‘And she said, “I will surely go with you. Except that now the journey you take will not be for your honour, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.”
Deborah's confidence in Yahweh was total and she unhesitatingly agreed. But as a result of his unwillingness to trust God on his own Barak was now warned that the greatest honour of victory, the slaying of Sisera, would not be his. Instead it would be by a woman's hand, although it would still be Yahweh's doing. Barak was content. He probably thought she meant herself.
Like much prophecy her prophecy had a twofold fulfilment, a conscious one and an unconscious one. Possibly even Deborah did not know that. Yahweh gave her the words but the details of the fulfilment must await events. Firstly it would be because as judge of Israel she would now be commander-in-chief and when the battle was won the glory would go primarily to her. Barak had forfeited his chief place. But secondly it was because Yahweh had other plans for Sisera. Instead of a glorious death he would be humiliated.
“Yahweh will sell Sisera.” This indicates Yahweh's complete control over Sisera. He had the right to ‘sell' him. He would do to Sisera what He had previously done to the children of Israel (Judges 4:2). He would be ‘sold off', handed over like a bondservant who could not do anything about it.
‘And Deborah rose and went with Barak to Kedesh.'
In accordance with her promise Deborah went with Barak to his home town (Judges 4:6). Meanwhile, as the song of Deborah makes clear, the call went out to the tribes of the confederacy to come to the aid of their brothers. (The non-mention here demonstrates how careful we must be in interpreting the silences of Scripture. Writers were not giving an inclusive history but an outline of events that, while true, conveyed their spiritual message).