Judges 4:8
New International Version
Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

New Living Translation
Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

English Standard Version
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Berean Standard Bible
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

King James Bible
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

New King James Version
And Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!”

New American Standard Bible
Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

NASB 1995
Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

NASB 1977
Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Amplified Bible
Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Christian Standard Bible
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go."”

American Standard Version
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.

Contemporary English Version
"I'm not going unless you go!" Barak told her.

English Revised Version
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I'll go. But if you don't go with me, I won't go."

Good News Translation
Then Barak replied, "I will go if you go with me, but if you don't go with me, I won't go either."

International Standard Version
"If you'll go with me, I'll go," Barak replied. "But if you won't go with me, then I'm not going."

Majority Standard Bible
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

NET Bible
Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go. But if you do not go with me, I will not go."

New Heart English Bible
Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go, for I do not know the day on which the LORD prospers his angel with me."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Barak said to her, if thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

World English Bible
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Barak says to her, “If you go with me, then I have gone; and if you do not go with me, I do not go”;

Young's Literal Translation
And Barak saith unto her, 'If thou dost go with me, then I have gone; and if thou dost not go with me, I do not go;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Barak will say to her, If thou wilt go with me, and I will go: and if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Barac said to her: If thou wilt come with me, I will go: if thou wilt not come with me, I will not go.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Barak said to her: “If you will come with me, I will go. If you are not willing to come with me, I will not go.”

New American Bible
But Barak answered her, “If you come with me, I will go; if you do not come with me, I will not go.”

New Revised Standard Version
Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, then I will not go.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Baraq said to her: “If you go with me, I go, and if you do not with me, I am not going”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Barak said unto her: 'If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Barac said to her, If thou wilt go with me, I will go; and if thou wilt not go, I will not go; for I know not the day on which the Lord prospers his messenger with me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Deborah and Barak
7And I will draw out Sisera the commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his troops to the River Kishon, and I will deliver him into your hand.’ ” 8Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9“I will certainly go with you,” Deborah replied, “but the road you are taking will bring you no honor, because the LORD will be selling Sisera into the hand of a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh,…

Cross References
Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

1 Samuel 14:6-7
Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” / His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

Exodus 4:13-14
But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.” / Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

1 Samuel 17:32-37
And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!” / But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” / David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, ...

2 Chronicles 20:12-17
Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” / Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD. / Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. ...

Joshua 1:5-9
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. / Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them. / Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. ...

1 Samuel 14:8-10
“Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them. / If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. / But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”

2 Kings 7:3-7
Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die? / If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.” / So they arose at twilight and went to the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the outskirts of the camp, there was not a man to be found. ...

1 Samuel 14:11-12
So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!” / So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

1 Samuel 17:45-47
But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. / This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. / And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

2 Chronicles 32:7-8
“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. / With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” / Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. / The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

1 Samuel 14:13-15
So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. / In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre of land. / Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.

1 Samuel 17:50-52
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. / David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. / Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

2 Kings 6:15-17
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, behold, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” / “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” / Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.


Treasury of Scripture

And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go: but if you will not go with me, then I will not go.

Exodus 4:19-14
And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life…

Matthew 14:30,31
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me…

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Judges 4
1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17. Jael kills Sisera














Barak said to her
In this opening phrase, we encounter Barak, a key figure in this narrative. His name in Hebrew means "lightning," which is fitting given his role as a military leader. Barak's interaction with Deborah, a prophetess and judge, highlights the unique dynamic of leadership in ancient Israel. This phrase sets the stage for a dialogue that underscores the importance of faith and obedience to God's commands. Historically, this period was marked by the cyclical pattern of Israel's disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, with judges like Deborah and Barak playing pivotal roles in the deliverance process.

If you will go with me
Barak's request for Deborah's presence reveals his reliance on her spiritual authority and guidance. The Hebrew culture of the time placed significant value on the presence of a prophet or judge as a sign of God's favor and guidance. This phrase suggests Barak's recognition of Deborah's role as God's chosen leader and his desire for divine assurance in the impending battle. It also reflects a broader biblical theme of seeking God's presence in times of uncertainty and challenge.

I will go
Barak's willingness to go into battle, contingent on Deborah's accompaniment, demonstrates a conditional faith. While he is prepared to act, his faith is not yet fully independent. This reflects a common human tendency to seek tangible signs of God's presence before stepping out in faith. In the broader scriptural context, this moment foreshadows the New Testament call to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

but if you will not go with me
Here, Barak expresses his hesitation and the condition of his obedience. This phrase highlights the tension between human fear and divine calling. It serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual leadership and the encouragement that comes from having godly mentors and leaders alongside us. In the historical context, it underscores the unique role of Deborah as a female leader in a patriarchal society, emphasizing God's use of unexpected vessels to accomplish His purposes.

I will not go
Barak's declaration reveals his dependence on Deborah's presence as a source of confidence and assurance. This statement can be seen as both a weakness and a strength; a weakness in his reliance on human presence over divine command, yet a strength in his recognition of the anointing and authority God had placed on Deborah. This moment invites reflection on our own faith journeys and the ways we seek God's presence and guidance in our decisions. It challenges us to consider the balance between seeking godly counsel and developing a personal, unwavering trust in God's promises.

(8) If thou wilt go with me.--The enterprise seemed so daring and so hopeless, that if not for his own sake, yet for the sake of his army, Barak felt how much would be gained by the presence of the inspired prophetess. The LXX. has the remarkable addition, "Because I know not the day in which the Lord prospers the angel with me." This is a sort of excuse for his want of perfect faith. He depends on Deborah to give him the immediate augury of victory. "In the Messenian war the soldiers fought bravely because their seers were present" (Pausan. iv. 16--Cassel).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Barak
בָּרָ֔ק (bā·rāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1301: Barak -- 'flash of lightning', an Israelite leader

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to her,
אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ (’ê·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you will go
תֵּלְכִ֥י (tê·lə·ḵî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

with me,
עִמִּ֖י (‘im·mî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

I will go;
וְהָלָ֑כְתִּי (wə·hā·lā·ḵə·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

but if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you will not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go
תֵלְכִ֛י (ṯê·lə·ḵî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

with me,
עִמִּ֖י (‘im·mî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

I will not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go.”
אֵלֵֽךְ׃ (’ê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk


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OT History: Judges 4:8 Barak said to her If you will (Jd Judg. Jdg)
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