Judges 4 16

Judges 4:16 kjv

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

Judges 4:16 nkjv

But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth Hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

Judges 4:16 niv

Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera's troops fell by the sword; not a man was left.

Judges 4:16 esv

And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.

Judges 4:16 nlt

Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera's warriors. Not a single one was left alive.

Judges 4 verses

Judges 4 16 Meaning

Judges 4:16 describes the comprehensive and unsparing annihilation of Sisera's army following their defeat by God's hand through Deborah and Barak. Barak diligently pursued the routed forces, completing the divine judgment by utterly destroying them, even reaching their base at Harosheth-hagoyim, leaving no single soldier alive. It signifies a decisive, total victory granted by God over Israel's formidable oppressor.

Judges 4 16 Context

Before Judges 4:16, Israel had been oppressed by Jabin, king of Canaan, and his army commander Sisera, who commanded 900 iron chariots, for twenty years (Jdg 4:2-3). Deborah, a prophetess, summoned Barak and delivered God's command to gather forces at Mount Tabor and defeat Sisera (Jdg 4:6-7). Barak, with Deborah's presence, engaged Sisera at the Kishon River (Jdg 4:13). The Lord intervened, causing a torrential downpour and a flash flood that turned the riverbed into a mire, rendering Sisera's iron chariots useless and causing panic among his troops (Jdg 5:21). Sisera fled on foot, leaving his army in chaos. Judges 4:16 details the decisive phase where Barak, empowered by God, capitalizes on this miraculous intervention, ensuring the complete and utter eradication of the enemy force.

Word Analysis

• But: Contrasts Sisera's flight with Barak's active and decisive pursuit. It marks the shift from the divine routing of the enemy to human agency in the mop-up operation.
• Barak: Hebrew Barak (בָּרָק), meaning "lightning." His name itself suggests speed and destruction, fitting for one who leads the charge in pursuing a fleeing army to total annihilation. He serves as God's instrument for completion.
• pursued: Hebrew radaph (רָדַף), meaning "to chase, pursue, harass." This verb implies relentless pursuit, leaving no room for escape or regrouping, highlighting the decisive nature of the follow-up operation.
• the chariots: Hebrew rekeb (רֶכֶב), denoting "chariots" or "chariotry." These were Sisera's primary source of strength and military advantage (Jdg 4:3), now rendered impotent by divine intervention and systematically eliminated by Israel's infantry. This underscores God's ability to nullify human military superiority.
• and the army: Hebrew chayil (חַיִל), meaning "strength, might, army, valor." It refers to Sisera's entire military force. This comprehensive term emphasizes that no part of the enemy's strength was allowed to survive.
• as far as Harosheth-hagoyim: Hebrew Ḥaroshet ha-Goyim (חֲרֹשֶׁת הַגּוֹיִם), "Harosheth of the Gentiles/Nations." This was Sisera's operational base (Jdg 4:2). Pursuing the army to their stronghold demonstrates the absolute and territorial extent of the victory. It implies the enemy's power was broken even within their own lands.
• and all the army of Sisera: Reaffirms the totality of the defeat, leaving no ambiguity. "All" (כֹּל, kol) underscores every individual in the army.
• fell by the sword: Hebrew nafal lephi-ḥerev (נָפַל לְפִי־חֶרֶב), literally "fell to the mouth of the sword." This idiomatic expression signifies slaughter in battle. It highlights the direct action of the Israelite forces under Barak in executing God's judgment.
• not one was left: Hebrew lo nothar eḥad (לֹא נוֹתַר אֶחָד), literally "not left one." This is the ultimate declaration of utter destruction. It conveys the absolute completeness of the victory, ensuring no remaining threat or remnant from Sisera's forces. This echoes the concept of herem, a total devotion to destruction, though not explicitly named as such.

Judges 4 16 Bonus section

• The dramatic transformation of Sisera's "900 chariots of iron" from formidable instruments of war into death traps stuck in the mud of the Kishon (elaborated in Jdg 5:21-22) profoundly illustrates God's control over nature and His ability to turn the enemy's greatest strength into their undoing.
• This comprehensive military victory, resulting in the eradication of Sisera's entire army, directly sets the stage for Jael's individual heroic act of killing Sisera himself in the subsequent verses (Jdg 4:17-22), ensuring the complete cessation of the threat.
• The emphasis on "not one was left" highlights the comprehensive nature of God's deliverance for His people, a theme that resonates throughout biblical history where God judges His enemies with thoroughness, often echoing instructions given for herem against the inhabitants of Canaan.
• The battle recounted in Judges 4, culminating in this verse, is further celebrated and expanded upon in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5), providing a deeper theological understanding and poetic reflection on the divine aspects of this triumph.

Judges 4 16 Commentary

Judges 4:16 presents the definitive outcome of God's victory over Israel's oppressor, Sisera. While God initiated the rout with miraculous natural phenomena, Barak’s persistent pursuit demonstrates human obedience in fully actualizing divine judgment. The verse’s precision – targeting "chariots and the army" and chasing them "as far as Harosheth-hagoyim" – underscores the total dismantling of Sisera's power. The climactic phrase "not one was left" is crucial, proclaiming an unblemished and final victory that left no room for the enemy to regroup or continue their oppression. This serves as a powerful testament to Yahweh's supremacy over all human military might, regardless of technological advantage (iron chariots), assuring Israel of their deliverer. It implicitly counters reliance on human power and shows God's full commitment to delivering His people completely.