Deborah the wife of Lappidoth was a prophet and a leader of Israel during those days.  She would sit under Deborah's Palm Tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where Israelites would come and ask her to settle their legal cases.

One day, Barak the son of Abinoam was in Kedesh in Naphtali, and Deborah sent word for him to come and talk with her. When he arrived, she said:
I have a message for you from the LORD God of Israel!  You are to get together an army of ten thousand men from the Naphtali and Zebulun tribes and lead them to Mount Tabor.

The LORD will trick Sisera into coming out to fight you at the Kishon River.  Sisera will be leading King Jabin's army as usual, and they will have their chariots, but the LORD has promised to help you defeat them.

"I'm not going unless you go!" Barak told her.
"All right, I'll go!" she replied. "But I'm warning you that the LORD is going to let a woman defeat Sisera, and no one will honor you for winning the battle."

Deborah and Barak left for Kedesh, where Barak called together the troops from Zebulun and Naphtali.  Ten thousand soldiers gathered there, and Barak led them out from Kedesh. Deborah went too.

At this time, Heber of the Kenite clan was living near the village of Oak in Zaanannim, not far from Kedesh. The Kenites were descendants of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, but Heber had moved and had set up his tents away from the rest of the clan.

When Sisera learned that Barak had led an army to Mount Tabor, he called his troops together and got all nine hundred iron chariots ready. Then he led his army away from Harosheth-Ha-Goiim to the Kishon River.

Deborah shouted, "Barak, it's time to attack Sisera! Because today the LORD is going to help you defeat him.  In fact, the LORD has already gone on ahead to fight for you."

Barak led his ten thousand troops down from Mount Tabor.  And during the battle, the LORD confused Sisera, his chariot drivers, and his whole army.  Everyone was so afraid of Barak and his army, that even Sisera jumped down from his chariot and tried to escape.

Barak's forces went after Sisera's chariots and army as far as Harosheth-Ha-Goiim.  Sisera's entire army was wiped out.  Only Sisera escaped.  He ran to Heber's camp, because Heber and his family had a peace treaty with the king of Hazor. Sisera went to the tent that belonged to Jael, Heber's wife.

She came out to greet him and said, "Come in, sir! Please come on in. Don't be afraid."  After they had gone inside, Sisera lay down, and Jael covered him with a blanket.
"Could I have a little water?" he asked. "I'm thirsty."  Jael opened a leather bottle and poured him some milk, then she covered him back up.
"Stand at the entrance to the tent," Sisera told her. "If someone comes by and asks if anyone is inside, tell them `No.' "

Sisera was exhausted and soon fell fast asleep. Jael took a hammer and drove a tent-peg through his head into the ground, and he died.

Meanwhile, Barak had been following Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. "The man you're looking for is inside," she said. "Come in and I'll show him to you."  They went inside, and there was Sisera--dead and stretched out with a tent-peg through his skull.

That same day the Israelites defeated the Canaanite King Jabin, and his army was no longer powerful enough to attack the Israelites.  Jabin grew weaker while the Israelites kept growing stronger, and at last the Israelites destroyed him.

Deborah and Barak Sing for the LORD
After the battle was over that day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:
We praise you, LORD!  Our soldiers volunteered, ready to follow you.  Listen, kings and rulers, while I sing for the LORD, the God of Israel.

Our LORD, God of Israel, when you came from Seir, where the Edomites live, rain poured from the sky, the earth trembled, and mountains shook.

In the time of Shamgar son of Anath, and now again in Jael's time, roads were too dangerous for caravans.  Travelers had to take the back roads, and villagers couldn't work in their fields.  Then Deborah took command, protecting Israel as a mother
protects her children.

The Israelites worshiped other gods, and the gates of their towns were then attacked.  But they had no shields or spears to fight with.  I praise you, LORD, and I am grateful for those leaders and soldiers who volunteered.  Listen, everyone!  Whether you ride a donkey with a padded saddle or have to walk.  Even those who carry water to the animals will tell you, "The LORD has won victories, and so has Israel."

Then the LORD's people marched down to the town gates and said, " Deborah, let's go!  Let's sing as we march.  Barak, capture our enemies."

The LORD's people who were left joined with their leaders and fought at my side.  Troops came from Ephraim, where Amalekites once lived.  Others came from Benjamin; officers and leaders came from Machir and Zebulun. The rulers of Issachar
came along with Deborah, and Issachar followed Barak into the valley.

But the tribe of Reuben was no help at all!  Reuben, why did you stay among your sheep pens?  Was it to listen to shepherds whistling for their sheep?  No one could figure out why Reuben wouldn't come.  The people of Gilead stayed across the Jordan.

Why did the tribe of Dan remain on their ships and the tribe of Asher stay along the coast near the harbors?

But soldiers of Zebulun and Naphtali risked their lives to attack the enemy.  Canaanite kings fought us at Taanach by the stream near Megiddo -- but they couldn't rob us of our silver.  From their pathways in the sky the stars fought Sisera, and his soldiers were swept away by the ancient Kishon River.

I will march on and be brave.

Sisera's horses galloped off, their hoofs thundering in retreat.

The LORD's angel said, "Put a curse on Meroz Town!  Its people refused to help the LORD fight his powerful enemies."  But honor Jael, the wife of Heber from the Kenite clan.  Give more honor to her than to any other woman who lives in tents.  Yes, give more honor to her than to any other woman.  Sisera asked for water, but Jael gave him milk--cream in a fancy cup.  She reached for a tent-peg and held a hammer
in her right hand. And with a blow to the head, she crushed his skull.  Sisera sank to his knees and fell dead at her feet.

Sisera's mother looked out through her window.  "Why is he taking so long?"  she asked.  "Why haven't we heard his chariots coming?"  She and her wisest women
gave the same answer: "Sisera and his troops are finding treasures to bring back-- a woman, or maybe two, for each man, and beautiful dresses for those women to wear."

Our LORD, we pray that all your enemies will die like Sisera.  But let everyone who loves you shine brightly like the sun at dawn.