Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/320

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4.14
JUDGES

hand; is not the Lord gone out before thee?' So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15And the Lord 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. 16But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth-goiim; and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.

17Howbeit 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. 18And 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. 19And 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. 20And 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.' 21Then 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. 22And, 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. 23So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24And 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.


5Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying:

2When men let grow their hair in Israel,
When the people offer themselves willingly,
Bless ye the Lord.
3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes;
I, unto the Lord will I sing;
I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.
4Lord, when Thou didst go forth out of Seir,
When Thou didst march out of the field of Edom,
The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped,
Yea, the clouds dropped water.
5The mountains quaked at the presence of the Lord,
Even yon Sinai at the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.
6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the days of Jael, the highways ceased,
And the travellers walked through byways.
7The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,
Until that thou didst arise, Deborah,
That thou didst arise a mother in Israel.
8They chose new gods;
Then was war in the gates;
Was there a shield or spear seen
Among forty thousand in Israel?

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