Judges 4:6,7 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And she sent and called Barak, &c.— In virtue of her supreme authority, which was uncontested by the whole nation, she sent for Barak; concerning whom we know no more than that he was born or dwelt in the city of Kedesh, in the tribe of Naphtali. Tabor, towards which Barak was ordered to draw his forces, was a famous mountain not far from Kedesh, in the tribe of Zebulun, and upon the confines of Issachar and Manasseh; which had a large plain at the top of it, where an army might be drawn up and exercised commodiously. Modern travellers confirm this. "Mount Tabor," says Maundrell, "stands by itself, about two or three furlongs within the plain of Esdraelon: after a very laborious ascent, which took up near an hour, we reached the highest part of the mountain: it has a plain area at the top, most fertile and delicious, of an oval figure, extending about one furlong in breadth, and two in length. This area is inclosed with trees on all parts, except towards the south. It was anciently environed with walls and trenches, and other fortifications, of which it exhibits many remains at this day.—From the top of Tabor you have a prospect which well rewards the labour of ascending it. It is impossible for man's eye to behold a higher gratification of this nature. On the north-west you discern at a distance the Mediterranean; and all around you have the spacious and beautiful plains of Esdraelon and Galilee, which present you with the view of many places memorable for the resort and miracles of the Son of God. At the bottom of Tabor westward, stands Daberah, a small village, supposed to take its name from Deborah. Near this valley is the fountain of Kishon." See Journey from Aleppo, p. 114. Concerning Kishon, Dr. Shaw tells us, "In travelling under a south-east brow of Carmel, I had an opportunity of seeing the sources of the river Kishon, three or four of which lie within less than a furlong of each other, and are called Rasel-Kishon, or the head of Kishon. These alone, without the lesser contributions, nearer the sea, discharge water enough to form a river half as big as the Isis. During the rainy season, all the water which falls on the eastern side of the mountain, or upon the rising ground to the southward, empties itself into it in a number of torrents, at which conjunctures it overflows its banks, acquires a wonderful rapidity, and carries all before it. It might be at such a conjuncture as this when the stars are said to fight against Sisera, (ch. Judges 5:21.) by bringing an abundance of rain, whereby the Kishon was occasionally so high and rapid, as to sweep away the host of Sisera in attempting to ford it. But these inundations are extemporaneous only, without any duration; for the course of the Kishon, which is but about seven miles in length, runs very briskly, till within half a league of the sea, where it loses itself." See Travels, p. 274.