This is the story of Deborah, the prophetess and Judge of Israel. She was married (4:4) and had children (5:7). The Lord told her about how the Lord called Barak to go and fight against Sisera, the commander of Jabin the Canaanite. Barak said he would only go if Deborah went with him, so she agreed, but she told him that a woman would get the glory because he did not obey the Lord immediately. The enemy had 900 iron chariots, and the Jews had zero. 10,000 men joined Barak in battle, and the Lord brought the earth to shake, and rain from heaven which made the iron chariots get stuck. Sisera ran for his life to a friends house. Thinking he was safe there, he slept, and the wife of Heber the Kenite, Jael, killed him with a peg through his temple while he slept. Chapter 5 is Deborah and Barak's song of praise to the Lord for how He fought for them, but also blessings to those who fought with the Lord, and curses for those who refused to come and fight in the battle. The song ends with a blessing for Jael, and with Sisera's mother, waiting for her son to return from battle, and she hopes his delay is because he is counting the plunder, but she does not know yet, that her son is dead. After the battle, there was 40 years of peace in the land.
