Tanakh for I Samuel 12:9

The Bnei Yisroel resumed acting wickedly in the eyes of Adonoy. Ehud died. Adonoy delivered them into the hand of Yavin, the Canaanite king, who reigned in Chatzor. His army chief of staff was Sisera, who dwelt in Charoshes Hagoyim. The B'nei Yisroel cried out to Adonoy, as he had nine hundred armored chariots, and he oppressed the B'nei Yisroel intensely for twenty years. Devorah the prophetess was the wife of Lapidos. She judged the B'nei Yisroel at that time. She stationed herself under Devorah's date tree, between Romoh and Beis El, on Mount Ephrayim. The Bnei Yisroel went up to her for judgement. She dispatched a call summoning Barak ben Avinoam of Kedesh Naftoli. She said to him, "Has not Adonoy, the Lord of Yisroel commanded? Go, draw near Mount Tavor, and take, with you, ten thousand men of the Bnei Naftoli and Zevulun. I shall lure, to you, at the Kishon stream, Sisera, Yavin's army chief of staff, his chariots, and his multitudes. I shall deliver him into your hand." Barak replied to her: "If you accompany me, I will go; if you do not accompany me, I will not go." She said, "I will certainly accompany you. However, you will not be glorified by the course you follow, because it is into a woman's hand that Adonoy will deliver Sisera." Devorah rose and accompanied Barak to Kedesh. Barak mobilized Zevulun and Naftoli to Kedesh, and he brought up ten thousand men at his heels; Devorah accompanied him. Chever the Kenite parted from Kayin, a descendant of Chovov, Moshe's father-in-law. He spread his tents until Elon Betza'anayim, near Kedesh. Sisera was informed that Barak ben Avinoam had ascended Mount Tabor. Sisera then mobilized all of his chariots—nine hundred armored vehicles—together with all the people with him, from Charoshes Hagoyim to Kishon stream. Devorah said to Barak, "Go ahead! For this is the day when Adonoy has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not Adonoy gone out before you?" Barak then descended from Mount Tabor, followed by ten thousand men. Adonoy overwhelmed Sisera, all his chariots, and the entire force by the sword before Barak. Sisera dismounted from the chariot, and fled on foot. Barak pursued the chariots and the forces until Charoshes Hagoyim. All of Sisera's forces fell by the sword, no one was spared. Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Yael, wife of Chever the Kenite, as there was peace between Yavin, king of Chatzor, and the house of Chever the Kenite. Yael went out toward Sisera and said to him, "Come over, my lord, come over to me, have no fear." He went over to her to the tent, and she covered him with a cloak. He said to her, "Please, give me some water to drink, as I am thirsty." She opened the milk pouch, gave him a drink, and covered him. He told her, "Stand at the entrance to the tent; should anyone come asking, saying 'Is anyone here?' Say, 'No one.'" Yael, the wife of Chever the Kenite, took a tent peg, placed a hammer into her hand, and stole furtively to him. She embedded the peg in his forehead, and impaled it into the ground. He was asleep and exhausted, and died. Now Barak was pursuing Sisera; Yael went out to him, and told him, "Come, let me show you the man you seek." He went to her, and there was Sisera, lying lifeless, the peg in his forehead. Adonoy subjugated, that day, Yavin, king of Canaan, before the Bnei Yisroel. The power of the Bnei Yisroel constantly increased in intensity over Yavin, king of Canaan, until they annihilated Yavin, king of Canaan.

Devorah and Barak ben Avinoam sang that day, saying: Yisroel was torn apart with breaches when the people volunteered, "Bless Adonoy." Hearken monarchs, rulers lend an ear; I unto Adonoy will I sing, I shall sing to Adonoy, the God of Yisroel. Adonoy, when You went forth from Seir, when You stepped from the Edomite fields, the earth quaked, the very heavens dripped, the very clouds exuded moisture. Mountains streamed in Adonoy's presence. This Sinai…because of the presence of Adonoy, God of Yisroel. In the days of Shamgar ben Anas, in the days of Yael, the highways were unoccupied, wayfarers travelled on twisting-turning pathways. Open villages ceased in Yisroel, they ceased. Until I Devorah, arose, I arose, a mother in Yisroel. When they chose new gods—there was war in their cities. Was a shield in sight, or a spear, against the forty thousand opposing Yisroel? My heart goes out to the scholars of Yisroel, who volunteered, among the people, "Bless Adonoy." You who ride on white donkeys, jurists and wayfarers, speak up!. In place of the clamor of battle formations amidst the watering places, let them retell, there, Adonoy's righteousness, the charity of His restoration of open cities in Yisroel—Adonoy's nation then went down to the cities. Awaken, awaken, Devorah, awaken, awaken, speak in song. Rise, Barak, capture your prisoners, son of Avinoam. Then, the survivor dominated the powerful of the nations. Adonoy gave me dominion over the mighty. They are rooted in Ephraim [those who fought] against Amoleik. Your successor, Binyomin, shall extinguish them like flickering embers. From Machir descended warlords, from Zevulun wielders of the staff of the scribe. Yesochar's nobles accompany Devorah, likewise, Yesochar was with Barak, dispatched to the valley, at his heels. However, In Reuven's mental reservation was great cunning. Why did you straddle the boundary line, listening to the shrieking companies? In Reuven's equivocation was great cunning. Gilod dwelled beyond the Yardein; why does Don hoard into ships? Osher was settled at the sea coast, stationed at his exposures. Zevulun, a people who disdained life, accepting death. Likewise Naftoli at the high places of the field. Monarchs came to do battle; Canaanite kings fought then, at Ta'anach to the waters of Megiddo, taking no mercenary reward. War was waged from heaven; the stars in their pathways waged war with Sisera. The stream of Kishon swept them away; the stream of antiquity, the stream of Kishon. My soul trampled power. Horses' legs were then battered by the prancing—the prancing of their mighty. "Curse Meroz!" declares Adonoy's emissary, "Surely curse those who dwell in it!." For they failed to come to assist Adonoy, to assist Adonoy against the mighty warriors. Blessed by women is Yael, wife of Chever the Kenite, blessed by the women of the tent. He requested water, but she gave milk; in an ornate cup she brought butter. She extended her hand to the peg, her right arm to batter the exhausted; she battered Sisera, penetrated his head, inflicted grievous injury, impaled his forehead. Between her legs he crumpled, toppled prostrate; between her legs he crumpled, toppled where he had crumpled. There he toppled, ensnared. Through the window, Sisera's mother watched, moaning, through the lattice. "Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why are the wheels of his chariot delayed?" The wise among her ladies responded to her; indeed, she stated, in reply to herself: Are they not finding and dividing the pillage? A womb [woman] or two for each man, richly colored pillage for Sisera, richly colored embroidered pillage. Richly colored embroidery for the necks of the pillagers. So may all your enemies perish, Adonoy; but those who love him—[shall be as radiant] as the sun emerging in its full power. The land was tranquil for forty years.