Judges 4:9

Judges 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
• New International Version (NIV)“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And she said, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Context of Judges 4:9

7I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will hand him over to you.’” 8Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” She said, “I will certainly go with you; however, the fame shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. 11Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

Judges 4:9 word by word

וַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָלֹ֧ךְ אֵלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֗ךְ אֶ֚פֶס כִּי֩ לֹ֨א תִֽהְיֶ֜ה תִּֽפְאַרְתְּךָ֗ עַל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה הוֹלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֣י בְֽיַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה יִמְכֹּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֑א וַתָּ֧קָם דְּבוֹרָ֛ה וַתֵּ֥לֶך עִם־בָּרָ֖ק קֶֽדְשָׁה׃Read the interlinear

• She saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will certainlyהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• with you; howeverאֶ֫פֶס'ephes · endH657
• with you; howeverכִּיkîy · forH3588
• the fameתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
• shall not be yours on the journeyדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• for the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• will sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
• Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
• into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• Then Deborahדְּבוֹרָהdebôrâh debôrâh · DeborahH1683
• gotקָמָיqûm · (Leb)-kamaiH6965
• with Barakבָּרָקbârâq · BarakH1301
• to Kedeshקֶ֫דֶשׁqedesh · KedeshH6943

Cross-references for Judges 4:9

• 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father was to walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me--for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been untrue and will have no honor from the Lord God.”
• Judges 2:14Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand against their enemies.
• Judges 4:17Now Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
• Judges 5:24“Most blessed of women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Most blessed is she of women in the tent.
• Judges 9:54Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man pierced him through, and he died.
• 2 Samuel 20:21Such is not the case. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against King David. Only turn him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

Commentaries on Judges 4:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman - Does not this mean, If I go with thee, the conquest shall be attributed to me, and thou wilt have no honor? Or, is it a prediction of the exploit of Jael? In both these senses the words have been understood. It seems, however, more likely that Jael is intended. The Septuagint made a remarkable addition to the speech of Barak: "If thou wilt go with me I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Mark the unhesitating faith and courage of Deborah, and the rebuke to Barak‘s timidity, “the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (Jael, Judges 4:22). For a similar use of a weak instrument, that the excellency of the power might be of God, compare the history of Gideon and his 300, David and his sling, Shamgar and his ox-goad, Samson and the jawbone of the ass. (See 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 1:31.) Barak would probably think the woman…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-9Verses 4-9 Deborah was a prophetess; one instructed in Divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel as God's mouth to them; correcting abuses, and redressing grievances. By God's direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army, and engage Jabin's forces. Barak insisted much upon her presence. Deborah promised to go with him. She would not send him where she would not go herself. Those who in God's name call others to their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9A woman would receive the honor for the victory, causing Barak to lose face. This Kedesh seems to have been near Mount Tabor (compare Judges 4:6, 12), a different location from the Kedesh in Naphtali (4:6), which was too far north for the described action.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman--This was a prediction which Barak could not understand at the time; but the strain of it conveyed a rebuke of his unmanly fears.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 4:9

• Canaanites
• Deborah
• Hypocrisy
• Kedesh

In the dictionaries

• Kedesh
• Asleep
• Harosheth of the Gentiles
• Prophetess
• Tabor
• Thirsty
• Abdon (1)
• 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