Bible Strands
Judges 4:16
Then Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records Barak's military advance immediately following the LORD's rout of Sisera's forces. This moment captures the final phase of the battle where the fleeing enemy is tracked to its last stronghold.
The words — The verb רָדַף (radaph) carries the literal sense "he pursued," denoting continuous forward pressure. It anchors the geographic endpoint חֲרֹשֶׁת (chareset), identifying Harosheth-hagoyim as the boundary of the chase.
The thread — This pursuit pattern directly mirrors Leviticus 26:7, which promises that enemies will fall by the sword when pursued. The narrative execution fulfills the conditional promise of total military rout found in that legal text.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to see that divine intervention demands human action to reach its stated conclusion. It asks for acknowledgment that complete destruction leaves zero survivors when the commanded pursuit is followed to its geographic and tactical limit.
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
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.
Cross-references
- Romans 2:12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
- James 2:13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Leviticus 26:7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.
- Joshua 10:19 But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”
- Joshua 11:8 and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
- Psalms 83:9 Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,
- Psalms 104:35 May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!
- Isaiah 43:17 who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: