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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.

Context of Judges 4:9

7I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ ” 8Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” “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. 10There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him. 11Now Heber the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will surelyהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• with thee: notwithstandingאֶ֫פֶס'ephes · endH657
• the journeyדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• shall not be for thine honourתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
• for the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• shall sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
• Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
• into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of a womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• And Deborahדְּבוֹרָהdebôrâh debôrâh · DeborahH1683
• aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• with Barakבָּרָקbârâq · BarakH1301
• to Kedeshקֶ֫דֶשׁqedesh · KedeshH6943

Cross-references for Judges 4:9

• 1 Samuel 2:30“Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”
• Judges 2:14In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
• Judges 4:17Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.
• Judges 5:24“Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
• Judges 9:54Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his servant ran him through, and he died.
• 2 Samuel 20:21That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you from 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