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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Judges 4


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1Once Ehud was dead, the Israelites again began doing what is evil in Yahweh's eyes,2and Yahweh handed them over to Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned at Hazor. The commander of hisarmy was Sisera, who lived in Haroshet-ha-Goi m.3The Israelites then cried to Yahweh; for Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruel y oppressedthe Israelites for twenty years.4Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at the time.5She used to sit under Deborah's Palm between Ramah and Bethel in the highlands of Ephraim, and theIsraelites would come to her for justice.6She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, 'Has not Yahweh, God ofIsrael, commanded, "Go! March to Mount Tabor and with you take ten thousand of the sons of Naphtali and thesons of Zebulun.7I shall entice Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, to encounter you at the Torrent of Kishon with hischariots and troops; and I shal put him into your power"? '8Barak replied, 'If you come with me, I shall go; if you will not come, I shal not go, for I do not know howto choose the day when the angel of Yahweh will grant me success.'9'I shall go with you then,' she said, 'but, the way you are going about it, the glory wil not be yours; forYahweh wil deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.' Deborah then stood up and went with Barak to Kedesh.10Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men marched behind him, and Deborah wentwith him.11Heber the Kenite had parted company with the tribe of Kain and with the sons of Hobab, father-in-lawof Moses; he had pitched his tent near the Oak of Zaanannim, not far from Kedesh.12Sisera was informed that Barak son of Abinoam had encamped on Mount Tabor.13Sisera summoned all his chariots -- nine hundred iron chariots -- and al the troops he had, fromHarosheth-ha-Goi m to the Torrent of Kishon.14Deborah said to Barak, 'Up! For today is the day when Yahweh has put Sisera into your power. Is notYahweh marching at your head?' And Barak charged down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men behindhim.15At Barak's advance, Yahweh struck terror into Sisera, all his chariots and his entire army. Sisera leaptdown from his chariot and fled on foot.16Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-ha-Goiim. Sisera's whole army fel bythe edge of the sword; not one man was spared.17Sisera meanwhile fled on foot towards the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there waspeace between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.18Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'Stay here, my lord, with me; do not be afraid!' Hestayed with her in her tent, and she covered him with a rug.19He said to her, 'Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.' She opened the skin of milk,gave him some to drink and covered him up again.20Then he said to her, 'Stand at the tent door, and if anyone comes and questions you -- if he asks, "Isthere a man here?" say, "No." '21But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent-peg and picked up a mallet; she crept up softly to him and drovethe peg into his temple right through to the ground. He was lying fast asleep, worn out; and so he died.22And now Barak came up in pursuit of Sisera. Jael went out to meet him and said, 'Come in, and I wilshow you the man you are looking for.' He went into her tent; and there was Sisera dead, with the tent-pegthrough his temple.23Thus God that day humbled Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites.24And the Israelites bore down more and more heavily on that king of Canaan, Jabin, until he was utterlydestroyed.