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.

3. 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 aftrighted 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.

4. 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 n