barak

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

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.

And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

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.

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

THAT WE OUGHT TO REST ON THE SABBATH DAYS AND HEARKEN TO THE WORDS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THAT WE MAY DO HIS WILL, AND REMEMBER THE SUFFERINGS WHICH GOD THE WORD ENDURED FOR OUR SAKES. [vii., 36.] O Lord Almighty, who didst create the world by Jesus Christ our Saviour, and didst appoint the Sabbath, and rest thereon from all Thy work, and hast commanded us to rest (on it) from all the work of our hands, and to be ready to serve and do Thy commandments; and hast given us feast days (for) the joy of our souls; and that we should remember the skill of Thy wisdom, that God the word was pleased to be born of a woman for our sakes, and appeared manifestly in this world (); and was baptized as man, though He was God, and endured patiently the sufferings of the Cross, died and rose from the dead in great might. Wherefore we keep as a feast the holy day of His resurrection, and honour the first day of the week, and give glory, and sing praise to Him who conquer death and cave light to the whole world, and hath bestowed on us incorruptible honour and glory, and hath gathered the scattered people, and made them to be one pure flock, and hath blessed them, even as He blessed Israel. (It was) Thou, O Lord, who broughtest our fathers from the land of Egypt, and didst deliver them from bitter bondage, and didst save them from the sea, and from the labour of the brick-kiln, and didst bring them forth from the power of Pharaoh and his hosts; and leddest them through the sea on dry ground, and didst sustain them with all good things in the wilderness, and appoint for them the law of the ten words which Thou didst utter with Thy voice, and didst write with Thy hands, and didst command them to rest on the Sabbath day, that they might give Thee humble thanks, and be safe from all evil; and didst bind them with words of admonition, and gather them and bring them into the house of Thy sanctuary. Wherefore He hath commanded us to rest on every Sabbath day, because on the Sabbath day our Lord rested from all His work. Let us, then, seek after all His law, and give thanks to Him, and bless God for all the good things that He hath bestowed on us, the sons of men. And greater than all these is (the day of) His holy resurrection which our Lord and Saviour and Creator, God the Word, hath taught us (to observe), He who was begotten before the world was created, the Son of the Father, and (was born) of the Virgin Mary without human father: He suffered and was crucified and died in the days of Pontius Pilate; and rose from the dead on the day of the Christian Sabbath. Remember, O Lord, that which we offer to Thee on this day, the sacrifice, and the oblation, and the eucharist of Thy holy peace, this great portion which Thou hast given unto us, that we may offer () that which is good unto the greatness of Thy power. (vii., 37.] And Thou hast fulfilled the prophecy, and hast shown mercy unto Zion, and hast had compassion on Jerusalem, and hast exalted the throne of David thy servant amongst us by the birth of Christ, who was born of a virgin of his seed according to the flesh. Do Thou, O Lord, receive the prayer and supplication of Thy people who call upon Thee in truth, even as Thou didst receive the sacrifices of the righteous each in its own time: first of Abel, whose sacrifice Thou didst respect and receive; of Noah when he was going forth from the Ark; of Abraham when he was going forth from the land of the Chaldees; of Isaac when he was going forth from the Well of the Oath; of Jacob in Bethlehem; and of Moses in the mount; and of Aaron in the wilderness; and of Joshua the son of Nun in Gilgal; and of Gideon on the rock; and of Manoah and his wife in the plain; and of Samson when he was athirst before he transgressed; and of Jephthah in war; and of Barak and Deborah over Sisera; and of Samuel in Mizpeh; and of David in the field of Ornan the Jebusite; and of Solomon in Gibeon and in Jerusalem; and of Elijah on Mount Carmel; and of Elisha at the fountains; and of Jehoshaphat in battle; and of Hezekiah in his sickness and concerning Sennacherib; and of Manasseh in the mount of the Chaldees after he had transgressed; and of Josiah in Pasa; and of Ezra when he was returning; and of Daniel in the den of lions; and of Jonah in the belly of the whale; and of the Three Children in the furnace of fire; and of Hannah in the tabernacle of testimony by the ark; and of Nehemiah when he was building the wall with Zerubbabel; and of Mattathias and his sons on the hilltop (); and of Joel in the blessing; now also in like manner receive the prayer and supplication of those who offer to Thee with knowledge through Jesus Christ.: [vii., 38.] We give thanks to Thee for all things. Thou takest not from us Thy compassion and Thy mercy, for Thou art merciful and full of compassion in all generations, Who didst receive Enosh, and Enoch, and Noah, (and didst help) in the days of Moses and Joshua, (and) the Judges, and in the days of Samuel and Elijah and the other prophets, and in the days - of David and the other kings, and in the days of Esther and Mordecai, and in the days of Judith, and in the days of Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren: receive us also in like manner in our days through Thy Son Jesus Christ the Great High-priest, who hath saved us from the sword and famine, and hath fed us and satisfied us, and healed us from (our) sickness, and protected us from evil tongues. To Thee we give thanks at all times through Jesus Christ, who hath bestowed on us a sweet and articulate voice, and a tongue fair as the sound of an instrument, and hath made us to discern between sweet and bitter, (and given us) eyes to see, and ears to hear, and noses to smell, and hands to handle with, and feet to walk; and these Thou hast created from a tiny drop that is gathered in the womb; and Thou didst bestow (on man therewith) a soul that shall not die, and make him a rational being. And Thou didst instruct him by Thy law and adorn him by Thy commandments; and after a while Thou didst make him mortal and didst. grant him a resurrection. How then shall man repay Thee for all this that Thou hast done for him? Now also we must needs give Thee thanks and glorify Thee according to the measure of our power. Receive (us) that (our service) may be acceptable before Thee; and save us from the apostasy of the wicked whose gods are many, and deliver us from those who contend against Christ, and free us from the error of Satan, for Thou didst send Christ Thy beloved Son to become man, though He is God, and didst cause the Paraclete to dwell in us, and didst set the angels to bless us, and didst put Satan to shame. Since Thou hast created us and granted us life, preserve us, and give us sustenance, and turn us to repentance; for Thou art worthy of glory and worship for all that Thou hast done for us through Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen. Follow after this at all times, brethren; the Lord be with you on earth and in heaven and in the Kingdom of His Father, who sent Him to free us from deeds of sin, and the service of Satan, and (who) hath given life to the sons of men, even to those that believe in the Lord God, the Creator, that those who believe in Christ may live. [vii., 39.] What thanks is it fitting that we should offer to God the Father through Jesus Christ? Behold we have told you before, and have taught you. Observe all this that ye may find life eternal. Amen.

You who has fulfilled Your promises made by the prophets, and has had mercy on Zion, and compassion on Jerusalem, by exalting the throne of David, Your servant, in the midst of her, by the birth of Christ, who was born of his seed according to the flesh, of a virgin alone; do You now, O Lord God, accept the prayers which proceed from the lips of Your people which are of the Gentiles, which call upon You in truth, as You accepted of the gifts of the righteous in their generations. In the first place You respected the sacrifice of Abel, and accept it as You accepted of the sacrifice of Noah when he went out of the ark; of Abraham, when he went out of the land of the Chaldeans; of Isaac at the Well of the Oath; of Jacob in Bethel; of Moses in the desert; of Aaron between the dead and the living; of Joshua the Son of Nun in Gilgal; of Gideon at the rock, and the fleeces, before his sin; of Manoah and his wife in the field; of Samson in his thirst before the transgression; of Jephtha in the war before his rash vow; of Barak and Deborah in the days of Sisera; of Samuel in Mizpeh; of David in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite; of Solomon in Gibeon and in Jerusalem: of Elijah in Mount Carmel; of Elisha at the barren fountain; of Jehoshaphat in war; of Hezekiah in his sickness, and concerning Sennacherib; of Manasseh in the land of the Chaldeans, after his transgression; of Josiah in Phassa; of Ezra at the return; of Daniel in the den of lions; of Jonah in the whale's belly; of the three children in the fiery furnace; of Hannah in the tabernacle before the ark; of Nehemiah at the rebuilding of the walls; of Zerubbabel; of Mattathias and his sons in their zeal; of Jael in blessings. Now also do You receive the prayers of Your people which are offered to You with knowledge, through Christ in the Spirit.

So they continued to that hardship for twenty years, as not good enough of themselves to grow wise by their misfortunes. God was willing also hereby the more to subdue their obstinacy and ingratitude towards himself: so when at length they were become penitent, and were so wise as to learn that their calamities arose from their contempt of the laws, they besought Deborah, a certain prophetess among them, [which name in the Hebrew tongue signifies a Bee,] to pray to God to take pity on them, and not to overlook them, now they were ruined by the Canaanites. So God granted them deliverance, and chose them a general, Barak, one that was of the tribe of Naphtali. Now Barak, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies Lightning.

So they continued to that hardship for twenty years, as not good enough of themselves to grow wise by their misfortunes. God was willing also hereby the more to subdue their obstinacy and ingratitude towards himself: so when at length they were become penitent, and were so wise as to learn that their calamities arose from their contempt of the laws, they besought Deborah, a certain prophetess among them, [which name in the Hebrew tongue signifies a Bee,] to pray to God to take pity on them, and not to overlook them, now they were ruined by the Canaanites. So God granted them deliverance, and chose them a general, Barak, one that was of the tribe of Naphtali. Now Barak, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies Lightning.

So Deborah sent for Barak, and bade him choose out ten thousand young men to go against the enemy, because God had said that that number was sufficient, and promised them victory. But when Barak said that he would not be the general unless she would also go as a general with him, she had indignation at what he said "Thou, O Barak, deliverest up meanly that authority which God hath given thee into the hand of a woman, and I do not reject it!" So they collected ten thousand men, and pitched their camp at Mount Tabor, where, at the king's command, Sisera met them, and pitched his camp not far from the enemy; whereupon the Israelites, and Barak himself, were so affrighted at the multitude of those enemies, that they were resolved to march off, had not Deborah retained them, and commanded them to fight the enemy that very day, for that they should conquer them, and God would be their assistance.

So Deborah sent for Barak, and bade him choose out ten thousand young men to go against the enemy, because God had said that that number was sufficient, and promised them victory. But when Barak said that he would not be the general unless she would also go as a general with him, she had indignation at what he said "Thou, O Barak, deliverest up meanly that authority which God hath given thee into the hand of a woman, and I do not reject it!" So they collected ten thousand men, and pitched their camp at Mount Tabor, where, at the king's command, Sisera met them, and pitched his camp not far from the enemy; whereupon the Israelites, and Barak himself, were so affrighted at the multitude of those enemies, that they were resolved to march off, had not Deborah retained them, and commanded them to fight the enemy that very day, for that they should conquer them, and God would be their assistance.

So Deborah sent for Barak, and bade him choose out ten thousand young men to go against the enemy, because God had said that that number was sufficient, and promised them victory. But when Barak said that he would not be the general unless she would also go as a general with him, she had indignation at what he said "Thou, O Barak, deliverest up meanly that authority which God hath given thee into the hand of a woman, and I do not reject it!" So they collected ten thousand men, and pitched their camp at Mount Tabor, where, at the king's command, Sisera met them, and pitched his camp not far from the enemy; whereupon the Israelites, and Barak himself, were so affrighted at the multitude of those enemies, that they were resolved to march off, had not Deborah retained them, and commanded them to fight the enemy that very day, for that they should conquer them, and God would be their assistance.

So Deborah sent for Barak, and bade him choose out ten thousand young men to go against the enemy, because God had said that that number was sufficient, and promised them victory. But when Barak said that he would not be the general unless she would also go as a general with him, she had indignation at what he said "Thou, O Barak, deliverest up meanly that authority which God hath given thee into the hand of a woman, and I do not reject it!" So they collected ten thousand men, and pitched their camp at Mount Tabor, where, at the king's command, Sisera met them, and pitched his camp not far from the enemy; whereupon the Israelites, and Barak himself, were so affrighted at the multitude of those enemies, that they were resolved to march off, had not Deborah retained them, and commanded them to fight the enemy that very day, for that they should conquer them, and God would be their assistance.

So the battle began; and when they were come to a close fight, there came down from heaven a great storm, with a vast quantity of rain and hail, and the wind blew the rain in the face of the Canaanites, and so darkened their eyes, that their arrows and slings were of no advantage to them, nor would the coldness of the air permit the soldiers to make use of their swords; while this storm did not so much incommode the Israelites, because it came in their backs. They also took such courage, upon the apprehension that God was assisting them, that they fell upon the very midst of their enemies, and slew a great number of them; so that some of them fell by the Israelites, some fell by their own horses, which were put into disorder, and not a few were killed by their own chariots. At last Sisera, as soon as he saw himself beaten, fled away, and came to a woman whose name was Jael, a Kenite, who received him, when he desired to be concealed; and when he asked for somewhat to drink, she gave him sour milk, of which he drank so unmeasurably that he fell asleep; but when he was asleep, Jael took an iron nail, and with a hammer drove it through his temples into the floor; and when Barak came a little afterward, she showed Sisera nailed to the ground: and thus was this victory gained by a woman, as Deborah had foretold. Barak also fought with Jabin at Hazor; and when he met with him, he slew him: and when the general was fallen, Barak overthrew the city to the foundation, and was the commander of the Israelites for forty years.

So the battle began; and when they were come to a close fight, there came down from heaven a great storm, with a vast quantity of rain and hail, and the wind blew the rain in the face of the Canaanites, and so darkened their eyes, that their arrows and slings were of no advantage to them, nor would the coldness of the air permit the soldiers to make use of their swords; while this storm did not so much incommode the Israelites, because it came in their backs. They also took such courage, upon the apprehension that God was assisting them, that they fell upon the very midst of their enemies, and slew a great number of them; so that some of them fell by the Israelites, some fell by their own horses, which were put into disorder, and not a few were killed by their own chariots. At last Sisera, as soon as he saw himself beaten, fled away, and came to a woman whose name was Jael, a Kenite, who received him, when he desired to be concealed; and when he asked for somewhat to drink, she gave him sour milk, of which he drank so unmeasurably that he fell asleep; but when he was asleep, Jael took an iron nail, and with a hammer drove it through his temples into the floor; and when Barak came a little afterward, she showed Sisera nailed to the ground: and thus was this victory gained by a woman, as Deborah had foretold. Barak also fought with Jabin at Hazor; and when he met with him, he slew him: and when the general was fallen, Barak overthrew the city to the foundation, and was the commander of the Israelites for forty years.

So the battle began; and when they were come to a close fight, there came down from heaven a great storm, with a vast quantity of rain and hail, and the wind blew the rain in the face of the Canaanites, and so darkened their eyes, that their arrows and slings were of no advantage to them, nor would the coldness of the air permit the soldiers to make use of their swords; while this storm did not so much incommode the Israelites, because it came in their backs. They also took such courage, upon the apprehension that God was assisting them, that they fell upon the very midst of their enemies, and slew a great number of them; so that some of them fell by the Israelites, some fell by their own horses, which were put into disorder, and not a few were killed by their own chariots. At last Sisera, as soon as he saw himself beaten, fled away, and came to a woman whose name was Jael, a Kenite, who received him, when he desired to be concealed; and when he asked for somewhat to drink, she gave him sour milk, of which he drank so unmeasurably that he fell asleep; but when he was asleep, Jael took an iron nail, and with a hammer drove it through his temples into the floor; and when Barak came a little afterward, she showed Sisera nailed to the ground: and thus was this victory gained by a woman, as Deborah had foretold. Barak also fought with Jabin at Hazor; and when he met with him, he slew him: and when the general was fallen, Barak overthrew the city to the foundation, and was the commander of the Israelites for forty years.

Now when Barak and Deborah were dead, whose deaths happened about the same time, afterwards the Midianites called the Amalekites and Arabians to their assistance, and made war against the Israelites, and were too hard for those that fought against them; and when they had burnt the fruits of the earth, they carried off the prey. Now when they had done this for three years, the multitude of the Israelites retired to the mountains, and forsook the plain country. They also made themselves hollows under ground, and caverns, and preserved therein whatsoever had escaped their enemies; for the Midianites made expeditions in harvest-time, but permitted them to plough the land in winter, that so, when the others had taken the pains, they might have fruits for them to carry away. Indeed, there ensued a famine and a scarcity of food; upon which they betook themselves to their supplications to God, and besought him to save them.

Deborah and Barak [ruled them] forty years.

And as we do not intend to write a complete history of the kings and judges, but only to collect a few matters which may serve for the consolation of the feeble in a time of despondency, behold we pass over them with brief notices. If however any one seeks to know these (things), let him read in the Torah and in the Beth-Mautebhe, whence he will understand clearly. Moses ruled the people in the desert forty years. Joshua ruled the people twenty-five years. Judah was ruler of the people forty-eight years. Eglon king of Moab oppressed the people eighteen years. Ahor (Ehud) was ruler of the people eighty years. Nabin (Jabin) oppressed Israel twenty years. Deborah and Barak were rulers of the people forty years. The Midianites oppressed Israel seven years. Gideon was ruler of the people forty years. He had seventy sons, who rode with him upon seventy ass colts. Abimelech the son of Gideon was ruler of the people sixty years u.