Battle of Mount Tabor (biblical)

The biblical Battle of Mount Tabor takes place during the time of the Judges between the forces of King Jabin of Canaan who ruled from Hazor, and the Israelite army led by Barak and Deborah. It is recorded in the Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5.

Battle of Mount Tabor
Part of Later Israelite Campaigns
Luca Giordano, The Defeat of Sisera, c. 1692.
Date mid 12th century BCE Location Mount Tabor, Israel Result Israelite victory
Belligerents
Israelites	Canaanites
Commanders and leaders
Deborah Barak Jael	Sisera † King of Hazor
Strength
10,000 men recruited from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun	900 iron chariots, each carrying a charioteer and an archer 20,000 infantrymen Total: 21,800 soldiers
Casualties and losses
no reliable estimates, but very light	no reliable estimates, but very heavy

Biblical account

Background

The account in the Book of Judges describes a contest for control of the Jezreel Valley. Mount Tabor commands the northwest section of the Jezreel Plain, and lies at the boundary of Naphtali and Zebulon lands. The army of the king of Hazor, under the command of the mercenary general Sisera, harassed the Israelite tribes. Sisera's army was much stronger than any force the Israelites could field. Sisera was in command of a force of nine hundred iron chariots.

At this time, the prophetess Deborah was judging Israel. She summoned the general Barak, telling him that God commanded him to march on Mount Tabor with an Israelite army and God promised him he would "deliver them" (the Canaanites) into Barak's "power" (Judges 4:6–7).

Barak was hesitant and told Deborah that he would not undertake the campaign unless she accompanied him (Judges 4:8). The prophetess agreed to come, but scolded Barak, telling him that "you shall not gain the glory in the expedition on which you are setting out, for the Lord will have Sisera fall into the power of a woman." (Judges 4:9) Deborah, Barak and the army gathered at Kedesh, its number rising to 10,000 warriors recruited from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun.[1]

The battle

The Israelites marched to Mount Tabor. Their movements were reported to Sisera, who hastened to the Wadi Kishon, near Mount Tabor.[2] God made the Canaanites panic and flee, and the Israelites pursued them and slain them to the last man (Judges 4:15-16).

Sisera left his chariot and ran for his life. Sisera reached to the tent of Yael, wife of Heber the Kenite, and she offered him shelter, as the Kenites were not at war with the Canaanites.[2] Yael hid Sisera and gave him some milk to drink, but killed him after he fell asleep by knocking a tent peg through his temple. Thus, when Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, he found that Deborah's prophecy had been fulfilled (Judges 4:17-22).

References

1. Pressler, Carolyn 2002. Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, Westminster John Knox Press, p. 15.
2. "Judges", New American Bible, New York, 5, 1970