Judges 4 14

Judges 4:14 kjv

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

Judges 4:14 nkjv

Then Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

Judges 4:14 niv

Then Deborah said to Barak, "Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?" So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him.

Judges 4:14 esv

And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.

Judges 4:14 nlt

Then Deborah said to Barak, "Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you." So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.

Judges 4 verses

Judges 4 14 Meaning

Judges 4:14 captures Deborah's decisive command to Barak, urging him to immediately launch the attack against Sisera's Canaanite army. She declares that the Lord has already set in motion the victory, confirming divine assurance that Sisera and his forces would be delivered into Barak's hand that very day. It highlights a critical moment of faith and obedience leading to Israel's deliverance.

Judges 4 14 Context

Judges chapter 4 opens with Israel once again falling into idolatry after Ehud's death, leading the Lord to deliver them into the hand of Jabin, the Canaanite king of Hazor, for twenty years. Sisera, Jabin's commander, heavily oppressed Israel with his 900 chariots of iron. Deborah, a prophetess and judge, held court under a palm tree and was called by God to deliver Israel. She summoned Barak, assigning him the divine command to gather ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun and march to Mount Tabor, where Sisera's forces would be drawn out and delivered into his hand. Barak agreed only if Deborah went with him, expressing a dependence that showed some wavering faith. Deborah agreed but prophesied that the ultimate honor of defeating Sisera would go to a woman. This verse, Judges 4:14, occurs as the battle is about to commence, acting as Deborah’s final directive and prophetic reassurance to Barak. The historical context reflects a time when tribal Israel faced a powerful, technologically advanced enemy. This narrative implicitly demonstrates the superiority of YHWH over the Canaanite deities, especially Baal, often associated with storms and fertility. Here, YHWH directly intervenes, not only commanding the battle but supernaturally delivering victory, notably through heavy rains that render Sisera's chariots useless (Judges 5:21), a direct polemic against Baal's purported domain.

Judges 4 14 Word analysis

• And Deborah: The prophetess and judge, whose name (דְּבֹרָה, Devorah) means "bee," suggesting a sense of community, order, but also a sharp, purposeful intervention. Her role underscores divine empowerment of leadership, including women, at a time of crisis.
• said: (וַתֹּאמֶר, vatto'mer) - A direct utterance, a command carrying divine authority given her prophetic role. It's not a suggestion but an instruction.
• to Barak: (אֶל־בָּרָק, 'el Barāq) - His name means "lightning" (בָּרָק, Baraq), a powerful natural phenomenon, apt for a military leader. The address emphasizes his designated role despite his initial reluctance.
• Up!: (קוּם, *Qūm!) - A forceful imperative, meaning "Arise!" "Stand up!" "Get up!" or "Go forth!" It signifies urgency, readiness for action, and a call to immediate engagement. It is often used for commencing a divine work.
• for this: (כִּי־זֶה, ki-zeh) - This phrase points to the precise moment, signifying that the appointed time for God's intervention has arrived.
• is the day: (הַיּוֹם, hayyom) - The specific time, chosen and ordained by God. It indicates divine providence and timing are critical to the unfolding events.
• in which the Lord: (אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן יְהוָה, 'asher-natan YHWH) - Emphasizes the Divine Actor as the one who brings about the outcome. YHWH is the personal covenant God of Israel, the source of all power and victory.
• will deliver: (נָתַן, natan) - Past tense verb "has given" but understood in a prophetic perfect sense as "has already delivered" or "is sure to deliver." This verb signifies a definite handing over or transfer of power, conveying absolute certainty of the outcome.
• Sisera: The commander of Jabin's powerful Canaanite army, whose military might, especially chariots of iron, was a source of fear.
• into your hand: (בְּיָדֶךָ, b'yād'ka) - The idiomatic phrase "into your hand" (literally "in your hand") signifies complete defeat, control, or subjugation by the one into whose hand the enemy is given. It ensures Sisera's downfall.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Up! for this is the day in which the Lord...": This opening powerfully blends urgency ("Up!") with divine appointment ("this is the day") and the active role of God ("the Lord"). It creates an atmosphere of immediate divine initiative.
• "...the Lord will deliver Sisera into your hand.": This declaration is the core prophecy and assurance. It affirms God's sovereign control over historical events and military outcomes, transferring the might of Sisera directly into Barak's ultimate control. It's a statement of sure victory rooted in God's faithfulness.

Judges 4 14 Bonus section

The Hebrew verb natan (to give/deliver) being in the prophetic perfect tense "has given" rather than a future tense, conveys the absolute certainty of the promised victory, as if it has already occurred in God's plan. This certainty is crucial for inspiring courage in a reluctant leader like Barak and facing an overwhelming foe. This narrative serves as a vital reminder for God's people that faithfulness and obedience to God's directives are paramount. Barak's initial hesitation, while humanly understandable given Sisera's fearsome chariots, briefly diverted the direct glory from him, but ultimately, his obedience led to a glorious divine victory, fulfilled through the unlikeliest of means – a woman. The subsequent divine intervention (a sudden storm in Judges 5:21 that turned the battlefield into mud, rendering the chariots useless) is the physical manifestation of YHWH "delivering" Sisera into Barak's hand. This entire chapter powerfully showcases the Lord's ability to use the weak to confound the strong and humble the proud, ensuring that glory is given to Him alone.

Judges 4 14 Commentary

Judges 4:14 marks the crescendo of tension before the decisive battle, serving as Deborah's clarion call and divine reassurance to Barak. It underscores that the victory Israel sought was not reliant on their own strength, numerical superiority, or military strategy, but solely on the Lord's intervention. The statement "this is the day" highlights God's specific timing and sovereignty, indicating that He had ordained this very moment for deliverance. The powerful affirmation "the Lord will deliver Sisera into your hand" pre-empts the outcome, revealing God as the true general and victor. This instills faith in Barak and the ten thousand men, demonstrating that true success in spiritual warfare, as in physical battles for Israel, originates from absolute trust and obedience to God's command. This prophetic word from Deborah turned the tide of doubt and prepared Barak to step forward in faith to claim the victory God had already secured.

Examples for practical usage:

• Facing overwhelming challenges: Recall that God's "day" for deliverance can come suddenly and assuredly.
• Needing to step out in faith: Act upon God's clear leading even when human logic or fear dictates otherwise.
• Remembering God's sovereignty: Recognize that ultimate outcomes rest in God's hands, not ours.