What does Judges 4:23 mean?

Jabin was the king of Canaan—a distinct kingdom among a broader group with the same name. He had oppressed the Israelites for twenty years (Judges 4:1–3). He was able to do so because of his powerful army, led by the much-feared general Sisera and the 900 iron chariots at his disposal (Judges 5:6).

In response to cries for help from His people, the Lord subdued Jabin. He has spoken through his prophetess Deborah and has raised up a deliverer named Barak. Barak has followed the Lord by recruiting and leading an army against Sisera. That resulted in an overwhelming victory in which every Canaanite soldier was killed (Judges 4:15–16). In addition, the Lord used an otherwise unknown woman to kill Sisera, who ran from the battle and was executed in his sleep (Judges 4:21–22).

The battle against the Canaanites and Sisera's death have taken place, most likely, in a single day. Jabin himself is not yet defeated, but he soon will be. For most of human history, it has been rare for many, let alone most, soldiers to die in a battle. For Canaan to lose the entire army is devastating, and the defeat of the kingdom is not far behind. These two verses repeat Jabin's name and title three times (Judges 4:24), emphasizing the relentless, thorough defeat of Israel's enemy.