Difference between revisions of "Barak"

<p> <strong> BARAK </strong> (‘lightning’). The son of Abinoam; he lived at a time when the [[Canaanite]] kingdom of Hazor, having recovered from its overthrow by Joshua (&nbsp; Joshua 11:10-15 ), was taking vengeance by oppressing Israel. He is called from his home in Kedesh-naphtali by Deborah to deliver Israel. He gathers an army of 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. With this force, accompanied by Deborah, without whom he refuses to go forward, he encamps on Mt. Tabor, while the enemy under Sisera lies in the plain on the banks of the Kishon. At the word of Deborah, Barak leads his men down to battle, and completely defeats Sisera. The latter flees; Barak pursues him, but on reaching his hiding-place finds that he has been already slain by Jael, the wife of Heber. The glory of the victory, therefore, does not lie with Barak, but with Deborah, who was his guiding spirit, and with Jael who slew the enemy’s leader (&nbsp; Judges 4:1-24; &nbsp; Judges 5:1-31 ). </p> <p> [[W. O. E]]  Oesterley. </p>

<p> [[Barak]] ( ''Bâ'Rak'' ), ''Lightning.'' The son of Abinoan, who was appointed by" Deborah commander of the [[Hebrew]] forces. He so completely routed the [[Canaanitish]] forces, that they never recovered from the blow. As judge of the Hebrews, he was probably the colleague, or successor of Deborah. &nbsp;Judges 4:4-24; &nbsp;Judges 5:9; &nbsp;Hebrews 11:32. </p>

<p> (Heb. Barak', '''''בָּרִק''''' , ''Lightning;'' Sept. and N.T. '''''Βαράκ''''' , Joseph. ''Ant.'' v. 5, 2, '''''Βάρακος''''' ; comp. the family name of Hannibal, ''Barca ='' "lightning of war"), son of [[Abinoam]] of Kedesh-naphtali, a [[Galilean]] city of refuge in the tribe of Naphtali (&nbsp;Judges 4:6, comp. &nbsp;Joshua 19:37; &nbsp;Joshua 21:32). He was summoned by the prophetess Deborah to take the field against the hostile army of the Canaanitish king Jabin (q.v.), commanded by Sisera (q.v.), with 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon, and to encamp on Mount Tabor, probably because the 900 chariots of iron (&nbsp;Judges 4:3), in which the main force of Sisera consisted, could not so easily manoeuvre on uneven ground. After some hesitation, he resolved to do her bidding, on condition that she would go with him which she readily promised. At a signal given by the prophetess, the little army, seizing the opportunity of a providential storm (Joseph. Ant. v. 4) and a wind that blew in the faces of the enemy, boldly rushed down the hill, and utterly routed the unwieldy host of the Canaanites in the plain of Jezreel (Esdraelon), "the battle-field of Palestine." From the prominent mention of Taanach (&nbsp;Judges 5:19, "sandy soil") and of the river Kishon, it is most likely that the victory was partly due to the suddenly swollen waves of that impetuous torrent, particularly its western branch, called Megiddo. The victory was decisive, Harosheth taken (&nbsp;Judges 4:16), Sisera murdered, and Jabin ruined. A peace of forty years ensued, and the next danger came from a different quarter. The victors composed a splendid epinician ode in commemoration of their deliverance (Judges 5). (See Deborah). Barak's faith is commended among the other worthies of the Old Test. in &nbsp;Hebrews 11:32. (See Bene-Barak). </p> <p> From the incidental date apparently given in &nbsp;Judges 5:6, some have regarded Barak as a contemporary of Shamgar. If so, he could not have been so late as 178 years after Joshua, where he is generally placed, Lord A. Hervey supposes the narrative to be a repetition of &nbsp;Joshua 11:1-12 ( ''Genealogies,'' p. 228 sq.). A great deal may be said for this view: the names Jabin and Hazor; the mention of subordinate kings (&nbsp;Judges 5:19; comp. &nbsp;Joshua 11:2 sq.); the general locality of the battle; the prominence of chariots in both narratives, and especially the name Misrephoth-maim, which seems to mean "burning by the waters," as in the margin of the A.V., and not "the flow of waters.'" Many chronological difficulties are also thus removed; but it is fair to add that, in Stanley's opinion (Palest. p. 392 note), there are geographical difficulties in the way (Ewald, Gesch. d. Volkes Israel; Thomson, Land and Book, 2:141 sq. There appears, therefore, on the whole, no good reason for departing from the regular order of the judges, which places his rule B.C. 1409-1369. (See Judges). </p>

<p> ''''' bā´rak ''''' ( בּרק , <i> ''''' bārāḳ ''''' </i> , "lightning flash"): The name occurs in [[Sabean]] ברקס , in Palmyrene ברק , and in Punic <i> ''''' Barcas ''''' </i> , as surname of Hamilcar; and as [[Divine]] name in [[Assyrian]] <i> ''''' Ramman ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Birḳu ''''' </i> and <i> ''''' Gibil ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Birḳu ''''' </i> (Del. Assyrian, <i> HWB </i> , 187). Barak was the son of Abinoam of Kedesh, a refuge city in Mt. Naphtali. He was summoned by the prophetess Deborah to lead his countrymen to war against the Canaanites under the leadership of Sisera. From the celebrated ode of Deborah we gather that Israel suffered at the hand of the enemy; the caravan roads were in danger, traffic almost ceased; the cultivated country was plundered (&nbsp;Judges 5:6 , &nbsp;Judges 5:7 ). The fighting men in Israel were disarmed, a shield was not to be seen nor a spear among forty thousand men (&nbsp;Judges 5:8 ). The prophetess raised the signal of struggle for independence. Soon Barak came to her aid. With an army of 10,000 men - according to &nbsp;Judges 4:10 they were all drawn from [[Zebulun]] and Naphtali, whereas &nbsp; Judges 5:13-18 adds Benjamin, [[Machir]] and [[Issachar]] to the list of faithful tribes - B arak, accompanied by Deborah, rushed to the summit of Mt. Tabor. This location was very favorable to the rudely armed [[Israelites]] in warding off the danger of the well-armed enemy. The wooded slopes protected them against the chariots of the Canaanites. In addition they were within striking distance should the enemy expose himself on the march. Under the heavy rainfall the alluvial plain became a morass, in which the heavy-armed troops found it impossible to move. Soon the little stream Kishon was filled with chariots, horses and Canaanites. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. Barak pursued him and found him murdered by Jael in her tent. This completed the victory. See [[Bedan]]; Moore, "Judges," at the place. </p>