the battle]: for (there peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of I the Kenite [i.e., with that clan of the Kenites. Their separa from their countrymen to join themselves to Israel was rewa by their being exempted by God from the chastisemen Jabin with which God visited Israel for idolatry]. (18) Jael went out to meet Sisera [having heard of the victory looking out for fresh tidings. On seeing Sisera, she form plan on the spur of the moment; she will complete triumph over the foe of God's people. Her guile and trea were the alloy in her faith. So the lie of Rahab so far m her faith (Josh. ii. 4-6, 8-15); God's "children will not (Isa. lxiii. 8; Zeph. iii. 13). The good end will not j bad means], and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in [the phrase of hospitality; turn in from the road (Gen. › 3)]; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into th she covered him with a mantle [rug or counterpane, th might sleep after his fatigue]. (19) And he said unt Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am t And she opened a bottle of milk [ver. 25, giving him wha better than his request], and gave him drink, and covered (20) Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the ter it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of the say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No [the du which he designed her to practise towards others she pr

CHAPTER V.

SONG OF DEBORAH AND BARAK.

(1) Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoo that day [it is well to praise at once, whilst the heart is gratitude for the deliverance vouchsafed. Delay dulls ness. Eaten bread is soon forgotten (2 Chron. xx. 26 xxxviii. 9-22; Luke i. 64-79)], saying ['sang' is singul feminine; therefore the song was the composition of I alone, who was at once prophetess and poetess: so Da Sam. xxiii. 1, 2. Vers. 3, 7, 12, prove that she was th composer. Barak, probably, with a chorus of men, to the second verse, and sung it as an antiphone, summing it does the substance of the song. So Miriam with the of women took up as an antiphone the first verse of ode of thanksgiving at the Red Sea (Exod. xv. 1, 20, 21) song falls into three sections, each section containin strophes. The first and second sections begin with a praise God (ver. 2, 12); the third (ver. 22-31) closes prayer embodying the prophetical anticipation (grounded victory over Jabin) of the destruction of all the Jehovah, and of the triumph of them that love Him (v (2) Praise ye the LORD [JEHOVAH] for the avenging of 1 Montanus, Junius, Tremellius, Munster and Casta Belg. versions. Literally, "for avenging the avenges of (Ps. xviii. 47). But Gesenius takes it from an Ara as the Cod. Alex. of the Septuagint, and as the para the clauses favours, "for the leading of the lead princes) in Israel," answering to "for the people offering themselves," also ver. 9, corresponds; so also