Deborah, the Prophetess.
Jael, wife of Heber, the Kenite.
Jabin, King of Canaan.
Sisera, captain of Jabin's host.
Heber, the Kenite.
Barak, leader of the Israelites.

PLACE OF THE STORY.

"The Palm Tree of Deborah."
The River Kishon.
The Tent of Heber, the Kenite.

DEBORAH AND JAEL.
THE STORY OF TWO WOMEN WHO HELPED TO OVERCOME AND KILL A MIGHTY WARRIOR.

And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera. And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

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Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, 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 to him, "Hath not the Lord, the God of Israel: commanded, saying, 'Go to Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will bring to thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his host; and I will deliver him into thine hand.'"

And Barak said to 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 the Lord will give Sisera into the hand of a woman."

And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men with him: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, and had pitched his tent by an oak near 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. And Deborah said unto Barak, "Up; for this [{53}] is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee?"