Judges 4:4-5:31

It’s a very “girl power” haftorah this week. The Israelites were being trounced by the vast armies of King Jabin of Canaan and his general Sisera. Deborah the Prophetess instructs Barak, son of Abinoam to “gather your men toward Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and Zubulun (2 of the 12 tribes). And I shall draw to you to the brook Kishon Sisera…with his chariots and his multitude; and I will give him into your hand.”

Barak and Deborah led the offensive maneuver. Sisera responded to the Israelites’ mobilization as expected and headed to the Kishon River. The haftorah tells us the Canannites had to fight on two fronts that day: against Barak & Deborah’s army below and from the heavens above, and were said to be severely crushed.

Sisera, the defeated general, fled on foot and sought asylum at the tent of Jael, [Read more…]