What does Judges 4:2 mean?
Judges makes it clear, repeatedly, that the Lord is the one responsible for Israel's defeat by one nation after another. This time, the Lord responds to Israel's rebellion and wickedness by selling His people into slavery under Jabin, king of Canaan. While the general region of the Promised Land is often referred to as Canaan, and the people as Canaanites, there is also a distinct people group and culture tied to that name. Jabin rules this society from a city called Hazor. Hazor was located ten miles north of the Sea of Galilee. It was on the road between Damascus and Megiddo.Earlier in Israel's history, Joshua had killed another king called Jabin. This Jabin is likely his descendant, carrying an inherited title. He has rebuilt the city Joshua burned during his campaign against the nations in the land (Joshua 11:1–15).
The commander of King Jabin's Canaanite army is a man named Sisera. He is said to have lived in Harosheth-hagoyim, which may have meant "forests of the nations." It was likely located somewhere in Galilee. "Sisera" is not a Canaanite name. Scholars speculate that he may have come from the Philistines.