Bible Strands
Judges 4:13
he summoned all nine hundred of his iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the River Kishon.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrative reports Sisera mobilizing his forces after hearing that Barak had ascended Mount Tabor. He moves his entire military apparatus from his base at Harosheth-hagoyim down to the River Kishon.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיּזְעֵק (va-yazʿēq) literally means he summoned or called out, describing the rapid mustering of troops. The phrase תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב (təšaʿ mêʾôt reḵeḇ) specifies nine hundred chariots, emphasizing the scale of the opposing force.
The thread — This mobilization directly fulfills the prophetic warning in Judges 4:7 that the LORD would draw Sisera and his chariots to the River Kishon. It also echoes the earlier introduction of Sisera as the commander of King Jabin’s forces in Judges 4:2.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize the deliberate positioning of a numerically superior enemy before the divine intervention described in the following verse. It frames the upcoming battle as a confrontation where human military preparation meets a predetermined outcome.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
Cross-references
- Judges 4:2 So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his forces was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
- Judges 4:7 And I will draw out Sisera the commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his troops to the River Kishon, and I will deliver him into your hand.’”