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Deborah's song

5 On that day Deborah sang this song, with Abinoam's son Barak:

2 ‘The leaders of Israel led their people out.
The people were happy to follow them to the battle.
Praise the Lord !
3 Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
I will sing to worship the Lord .
Yes, I will praise him with a song.
He is the Lord , Israel's God.
4 Lord , you came from Seir mountains.
Yes, you marched from the land of Edom. [ a ]
As you came, the earth shook.
Rain poured down from the clouds in the sky.
5 The mountains shook when you appeared,
as they shook at Sinai mountain when you showed your power.
You are the Lord , the God of Israel.
6 When Anath's son Shamgar ruled the land,
nobody travelled on the roads.
When Jael ruled, people walked on secret paths,
because they were afraid.
7 Nobody lived in the small villages.
Then I, Deborah, became their leader.
I became like a mother for Israel's people,
to keep them safe.
8 When the Israelites chose new gods to worship,
enemies attacked their cities.
No one in Israel was ready to fight.
Not one of their 40,000 soldiers had a shield or a spear.
9 I thank God for Israel's leaders,
and the people who are ready to fight our enemies.
Praise the Lord !
10 Listen to me, you rich people who ride on white donkeys,
with beautiful cloths to sit on.
And you people who walk along the road,
you should listen too!
11 Listen to the voices of the singers near the wells of water.
They sing about the great things that the Lord has done.
They tell how Israel's soldiers have won against their enemies.
Then the Lord 's people marched down to the city gates.
12 “Wake up, Deborah! Wake up and sing a song!
Get up, Barak, son of Abinoam!
Take your enemies away as your prisoners.”
13 The faithful men who remained returned to their leaders.
The Lord 's people came to me.
They were ready to fight against our enemies.
14 Some men of Ephraim's tribe came to help,
from the land where Amalek lived.
They followed men of Benjamin's tribe, with their soldiers.
Leaders also came from Makir.
Army officers came from Zebulun's tribe.
15 The leaders of Issachar's tribe were with Deborah.
Yes, the men of Issachar joined with Barak.
Barak led them into the valley.
But the men of Reuben's tribe could not decide what to do.
16 Instead, they stayed to take care of their sheep.
Did they want to listen to the shepherds as they called out to their sheep?
The clans of Reuben's tribe could not agree what they should do.
17 The men of Gilead stayed at home,
on the east side of the Jordan River.
The men of Dan's tribe stayed with their ships.
The men of Asher's tribe also stayed in their homes near the sea.
18 But the men of Zebulun's tribe were not afraid to die in war.
The men of Naphtali's tribe were also ready to attack the enemy.
19 Kings of Canaan came and they fought against us.
They attacked us at Taanach, near the stream at Megiddo.
But they could not take any valuable silver from us.
20 Even the stars fought against Sisera!
They travelled across the sky to attack him.
21 The Kishon river carried away Sisera's soldiers.
It used its power to stop them.
So I will be brave and I will continue to fight!
22 As for the horses of Sisera's army,
their feet made a loud noise as they ran away.
23 The Lord 's angel says, “Punish Meroz!
Punish the people who live there,
because they did not come to help the Lord .
They did not agree to fight against the Lord 's strong enemy.”
24 But Jael should receive great honour!
Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite,
should receive more honour than all other women who live in tents.
25 Sisera asked her for water to drink, and she gave him milk.
She gave him the best cream in a beautiful bowl.
26 She took a tent peg in her left hand.
She took a worker's hammer in her right hand.
She hit the peg through Sisera's head.
She broke his skull. She broke it completely.
She knocked the sharp peg through his head.
27 He fell to the floor at her feet.
He lay there and he did not move.
He died at the place where he fell.
Jael had killed him!
28 Sisera's mother looked out from the window of her house.
She waited for Sisera to return.
She said, “His chariot has taken a long time to come!
Why do I not yet hear the sound of his horse's feet?”
29 Her wise ladies replied,
and she herself thought the same thing:
30 “They are taking valuable things from their enemies.
They are sharing the things between them.
Each soldier will bring one or two women for himself.
Sisera's share will be some beautiful cloth.
Yes, he is bringing pieces of valuable cloth,
and a beautiful necklace for me!
That is why he is so late to return home.”

31 I pray that all your enemies will die as Sisera died, Lord !
But I pray that those who love you will shine brightly.
May they be strong like the sun at dawn.’

After that, there was peace in Israel for 40 years.

Footnotes

  1. 5:4 Seir and Edom were different names for the same country.

The Song of Deborah

5 [ a ] On the day that the Israelites defeated Sisera, Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

2 “The men of Israel prepared for battle. [ b ]
They volunteered to go to war.
Praise the Lord !

3 “Listen, kings.
Pay attention, rulers.
I will sing.
I myself will sing to the Lord .
I will make music to the Lord ,
to the God of the Israelites.

4 “ Lord , in the past you came from Seir. [ c ]
You marched from the land of Edom.
You marched and the earth shook.
The skies rained.
The clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains shook before the Lord , the God of Mount Sinai,
before the Lord , the God of Israel!

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, [ d ]
and in the days of Jael, the main roads were empty.
Caravans and travelers traveled on the back roads.

7 “There were no soldiers in Israel
until you came, Deborah,
until you came to be a mother to Israel. [ e ]

8 “God chose new leaders
to fight at the city gates. [ f ]
No one could find a shield or a spear
among the 40,000 soldiers of Israel.

9 “My heart is with the commanders of Israel.
They volunteered to go to war.
Praise the Lord !

10 “Pay attention you people riding on white donkeys,
sitting on saddle blankets, [ g ]
and walking along the road.
11 At the watering holes for the animals,
we hear the music of cymbals.
People sing about the victories of the Lord ,
the victories of his soldiers in Israel
when the Lord ’s people
fought at the city gates and won!

12 “Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
Wake up, wake up, sing the song!
Get up, Barak!
Go capture your enemies, son of Abinoam!

13 “Now, survivors, go to the leaders.
People of the Lord , come with me and the soldiers.

14 “The men of Ephraim came from the hill country of Amalek. [ h ]
Benjamin, those men followed you and your people.
And there were commanders from the family of Makir. [ i ]
Leaders from the tribe of Zebulun came with their bronze clubs.
15 The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah.
The family of Issachar was true to Barak.
Those men marched to the valley on foot.

“Reuben, there are many brave soldiers in your army groups.
16 So why did you sit there against the walls of your sheep pens? [ j ]
The brave soldiers of Reuben thought hard about war.
But they stayed home listening to the music they played for their sheep.
17 The people of Gilead [ k ] stayed in their camps on the other side of the Jordan River.
As for you, people of Dan, why did you stay by your ships?
The people of Asher remained by the sea,
camped near their safe harbors.

18 “But the men of Zebulun and Naphtali risked their lives
fighting on those hills.
19 The kings of Canaan came to fight,
but they didn’t carry any treasures home.
They fought at the city of Taanach,
by the waters of Megiddo.
20 The stars fought them from heaven.
From their paths across the sky, they fought against Sisera.
21 The Kishon River, that ancient river,
swept Sisera’s men away.
My soul, march on with strength! [ l ]
22 The horses’ hooves hammered the ground.
Sisera’s mighty horses ran and ran.

23 “The angel of the Lord said, ‘Curse the city of Meroz.
Curse its people!
They did not come to help the Lord fight.’
They did not help the Lord against his powerful enemies.
24 Jael was the wife of Heber the Kenite.
She will be blessed above all women.
25 Sisera asked for water.
Jael gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for a ruler,
she brought him cream.
26 Then Jael reached out and took a tent peg.
Her right hand reached for a workman’s hammer.
She put the peg against the side of Sisera’s head
and hit it with the hammer.
27 He sank down between Jael’s feet.
He fell, and there he lay.
He sank down between her feet.
He fell there.
Where Sisera sank, he fell,
and there he lay, dead!

28 “There is Sisera’s mother, looking out the window,
looking through the curtains and crying.
‘Why is Sisera’s chariot so late?
Why can’t I hear his wagons?’

29 “Her wisest servant girl answers her.
Yes, the servant gives her an answer:
30 ‘I’m sure they won the war,
and they are now taking things from the people they defeated.
They are dividing those things among themselves.
Each soldier is taking a girl or two.
Maybe Sisera found a piece of dyed cloth.
That’s it! Sisera found a piece of fancy cloth,
or maybe two, to wear around his neck in victory.’

31 “May all your enemies die like this, Lord !
But may all those who love you be as strong as the rising sun!”

And there was peace in the land for 40 years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:1 Chapter 5 This is a very old song, and many of the lines are hard to understand in the Hebrew text.
  2. Judges 5:2 The men … battle This might also mean “When leaders led in Israel” or “When men wore long hair in Israel.” Soldiers often dedicated their hair as a special gift to God.
  3. Judges 5:4 Seir Another name for the land of Edom.
  4. Judges 5:6 Shamgar son of Anath A judge of Israel. See Judges 3:31.
  5. Judges 5:7 until you … to Israel Or “until I came, Deborah, until I came, mother of Israel.” Or “until I established you, Deborah, until I established you, mother of Israel.”
  6. Judges 5:8 God chose … gates Or “They chose to follow new gods. So they had to fight at their city gates.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
  7. Judges 5:10 saddle blankets The meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain.
  8. Judges 5:14 hill country of Amalek The area settled by the tribe of Ephraim. See Judges 12:15.
  9. Judges 5:14 Makir This family was part of the tribe of Manasseh that settled in the area east of the Jordan River.
  10. Judges 5:16 walls of your sheep pens Or “campfires” or “saddlebags.”
  11. Judges 5:17 Gilead This area was east of the Jordan River.
  12. Judges 5:21 My soul … strength Or with some changes it could be, “His mighty charging horses marched forward.”

5 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

2 Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord ; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.

4 Lord , when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

5 The mountains melted from before the Lord , even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord .

10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord , even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.

12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord , curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord , to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord : but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

The Song of Deborah and Barak

5 ( A ) Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

2 “ ( B ) For [ a ] the leaders leading in Israel,
For ( C ) the people volunteering,
Bless the Lord !
3 Hear, you kings; listen, you dignitaries!
( D ) I myself—to the Lord , I myself will sing,
I will sing praise to the Lord , the God of Israel!
4 ( E ) Lord , when You went out from Seir,
When You marched from the field of Edom,
( F ) The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped,
The clouds also dripped water.
5 ( G ) The mountains [ b ] flowed with water at the presence of the Lord ,
( H ) This Sinai, at the presence of the Lord , the God of Israel.

6 “In the days of ( I ) Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the days of ( J ) Jael, the roads [ c ] were deserted,
And travelers went by [ d ] roundabout ways.
7 The [ e ] peasantry came to an end, they came to an end in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Until I arose, a mother in Israel.
8 ( K ) New gods were chosen;
Then war was in the gates.
Not a shield or a spear was seen
Among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart goes out to ( L ) the commanders of Israel,
The volunteers among the people;
Bless the Lord !
10 ( M ) You who ride on [ f ] white donkeys,
You who sit on rich carpets,
And you who travel on the road—shout in praise!
11 At the sound of those who distribute water among ( N ) the watering places,
There they will recount ( O ) the righteous deeds of the Lord ,
The righteous deeds for His [ g ] peasantry in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord went down ( P ) to the gates.

12 “ ( Q ) Awake, awake, Deborah;
Awake, awake, [ h ] sing a song!
Arise, Barak, and ( R ) lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.
13 Then survivors came down to the nobles;
The people of the Lord came down to me as warriors.
14 From Ephraim those whose root is ( S ) in Amalek came down ,
Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples;
From Machir commanders came down,
And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of [ i ] office.
15 And the [ j ] princes of Issachar were with Deborah;
As was Issachar, so was Barak;
Into the valley they rushed ( T ) at his [ k ] heels;
Among the divisions of Reuben
There were great determinations of heart.
16 Why did you sit among ( U ) the [ l ] sheepfolds,
To hear the piping for the flocks?
Among the divisions of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart.
17 ( V ) Gilead [ m ] remained across the Jordan;
And why did Dan stay on ships?
Asher sat at the seashore,
And [ n ] remained by its landings.
18 ( W ) Zebulun was a people who risked their lives,
And Naphtali too , on the high places of the field.

19 “ ( X ) The kings came and fought;
Then the kings of Canaan fought
( Y ) At Taanach near the waters of Megiddo;
( Z ) They took no plunder in silver.
20 ( AA ) The stars fought from heaven,
From their paths they fought against Sisera.
21 The torrent of Kishon swept them away,
The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.
( AB ) My soul, march on with strength!
22 ( AC ) Then the horses’ hoofs beat
From the galloping, the galloping of his mighty stallions.
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord ,
‘Utterly curse its inhabitants,
( AD ) Because they did not come to the help of the Lord ,
To the help of the Lord against the warriors.’

24 “ ( AE ) Most blessed of women is Jael,
The wife of Heber the Kenite;
Most blessed is she of women in the tent.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk;
In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 She reached out her hand for the tent peg,
And her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.
Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head;
And she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;
Between her feet he bowed, he fell;
Where he bowed, there he fell [ o ] dead.

28 “Out of the window she looked and wailed,
The mother of Sisera through the [ p ] lattice,
‘Why does his chariot delay in coming?
Why do the [ q ] hoofbeats of his chariots delay?’
29 Her wise princesses would answer her,
Indeed she repeats her words to herself,
30 ‘ ( AF ) Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoils?
A concubine, two concubines for every warrior;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed cloth,
A spoil of dyed cloth embroidered,
Dyed cloth of double embroidery on the [ r ] neck of the plunderer?’
31 ( AG ) May all Your enemies perish in this way, Lord ;
( AH ) But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.”

And the land was at rest for forty years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:2 Or the hair hanging free in
  2. Judges 5:5 As in MT; LXX quaked
  3. Judges 5:6 Lit had ceased
  4. Judges 5:6 Lit twisting
  5. Judges 5:7 Or rural dwellers
  6. Judges 5:10 Or tawny
  7. Judges 5:11 Or rural dwellers
  8. Judges 5:12 Lit speak
  9. Judges 5:14 Lit a scribe
  10. Judges 5:15 As in ancient versions; MT My princes
  11. Judges 5:15 Lit feet
  12. Judges 5:16 Or saddlebags
  13. Judges 5:17 Or dwelt
  14. Judges 5:17 Or dwelt
  15. Judges 5:27 Lit destroyed
  16. Judges 5:28 Or window
  17. Judges 5:28 Lit steps
  18. Judges 5:30 Lit necks of the spoil

The Song of Deborah

5 On that day Deborah ( A ) and Barak son of Abinoam ( B ) sang this song: ( C )

2 “When the princes in Israel take the lead,
when the people willingly offer ( D ) themselves—
praise the Lord ! ( E )

3 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
I, even I, will sing to [ a ] the Lord ; ( F )
I will praise the Lord , the God of Israel, in song. ( G )

4 “When you, Lord , went out ( H ) from Seir, ( I )
when you marched from the land of Edom,
the earth shook, ( J ) the heavens poured,
the clouds poured down water. ( K )
5 The mountains quaked ( L ) before the Lord , the One of Sinai,
before the Lord , the God of Israel.

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, ( M )
in the days of Jael, ( N ) the highways ( O ) were abandoned;
travelers took to winding paths. ( P )
7 Villagers in Israel would not fight;
they held back until I, Deborah, ( Q ) arose,
until I arose, a mother in Israel.
8 God chose new leaders ( R )
when war came to the city gates, ( S )
but not a shield or spear ( T ) was seen
among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart is with Israel’s princes,
with the willing volunteers ( U ) among the people.
Praise the Lord !

10 “You who ride on white donkeys, ( V )
sitting on your saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road,
consider 11 the voice of the singers [ b ] at the watering places.
They recite the victories ( W ) of the Lord ,
the victories of his villagers in Israel.

“Then the people of the Lord
went down to the city gates. ( X )
12 ‘Wake up, ( Y ) wake up, Deborah! ( Z )
Wake up, wake up, break out in song!
Arise, Barak! ( AA )
Take captive your captives, ( AB ) son of Abinoam.’

13 “The remnant of the nobles came down;
the people of the Lord came down to me against the mighty.
14 Some came from Ephraim, ( AC ) whose roots were in Amalek; ( AD )
Benjamin ( AE ) was with the people who followed you.
From Makir ( AF ) captains came down,
from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s [ c ] staff.
15 The princes of Issachar ( AG ) were with Deborah; ( AH )
yes, Issachar was with Barak, ( AI )
sent under his command into the valley.
In the districts of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.
16 Why did you stay among the sheep pens [ d ] ( AJ )
to hear the whistling for the flocks? ( AK )
In the districts of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead ( AL ) stayed beyond the Jordan.
And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?
Asher ( AM ) remained on the coast ( AN )
and stayed in his coves.
18 The people of Zebulun ( AO ) risked their very lives;
so did Naphtali ( AP ) on the terraced fields. ( AQ )

19 “Kings came ( AR ) , they fought,
the kings of Canaan fought.
At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, ( AS )
they took no plunder of silver. ( AT )
20 From the heavens ( AU ) the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon ( AV ) swept them away,
the age-old river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul; be strong! ( AW )
22 Then thundered the horses’ hooves—
galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds. ( AX )
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord .
‘Curse its people bitterly,
because they did not come to help the Lord ,
to help the Lord against the mighty.’

24 “Most blessed of women ( AY ) be Jael, ( AZ )
the wife of Heber the Kenite, ( BA )
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk; ( BB )
in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg,
her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,
she shattered and pierced his temple. ( BC )
27 At her feet he sank,
he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell;
where he sank, there he fell—dead ( BD ) .

28 “Through the window ( BE ) peered Sisera’s mother;
behind the lattice she cried out, ( BF )
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’
29 The wisest of her ladies answer her;
indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: ( BG )
a woman or two for each man,
colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,
colorful garments embroidered,
highly embroidered garments ( BH ) for my neck—
all this as plunder? ( BI ) ’

31 “So may all your enemies perish, ( BJ ) Lord !
But may all who love you be like the sun ( BK )
when it rises in its strength.” ( BL )

Then the land had peace ( BM ) forty years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:3 Or of
  2. Judges 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Judges 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Judges 5:16 Or the campfires ; or the saddlebags
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