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Judges 4:6
ESV She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, "Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.
NIV She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.
NASB Now she sent word and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, 'The Lord, the God of Israel, has indeed commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun.
CSB She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites?
NLT One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor.
KJV And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
NKJV Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun;

What does Judges 4:6 mean?

Deborah was a prophetess of the Lord (Judges 4:4–5). God revealed His will to Israel through His prophets. So, when Deborah summoned a man named Barak, she delivered this message to him on behalf of God.

Barak's name means "lightning." He was from a town called "Kedesh of Naphtali." Scholars say this is likely the place later known as Tell Qadesh, north of Lake Huleh in northern Galilee. This town had been conquered earlier in Israel's history by Joshua and eventually declared a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7).

Deborah's message to Barak is simple: The God of Israel commands you to recruit 10,000 men from the tribes Naphtali and Zebulun. The number "10,000" is used numerous times in the book of Judges. Scholars note this term is often a placeholder for "very many in number," somewhat as modern English often uses the number "a million." Any or all these instances might be literal, as well, but it's possible that the phrase is symbolic.

Barak is to gather his troops at Mount Tabor. This mountain rises prominently above the landscape at the northeastern end of the Jezreel Valley, where the borders of the territories of Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali come together. Not only did this make it a suitable meeting spot, but it would also give Israel's fighting forces the high ground in any conflict.

The Lord's message to Barak through Deborah continues in the following verse.
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