(75) to come to her instead of going to him, (76) and in her song
she spoke more of herself than was seemly. The result was that the
prophetical spirit departed from her for a time while she was
composing her song. (77)

The salvation of Israel was effected only after the people,
assembled on the Mount of Judah, had confessed their sins
publicly before God and besought His help. A seven days' fast was
proclaimed for men and women, for young and old. Then God
resolved to help the Israelites, not for their sakes, but for the sake
of keeping the oath he had sworn to their forefathers, never to
abandon their seed. Therefore He sent Deborah unto them. (78)

The task allotted to Deborah and Barak, to lead the attack upon
Sisera, was by no means slight. It is comparable with nothing less
than Joshua's undertaking to conquer Canaan. Joshua had
triumphed over only thirty-one of the sixty-two kings of Palestine,
leaving at large as many as he had subdued. Under the leadership
of Sisera these thirty-one unconquered kings opposed Israel. (79)
No less than forty thousand armies, each counting a hundred
thousand warriors, were arrayed against Deborah and Barak. (80)
God aided Israel with water and fire. The river Kishon and all the
fiery hosts of heaven (81) except the star Meros (82) fought
against Sisera. The Kishon had long before been pledged to play
its part in Sisera's overthrow. When the Egyptians were drowned in
the Red Sea, God commanded the Angel of the Sea to cast their
corpses on the land, that the Israelites might convince themselves
of the destruction of their foes, and those of little faith might not
say afterward that the Egyptians like the Israelites had reached dry
land. The Angel of the Sea complained of the impropriety of