SISARA (Hebr. Šišerā'). - 1. Military commander under Iabin, king of the Canaanite city of Asor, who had his headquarters at Hārōšeth hag-gōjim (el-Harijijh, southeast of Carmel), whence for 20 years he “harshly oppressed Israel.” Debora (v.) exercised the judgeship, employing Barac for the military action. The latter encamped on Thabor, relying especially on the presence of the prophetess among the fighting troops.
S., although he had taken the field with a larger number of armed men and 900 Canaanite war chariots, in the decisive clash that took place on the torrent Cison, in the centre of the valley of Esdrelon, somewhat north of the line between Thanac and Mageddo, had his forces overwhelmed by the opponents’ enthusiasm and fled on foot. He made for his residence at Hārōšeth hag-gōjim, but before reaching it, at Cades of Esdrelon (Tell Abū Qudeja), exhausted by fatigue and thirst, he sought shelter with Iahel, wife of the Cinean
Haber. The woman received the fugitive, but when he had fallen asleep, she killed him by driving a tent peg into his skull with a blow of the hammer (Iudc. 4, 31). The ignominious death of the defeated enemy forms the subject of a large part of the epic-lyric celebration known as the “Canticle of Debora” (Iudc. 5).
2. CANANEI (v.) who returned from exile with Zorobabel (Eid. 2, 53).