David once sang,
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
David’s timeless words would have been just as fitting for Jabin—two hundred years earlier—as they were for himself.
King Jabin of Hazor had plenty of horses and chariots—nine hundred to be exact (Judges 4:3)—but they were not enough to stop God’s hand leading His people to victory against him.
When Jabin began to oppress God’s people, the Lord instructed his prophet Deborah to call for a man named Barak to lead God’s people into battle. Barak led his men to Mount Tabor, while Jabin’s commander, Sisera, led his forces toward him in the valley of Jezreel along the Kishon River. Barak’s men rushed down the mountain and routed Sisera’s forces, chasing them all the way back to their homes.
Even Sisera had to flee on foot and was eventually killed by a woman as he slept (Judges 4–5). God’s People That battle appears to have marked the beginning of the end for Jabin’s rule over the Israelites (Judges 4:24).
Mount Tabor and the valley of Jezreel were the site of another important battle during the time of the judges. Gideon and his small army of three hundred men were victorious in a battle against the vast Midianite army in this area (Judges 8:18). Hundreds of years later, Alexander the Great captured a fortress called Itabyrium located on the top of Mount Tabor.