Ba'rak and his men were so greatly inspired by Deb'o-rah that all doubts and fears were cast from their hearts, and they swept down upon Sis'e-ra's army like a thundering avalanche from the skies. The LORD confused the forces of Sis'e-ra, bewilderment swept through their camps. Before the iron war chariots could be put into action, or the soldiers properly arrayed for battle, Ba'rak and his ten thousand men swooped down upon them like a whirlwind from the top of Mount Ta'bor. In addition to this fierce attack, the LORD sent a dreadful thunderstorm upon the enemies of Is'ra-el, and heavy hailstones beat upon their faces. The river Ki'shon, which runs across the plain of Es-dra-e'lon, overflowed its banks and checked the movement of soldiers and equipment. Sis'e-ra and his great army were overwhelmingly defeated, the few who escaped slaughter fled in despair, and the cry rang out:
"Let us flee from the face of Is'ra-el, for the LORD fighteth for them against the Ca'naan-ites."
Sis'e-ra himself fled before the armies of Ba'rak in his war chariot. When hard pressed by his pursuers, however, he was forced to alight from the chariot and to seek refuge on foot. Coming to a tent in which a Ke'nite family lived, he was invited to come in by a woman named Ja'el. She seems to have been on friendly terms with the Ca'naan-ites, but at heart was a true Is'ra-el-ite who hoped to aid Ba'rak in his final defeat of their foes. She gave milk and butter to Sis'e-ra, told him to lie down and sleep, and offered to hide him from his pursuers. When he was sound asleep she took an iron tent-peg and drove it through his temples with a hammer. Then she saw Ba'rak searching for the heathen general, so she called him to see how Sis'e-ra had been slain. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Deb'o-rah that the honor of the victory should be given a woman.
