Wesley Corpus

In fixing the very place, she gave him a sign, which might confirm his faith, when he came to engage. I will not go - His offer to go with her, shews the truth of his faith, for which he is praised, Heb 11:32, but his refusal to go without her, shews the weakness of his faith, that he could not trust God's bare word, as he ought to have done, without the pledge of the presence of his prophetess. Ten thousand at his feet - That is, who followed him; possibly he intimates that they were all foot - men; and so this is emphatically added, to signify by what contemptible means God overthrew Sisera's great host. Heber - The husband of Jael. Of Hobab - Called also Jethro. The Kenites - From the rest of his brethren, who lived in the wilderness of Judah. His tent - That is, his dwelling, which probably was in tents, as shepherds used. They - That is, this people dwelling there, or his spies. Up - Heb. arise, delay not. If we have ground to believe, that God goes before us, we may well go on with courage and cheerfulness. Gone before thee - Namely, as general of thine army, to fight for thee. Went down - He doth not make use of the advantage which he had of the hill, where he might have been out of the reach of his iron chariots, but boldly marcheth down into the valley, to give Sisera the opportunity of using all his horses and chariots, that so the victory might he more glorious. Discomfited - With great terror and noise, as the word signifies, probably with thunder and lightning, and hail - stones, poured upon them from heaven, as is implied, chap.5:20. Edge of the sword - That is, by the sword of Barak and his army, whose ministry God used; but so, that they had little else to do, but to kill those whom God by more powerful arms had put to flight. On his feet - That he might flee away more secretly in the quality of a common soldier, whereas his chariot would have exposed him to more observation. Left - In the field; for there were some who fled away, as Sisera did. The tent of Jael - For women had their tents apart from their husbands.