1 Then sang H7891 Deborah H1683 and Barak H1301 the son H1121 of Abinoam H42 on that day, H3117 saying, H559
2 Praise H1288 ye the LORD H3068 for the avenging H6544 H6546 of Israel, H3478 when the people H5971 willingly offered H5068 themselves.
3 Hear, H8085 O ye kings; H4428 give ear, H238 O ye princes; H7336 I, even I, will sing H7891 unto the LORD; H3068 I will sing H2167 praise to the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
4 LORD, H3068 when thou wentest out H3318 of Seir, H8165 when thou marchedst out H6805 of the field H7704 of Edom, H123 the earth H776 trembled, H7493 and the heavens H8064 dropped, H5197 the clouds H5645 also dropped H5197 water. H4325
5 The mountains H2022 melted H5140 from before H6440 the LORD, H3068 even that Sinai H5514 from before H6440 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
6 In the days H3117 of Shamgar H8044 the son H1121 of Anath, H6067 in the days H3117 of Jael, H3278 the highways H734 were unoccupied, H2308 and the travellers H1980 walked H3212 through byways. H6128 H5410
7 The inhabitants of the villages H6520 ceased, H2308 they ceased H2308 in Israel, H3478 until that I Deborah H1683 arose, H6965 that I arose H6965 a mother H517 in Israel. H3478
8 They chose H977 new H2319 gods; H430 then was war H3901 in the gates: H8179 was there a shield H4043 or spear H7420 seen H7200 among forty H705 thousand H505 in Israel? H3478
9 My heart H3820 is toward the governors H2710 of Israel, H3478 that offered themselves willingly H5068 among the people. H5971 Bless H1288 ye the LORD. H3068
10 Speak, H7878 ye that ride H7392 on white H6715 asses, H860 ye that sit H3427 in judgment, H4055 and walk H1980 by the way. H1870
11 They that are delivered from the noise H6963 of archers H2686 in the places of drawing water, H4857 there shall they rehearse H8567 the righteous acts H6666 of the LORD, H3068 even the righteous acts H6666 toward the inhabitants of his villages H6520 in Israel: H3478 then shall the people H5971 of the LORD H3068 go down H3381 to the gates. H8179
12 Awake, H5782 awake, H5782 Deborah: H1683 awake, H5782 awake, H5782 utter H1696 a song: H7892 arise, H6965 Barak, H1301 and lead thy captivity H7628 captive, H7617 thou son H1121 of Abinoam. H42
13 Then he made him that remaineth H8300 have dominion H7287 over the nobles H117 among the people: H5971 the LORD H3068 made me have dominion H7287 over the mighty. H1368
14 Out of Ephraim H669 was there a root H8328 of them against Amalek; H6002 after H310 thee, Benjamin, H1144 among thy people; H5971 out of Machir H4353 came down H3381 governors, H2710 and out of Zebulun H2074 they that handle H4900 the pen H7626 of the writer. H5608
15 And the princes H8269 of Issachar H3485 were with Deborah; H1683 even Issachar, H3485 and also Barak: H1301 he was sent H7971 on foot H7272 into the valley. H6010 For the divisions H6390 of Reuben H7205 there were great H1419 thoughts H2711 of heart. H3820
16 Why abodest H3427 thou among H996 the sheepfolds, H4942 to hear H8085 the bleatings H8292 of the flocks? H5739 For the divisions H6390 of Reuben H7205 there were great H1419 searchings H2714 of heart. H3820
17 Gilead H1568 abode H7931 beyond H5676 Jordan: H3383 and why did Dan H1835 remain H1481 in ships? H591 Asher H836 continued H3427 on the sea H3220 shore, H2348 and abode H7931 in his breaches. H4664
18 Zebulun H2074 and Naphtali H5321 were a people H5971 that jeoparded H2778 their lives H5315 unto the death H4191 in the high places H4791 of the field. H7704
19 The kings H4428 came H935 and fought, H3898 then fought H3898 the kings H4428 of Canaan H3667 in Taanach H8590 by the waters H4325 of Megiddo; H4023 they took H3947 no gain H1215 of money. H3701
20 They fought H3898 from heaven; H8064 the stars H3556 in their courses H4546 fought H3898 against Sisera. H5516
21 The river H5158 of Kishon H7028 swept them away, H1640 that ancient H6917 river, H5158 the river H5158 Kishon. H7028 O my soul, H5315 thou hast trodden down H1869 strength. H5797
22 Then were the horsehoofs H6119 H5483 broken H1986 by the means of the pransings, H1726 the pransings H1726 of their mighty ones. H47
23 Curse H779 ye Meroz, H4789 said H559 the angel H4397 of the LORD, H3068 curse H779 ye bitterly H779 the inhabitants H3427 thereof; because they came H935 not to the help H5833 of the LORD, H3068 to the help H5833 of the LORD H3068 against the mighty. H1368
24 Blessed H1288 above women H802 shall Jael H3278 the wife H802 of Heber H2268 the Kenite H7017 be, blessed H1288 shall she be above women H802 in the tent. H168
25 He asked H7592 water, H4325 and she gave H5414 him milk; H2461 she brought forth H7126 butter H2529 in a lordly H117 dish. H5602
26 She put H7971 her hand H3027 to the nail, H3489 and her right hand H3225 to the workmen's H6001 hammer; H1989 and with the hammer she smote H1986 Sisera, H5516 she smote off H4277 his head, H7218 when she had pierced H4272 and stricken through H2498 his temples. H7541
27 At her feet H7272 he bowed, H3766 he fell, H5307 he lay down: H7901 at her feet H7272 he bowed, H3766 he fell: H5307 where H834 he bowed, H3766 there he fell down H5307 dead. H7703
28 The mother H517 of Sisera H5516 looked H8259 out at a window, H2474 and cried H2980 through the lattice, H822 Why is his chariot H7393 so long H954 in coming? H935 why tarry H309 the wheels H6471 of his chariots? H4818
29 Her wise H2450 ladies H8282 answered H6030 her, yea, she returned H7725 answer H561 to herself,
30 Have they not sped? H4672 have they not divided H2505 the prey; H7998 to every H7218 man H1397 a damsel H7356 or two; H7361 to Sisera H5516 a prey H7998 of divers colours, H6648 a prey H7998 of divers colours H6648 of needlework, H7553 of divers colours H6648 of needlework on both sides, H7553 meet for the necks H6677 of them that take the spoil? H7998
31 So let all thine enemies H341 perish, H6 O LORD: H3068 but let them that love H157 him be as the sun H8121 when he goeth forth H3318 in his might. H1369 And the land H776 had rest H8252 forty H705 years. H8141
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 5
Commentary on Judges 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Jud 5:1-31. Deborah and Barak's Song of Thanksgiving.
1. Then sang Deborah and Barak … on that day—This noble triumphal ode was evidently the composition of Deborah herself.
2, 3. The meaning is obscurely seen in our version; it has been better rendered thus, "Praise ye Jehovah; for the free are freed in Israel—the people have willingly offered themselves" [Robinson].
4, 5. Allusion is here made, in general terms, to God's interposition on behalf of His people.
Seir … the field of Edom—represent the mountain range and plain extending along the south from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf.
thou wentest out—indicates the storm to have proceeded from the south or southeast.
6-8. The song proceeds in these verses to describe the sad condition of the country, the oppression of the people, and the origin of all the national distress in the people's apostasy from God. Idolatry was the cause of foreign invasion and internal inability to resist it.
9. expresses gratitude to the respective leaders of the tribes which participated in the contest; but, above all, to God, who inspired both the patriotic disposition and the strength.
10. Speak—that is, join in this song of praise.
white asses—Those which are purely white are highly prized, and being costly, are possessed only by the wealthy and great.
Ye that sit in judgment—has been rendered, "ye that repose on tapestries."
11-14. The wells which are at a little distance from towns in the East, are, in unsettled times, places of danger. But in peace they are scenes of pleasant and joyous resort. The poetess anticipates that this song may be sung, and the righteous acts of the Lord rehearsed at these now tranquil "places of drawing water." Deborah now rouses herself to describe, in terms suitable to the occasion, the preparation and the contest, and calls in a flight of poetic enthusiasm on Barak to parade his prisoners in triumphal procession. Then follows a eulogistic enumeration of the tribes which raised the commanded levy, or volunteered their services—the soldiers of Ephraim who dwelt near the mount of the Amalekites, the small quota of Benjamin; "the governors," valiant leaders "out of Machir," the western Manasseh; out of Zebulun.
15. Then comes a reproachful notice of the tribes which did not obey the summons to take the field against the common enemy of Israel. By the
divisions—that is, the watercourses which descend from the eastern hills unto the Jordan and Dead Sea.
For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart—They felt the patriotic impulse and determined, at first, to join the ranks of their western brethren, but resiled from the purpose, preferring their peaceful shepherd songs to the trumpet sound of war.
17, 18. Gilead abode beyond Jordan—that is, Both Gad and the eastern half to Manasseh chose to dwell at ease in their Havoth-jair, or "villages of tents," while Dan and Asher, both maritime tribes, continued with their ships and in their "breaches" ("havens"). The mention of these craven tribes (Jud 5:18) is concluded with a fresh burst of commendation on Zebulun and Naphtali.
19-22. describes the scene of battle and the issue. It would seem (Jud 5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaanite princes. The battlefield was near Taanach (now Ta'annuk), on a tell or mound in the level plain of Megiddo (now Leijun), on its southwestern extremity, by the left bank of the Kishon.
they took no gain of money—They obtained no plunder.
20. the stars in their courses fought—A fearful tempest burst upon them and threw them into disorder.
21. the river of Kishon swept them away—The enemy was defeated near "the waters of Megiddo"—the sources and side streams of the Kishon: they that fled had to cross the deep and marshy bed of the torrent, but the Lord had sent a heavy rain—the waters suddenly rose—the warriors fell into the quicksands, and sinking deep into them, were drowned or washed into the sea [Van De Velde].
22. Then were the horse hoofs broken by the means of the prancings—Anciently, as in many parts of the East still, horses were not shod. The breaking of the hoofs denotes the hot haste and heavy irregular tramp of the routed foe.
23. Curse ye Meroz—a village on the confines of Issachar and Naphtali, which lay in the course of the fugitives, but the inhabitants declined to aid in their destruction.
24-27. is a most graphic picture of the treatment of Sisera in the tent of Jael.
25. butter—curdled milk; a favorite beverage in the East.
28-30. In these verses a sudden transition is made to the mother of the Canaanite general, and a striking picture is drawn of a mind agitated between hope and fear—impatient of delay, yet anticipating the news of victory and the rewards of rich booty.
the lattice—a lattice window, common to the houses in warm countries for the circulation of air.
29. her wise ladies—maids of honor.
30. to every man a damsel or two—Young maidens formed always a valued part of Oriental conquerors' war-spoils. But Sisera's mother wished other booty for him; namely, the gold-threaded, richly embroidered, and scarlet-colored cloaks which were held in such high esteem. The ode concludes with a wish in keeping with the pious and patriotic character of the prophetess.