Bible Strands
Judges 4:6
She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God of Israel, is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, taking with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Deborah speaks to Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali while she sits under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel. She delivers a divine command for him to march to Mount Tabor with ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun.
The words — The Hebrew וַ/תִּקְרָא֙ (va./tik.Ra') translates literally as "and she summoned," denoting a formal commissioning. The prepositional phrase לְ/בָרָ֣ק (le./va.Rak) explicitly names Barak as the appointed recipient of this charge.
The thread — This commissioning appears in Hebrews 11:32 alongside Gideon, Samson, and Jephthah as part of a recorded line of deliverers. The geographic marker Mount Tabor reappears in Judges 8:18 during Gideon’s pursuit, while the pattern of divine command to lead others parallels the Lord’s directive in Acts 13:47.
Why it lands — The text requires immediate execution of a specific military order involving exact troop counts and a designated location. It demands that the reader acknowledge leadership as responsive obedience to a stated divine directive rather than autonomous planning.
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 she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh–naphtali, 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?
Cross-references
- Acts 13:47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Judges 8:18 Next, Gideon asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?” “Men like you,” they answered, “each one resembling the son of a king.”
- Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
- Joshua 19:32 The sixth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Naphtali:
- Joshua 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,
- Joshua 21:32 And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.
- Psalms 7:6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment.
- Judges 5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
- Judges 5:14 Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
- 1 Samuel 10:3 Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.