Judges 4:2 - Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
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What does "Judges 4:2" mean?
This verse (Judges 4:2) sets the stage for the story of Deborah and Barak. Let's break it down:
"Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan": This means that God allowed the Israelites to be defeated and oppressed by Jabin. The word "sold" here is used metaphorically. It implies that because the Israelites had disobeyed God (a common theme in the Book of Judges), God withdrew his protection and allowed them to be subjugated as a form of punishment.
"who reigned in Hazor": This identifies Jabin's capital city as Hazor, which was a strategically important city in northern Canaan. Hazor was a powerful city-state during the Bronze Age and had been previously conquered by Joshua (Joshua 11).
"the captain of whose army was Sisera": This introduces Sisera, a key antagonist in the story. He was the military commander of Jabin's forces.
"who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles": This tells us where Sisera resided - Harosheth-hagoyim, which translates to "Harosheth of the Gentiles." The phrase "of the Gentiles" suggests that this area was inhabited by people who were not Israelites, further emphasizing Sisera's foreign and oppressive nature.
In summary, the verse explains that God punished the Israelites for their sins by allowing them to be conquered and oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan. Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, is introduced as the primary instrument of this oppression. This sets the scene for the Israelites' cry for help and the subsequent rise of Deborah and Barak to deliver them.
Judges 4:2 - Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
What does "Judges 4:2" mean?
This verse (Judges 4:2) sets the stage for the story of Deborah and Barak. Let's break it down:
"Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan": This means that God allowed the Israelites to be defeated and oppressed by Jabin. The word "sold" here is used metaphorically. It implies that because the Israelites had disobeyed God (a common theme in the Book of Judges), God withdrew his protection and allowed them to be subjugated as a form of punishment.
"who reigned in Hazor": This identifies Jabin's capital city as Hazor, which was a strategically important city in northern Canaan. Hazor was a powerful city-state during the Bronze Age and had been previously conquered by Joshua (Joshua 11).
"the captain of whose army was Sisera": This introduces Sisera, a key antagonist in the story. He was the military commander of Jabin's forces.
"who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles": This tells us where Sisera resided - Harosheth-hagoyim, which translates to "Harosheth of the Gentiles." The phrase "of the Gentiles" suggests that this area was inhabited by people who were not Israelites, further emphasizing Sisera's foreign and oppressive nature.
In summary, the verse explains that God punished the Israelites for their sins by allowing them to be conquered and oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan. Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, is introduced as the primary instrument of this oppression. This sets the scene for the Israelites' cry for help and the subsequent rise of Deborah and Barak to deliver them.