Judges 4:3
New International Version
Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.

New Living Translation
Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help.

English Standard Version
Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

King James Bible
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

New King James Version
And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.

New American Standard Bible
The sons of Israel cried out to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

NASB 1995
The sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

NASB 1977
And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh; for he had 900 iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

Amplified Bible
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD [for help], for Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots and had oppressed and tormented the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had 900 iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them 20 years.

American Standard Version
And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Contemporary English Version
Jabin's army had 900 iron chariots, and for 20 years he made life miserable for the Israelites, until finally they begged the LORD for help.

English Revised Version
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. King Jabin had 900 chariots made of iron and had cruelly oppressed Israel for 20 years.

Good News Translation
Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he ruled the people of Israel with cruelty and violence for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help.

International Standard Version
The Israelis cried out to the LORD, because of his 900 iron chariots. Jabin oppressed the Israelis forcefully for twenty years.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

NET Bible
The Israelites cried out for help to the LORD, because Sisera had nine hundred chariots with iron-rimmed wheels, and he cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

New Heart English Bible
The children of Israel cried to the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

World English Bible
The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the sons of Israel cry to YHWH, for he has nine hundred chariots of iron, and he has oppressed the sons of Israel mightily [for] twenty years.

Young's Literal Translation
and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah, for he hath nine hundred chariots of iron, and he hath oppressed the sons of Israel mightily twenty years.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel will cry to Jehovah; for nine hundred chariots of iron to him; and he pressed the sons of Israel by force twenty years.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots set with scythes, and for twenty years had grievously oppressed them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. For he had nine hundred chariots with scythes, and he vehemently oppressed them for twenty years.

New American Bible
But the Israelites cried out to the LORD; for with his nine hundred iron chariots Jabin harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the children of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the children of Israel cried out to LORD JEHOVAH, because he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he was subjecting the children of Israel by force for twenty years
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the children of Israel cried to the Lord, because he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed Israel twenty years.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Deborah and Barak
2So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his forces was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. 4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.…

Cross References
Exodus 14:10-12
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD. / They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? / Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

Joshua 11:1-9
Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph; / to the kings of the north in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Chinnereth, in the foothills, and in Naphoth-dor to the west; / to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah. ...

1 Samuel 12:9-11
But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them. / Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’ / So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

Psalm 106:42-44
Their enemies oppressed them and subdued them under their hand. / Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity. / Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

1 Samuel 13:5-7
Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. / Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns. / Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, remained at Gilgal, and all his troops were quaking in fear.

2 Kings 13:3-5
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad. / Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel. / So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.

Nehemiah 9:27-28
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies. / But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

Acts 7:34
I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

Isaiah 10:27
On that day the burden will be lifted from your shoulders, and the yoke from your neck. The yoke will be broken because your neck will be too large.

Romans 7:24-25
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? / Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

2 Corinthians 1:10
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,

Deuteronomy 28:47-48
Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance, / you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

2 Chronicles 14:9-12
Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah. / So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. / Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.” ...

Isaiah 9:4
For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.


Treasury of Scripture

And the children of Israel cried to the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

cried

Judges 3:9,15
And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother…

Judges 10:16
And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

1 Samuel 7:8
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

Chariots

Judges 1:19
And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

Joshua 17:16
And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

mightily

Judges 5:8
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

Deuteronomy 28:29,33,47,48
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee

Psalm 106:42
Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

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Judges 4
1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17. Jael kills Sisera














Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help
This phrase marks a recurring theme in the Book of Judges, where the Israelites, after falling into sin and idolatry, find themselves oppressed by foreign powers. The Hebrew root for "cried out" is "זָעַק" (za'aq), which conveys a deep, desperate plea for deliverance. This cry is not merely a request but a heartfelt appeal to God, acknowledging their dependence on Him. Historically, this reflects the cyclical pattern of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance that characterizes the period of the Judges. It serves as a reminder of the Israelites' covenant relationship with God, who is always ready to respond to genuine repentance.

because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots
The mention of "nine hundred iron chariots" highlights the formidable military power of Jabin, the Canaanite king. In the ancient Near East, chariots were the pinnacle of military technology, providing a significant advantage in battle. The use of "iron" suggests advanced metallurgy, indicating a well-equipped and powerful army. This detail underscores the seemingly insurmountable odds faced by the Israelites, emphasizing their need for divine intervention. Archaeologically, the presence of iron chariots aligns with the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age transition, reflecting the historical context of technological advancements during this period.

and he harshly oppressed them for twenty years
The phrase "harshly oppressed" translates from the Hebrew "לָחַץ" (lachats), meaning to press or squeeze, indicating severe and relentless pressure. This oppression lasted "twenty years," a significant period that suggests prolonged suffering and subjugation. Historically, this oppression would have affected every aspect of Israelite life, from economic hardship to social instability. Scripturally, this period of oppression serves as a backdrop for God's deliverance through Deborah and Barak, illustrating the theme of redemption and the faithfulness of God to His covenant people despite their repeated failures.

(3) Cried unto the Lord.--Judges 3:9; Judges 3:15; Psalm 107:13.

Nine hundred.--Josephus magnifies the number to 3,000.

Chariots of iron.--Judges 1:19; Joshua 17:10. We may notice that as the children of Israel burnt these chariots at Misrephoth-maim (Joshua 11), they could not have been of solid iron throughout. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the Israelites
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

cried out
וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ (way·yiṣ·‘ă·qū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6817: To shriek, to proclaim

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the LORD,
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

because
כִּ֠י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

Jabin had
ל֔וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

nine
תְּשַׁ֨ע (tə·ša‘)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8672: Nine, ninth

hundred
מֵא֤וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

chariots
רֶֽכֶב־ (re·ḵeḇ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

of iron,
בַּרְזֶל֙ (bar·zel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1270: Iron, an iron implement

and he
וְ֠הוּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

had harshly
בְּחָזְקָ֖ה (bə·ḥā·zə·qāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2394: Strength, force, violence

oppressed
לָחַ֞ץ (lā·ḥaṣ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3905: To squeeze, press, oppress

the Israelites
בְּנֵ֧י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

for twenty
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

years.
שָׁנָֽה׃ (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT History: Judges 4:3 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 4:2
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