View source for Barak

{{Book of Judges}}
{{otheruses}}

'''Barak''' ({{lang-he|'''בָּרָק'''}}, "Lightning"), the son of [[Abinoam]] from [[Kedesh]] in [[Naphtali]], was a military general in the [[Book of Judges]] in the [[Bible]]. He was the commander of the army of [[Deborah]], the prophetess and heroine of the [[Hebrew Bible]]. Barak and Deborah are credited with defeating the [[Canaan]]ite armies led by [[Sisera]], who for twenty years had oppressed the [[Israel]]ites.

The story of the defeat of Canaanites under the prophetic leadership of Deborah and the military leadership of Barak, is related in prose (chapter 4) and repeated in poetry (chapter 5, which is known as the ''Song of Deborah''). Chapter 4 makes the chief enemy [[Jabin]], king of [[Hazor]] (present Tell el-Qedah, about three miles southwest of [[Hula Basin]]), though a prominent part is played by his commander in chief, [[Sisera]] of [[Harosheth-ha-goiim]] (possibly Tell el-'Amr, approximately 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Megiddo). 

[[Image:Barak devorah.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Grave near [[Tel Kadesh]] attributed to Barak or [[Deborah]]]]
Deborah said that Barak would win, but Sisera would be killed by a woman. In the battle at [[Mount Tabor]], a cloudburst occurred, causing the river to flood, thus limiting the maneuverability of the Canaanite chariots. Sisera fled, seeking refuge in the tent of a Kenite woman, [[Jael]]. Jael gave Sisera a drink of milk and he fell asleep from weariness. Then she pounded a tent peg through his head. When Barak came along, she let him see Sisera dead in her tent. Later Israel slew King Jabin. 



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{{succession box | before = [[Shamgar]]| title = [[Biblical judges|Judge of Israel]]|years=| after = [[Gideon (Judges)| Gideon]]}}
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[[Category:Old Testament saints]]

[[fa:باراک]]
[[fr:Barac]]
[[it:Barak (Bibbia)]]
[[he:ברק בן אבינעם]]
[[ja:バラク (ベルガリアード物語)]]
[[no:Barak]]
[[sh:Barak]]
[[wo:Barag]]