Judges 4:15

Judges 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
• New International Version (NIV)At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot.

Context of Judges 4:15

13So he gave a command to all his soldiers. He told them to go with him from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon river. They had 900 iron chariots. 14Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Get ready! This is the day that the Lord will put Sisera under your power! The Lord will lead you into battle!’ So Barak led his 10,000 soldiers down from Mount Tabor. When they started to attack, the Lord caused Sisera and all his army with their chariots to have great trouble. The Israelites chased them with their swords. Sisera jumped off his chariot and he ran away. 16Barak and his soldiers chased after Sisera's army and their chariots. They chased them to Harosheth Haggoyim. They killed Sisera's whole army. Not one of their soldiers was still alive! 17Sisera himself ran to hide in the tent of Heber's wife, Jael. He did that because King Jabin of Hazor had agreed to be friends with Heber's family.

Judges 4:15 word by word

וַיָּ֣הָם יְ֠הוָה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֨א וְאֶת־כָּל־הָרֶ֧כֶב וְאֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב לִפְנֵ֣י בָרָ֑ק וַיֵּ֧רֶד סִֽיסְרָ֛א מֵעַ֥ל הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה וַיָּ֥נָס בְּרַגְלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• discomfitedהָמַםhâmam · to confuseH2000
• Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
• chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
• hostמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• with the edgeפֶּהpeh · lip: edgeH6310
• of the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• Barakבָּרָקbârâq · BarakH1301
• lighted downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• chariotמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818
• and fled awayנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• on his feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272

Cross-references for Judges 4:15

• Judges 5:20Even the stars fought against Sisera! They travelled across the sky to attack him.
• Joshua 10:10The Lord caused the Amorites to become confused when they saw the Israelite army. So the Israelites won a great battle there at Gibeon. They chased their enemies along the road to Beth Horon. They continued to kill the Amorite soldiers as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
• 2 Kings 7:6The Lord God had caused the Syrian soldiers to hear the sound of horses, chariots and a very big army. So they said among themselves, ‘Listen! The king of Israel has paid the king of the Hittites and the king of Egypt to come here and attack us!’
• 2 Chronicles 13:15Judah's soldiers shouted very loudly. As King Abijah led Judah's soldiers into the battle, the Lord knocked down Jeroboam and all Israel's army.
• Psalms 83:9God, punish them as you punished Midian. Do what you did to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon.
• Hebrews 11:32I could say even more about other people who trusted God. But there is not enough time to talk about all of them. I could tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and all the prophets.

Commentaries on Judges 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15The Lord discomfited Sisera - יהוה ויהם vayiahom Jehovah ; the Lord Confounded, threw them all into confusion, drove them pell-mell - caused chariots to break and overthrow chariots, and threw universal disorder into all their ranks. In this case Barak and his men had little to do but kill and pursue, and Sisera in order to escape, was obliged to abandon his chariot. There is no doubt all this was done by supernatural agency; God sent his angel and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Lighted down off his chariot - Probably his chariot stuck in the morass (see the note at Judges 4:7); or he might leave his chariot in order to mislead his pursuers, and in hope of gaining a place of safety while they were following the track of the chariot-wheels and the bulk of the host.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-16Verses 10-16 Siser's confidence was chiefly in his chariots. But if we have ground to hope that God goes before us, we may go on with courage and cheerfulness. Be not dismayed at the difficulties thou meetest with in resisting Satan, in serving God, or suffering for him; for is not the Lord gone before thee? Follow him then fully. Barak went down, though upon the plain the iron chariots would have advantage against him: he quitted the mountain in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16Mount Tabor, covered in forest, was a strategic location. The sudden charge down the hill likely surprised the unsuspecting Canaanites. The battle was won because it was the Lord's war, not due to human strategy or tactics. The text does not explain why the chariots were ineffective; this is detailed in the poetic version of the account (Judges 5:21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. the Lord discomfited Sisera--Hebrew, "threw his army into confusion"; men, horses, and chariots being intermingled in wild confusion. The disorder was produced by a supernatural panic (see on Jud 5:20). so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet--His chariot being probably distinguished by its superior size and elegance, would betray the rank of its rider, and he saw therefore that his only chance of escape was on foot.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 4:15

• Canaanites
• Deborah
• Hypocrisy

In the dictionaries

• Asleep
• Harosheth of the Gentiles
• Jabin
• Prophetess
• Thirsty
• Abdon (1)
• Discomfit; Discomfiture
• Galilee
• Hospitality; Host
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on Judges 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings