BARAK bâr’ ək (בָּרָ֔ק, lightning). Son of Abinoam of Kadesh Naphtali. Barak became a significant part of Israel’s history during the period of the Judges when he was summoned by Deborah, the prophetess, to lead volunteers from Zebulun and Naphtali against the forces of Jabin, king of the Canaanites, who was located at Hazor (Judg 4:1-24).

Israel had been brought into bondage as one of a series of punishments Jehovah had inflicted upon His people because they had abandoned Him for idolatry. When this bondage became exceedingly grievous, in response to national penitence, Jehovah would raise up a deliverer, who after delivering from bondage would become a judge the rest of his life.

The bondage under the Canaanites had been esp. burdensome because Jabin had oppressed them with 900 chariots of iron. The Hebrews were lightly armed and were no contest for chariots. The Song of Deborah indicates that the Israelites were without courage (5:16-23) avoiding the call to defense.

It was under these circumstances that Deborah summoned Barak to leadership. He flatly refused unless she would agree to accompany him in the endeavor. She agreed but declared that the glory of victory would go to a woman. It did—to Jael, the Kenite, when the fleeing Sisera, Jabin’s general, sought refuge at her tent.

The rout of Sisera’s army came when God turned the River Kishon into a torrent and the heavy rains made a morass of the land along the stream, making it easy for Israel to destroy the enemy.

The victory of Barak is celebrated in the Song of Deborah and Barak (ch. 5). Pfeiffer recognizes the great worth of the song when he declares it a masterpiece and prob. one of the oldest documents extant. The song is one of the best sources of information concerning the time.

Bibliography E. W. K. Mould, Essentials of Bible History, 166-169.