ail, and with a
hammer drove it through his temples into the floor; and when Barak came
a little afterward, she showed Sisera nailed to the ground: and thus
was this victory gained by a woman, as Deborah had foretold. Barak also
fought with Jabin at Hazor; and when he met with him, he slew him: and
when the general was fallen, Barak overthrew the city to the foundation,
and was the commander of the Israelites for forty years.

CHAPTER 6. How The Midianites And Other Nations Fought Against The
Israelites And Beat Them, And Afflicted Their Country For Seven Years,
How They Were Delivered By Gideon, Who Ruled Over The Multitude For
Forty Years.

1. Now when Barak and Deborah were dead, whose deaths happened about the
same time, afterwards the Midianites called the Amalekites and Arabians
to their assistance, and made war against the Israelites, and were too
hard for those that fought against them; and when they had burnt the
fruits of the earth, they carried off the prey. Now when they had done
this for three years, the multitude of the Israelites retired to the
mountains, and forsook the plain country. They also made themselves
hollows under ground, and caverns, and preserved therein whatsoever
had escaped their enemies; for the Midianites made expeditions in
harvest-time, but permitted them to plough the land in winter, that so,
when the others had taken the pains, they might have fruits for them to
carry away. Indeed, there ensued a famine and a scarcity of food; upon
which they betook themselves to their supplications to God, and besought
him to save them.

2. Gideon also, the son of Joash, one of the principal persons of the
tribe of Manasseh, brought his sheaves of corn privately, and thrashed
them at the wine-press; for he was too fearful of their enemies to
thrash them openly in the thrashing-floor. At this time somewhat
appeared to him in the shape of a young man, and told him that he was
a happy man, and beloved of God. To which he immediately replied, "A
mighty indication of God's favor to me, that I am forced to use this
wine-press instead of a thrashing-floor!" But the appearance exhorted
him to be of good courage, and to make an attempt for the recovery of
their liberty. He answered, that it was impossible for him to recover
it, because the tribe to which he belonged was by no means numerous;
and because he was but young himself, and too inconsiderable to think
of such great actions. But the other