Judges5

Deborah and Barak sing a song of victory, praising the Lord for delivering Israel from Canaanite oppression. The song recounts the nation's former distress, the willing participation of some tribes, and the divine intervention that led to Sisera's defeat. It concludes by blessing Jael for slaying Sisera and wishing destruction upon God's enemies.
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The Song of Deborah and Barak

1
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, ​
2
For that the leaders took the lead in Israel, For that the people offered themselves willingly, Bless ye Jehovah. ​
3
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, evenI, will sing unto Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

The Majestic Power of Yahweh

4
Jehovah, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, Yea, the clouds dropped water. ​
5
The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, Even yon Sinai at the presence of Jehovah, the God of Israel. ​

Israel's Decline and Deborah's Rise

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. ​
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The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, 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 Jehovah.
10
Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that walk by the way. ​
11
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, Eventhe righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates. ​

Rallying the Tribes of Israel

12
Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song: Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam. ​
13
Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people; Jehovah came down for me against the mighty.
14
Out of Ephraimcame downthey whose root is in Amalek; After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples; Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal’s staff. ​
15
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. ​
16
Why sattest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart. ​
17
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan: And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, And abode by his creeks. ​
18
Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field. ​

The Battle at Megiddo

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
From heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera. ​
21
The river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength. ​
22
Then did the horsehoofs stamp By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.

The Curse of Meroz

23
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, Because they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah against the mighty. ​

The Praise of Jael

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Blessed above women shall Jael be, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed shall she be above women in the tent. ​
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He asked water, andshe gave him milk; She brought him butter in a lordly dish. ​
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She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head; Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples. ​
27
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; At her feet he bowed, he fell: Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

The Lament of Sisera's Mother

28
Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Siseracriedthrough the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? ​
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Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself,
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Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil? ​
31
So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. ​

Study Notes for Judges 5

Verse 1

This chapter is one of the oldest recorded pieces of Hebrew poetry, offering a spontaneous and passionate celebration of the victory described in Judges 4. Its poetic structure differs significantly from the prose narrative.

Verse 2

The phrase 'when the people willingly offered themselves' highlights a key theme: the victory was not just God’s intervention, but relied on the courageous and voluntary participation of the Israelite militia.

Verse 4

This section employs theophany language, describing God’s appearance to fight for Israel. The imagery of trembling earth and dropping heavens recalls Exodus accounts of God manifesting His presence, often associated with the storm god motif.

Verse 5

The reference to Sinai serves to connect this deliverance to the foundational covenant event, demonstrating that the God who established Israel is the same God who actively intervenes in their history.

Verse 6

This verse describes the extreme insecurity during the period of oppression: the main roads were too dangerous due to enemy control, forcing travelers onto hidden, unsafe byways.

Verse 7

Deborah refers to herself as a 'mother in Israel,' emphasizing her role not just as a judge or prophetess, but as a nurturing, protective, and foundational leader of the nation.

Verse 8

Israel's weakness is attributed both to the choice of 'new gods' (idolatry) and the resulting disarmament by their oppressors, leaving even 40,000 men without basic weaponry.

Verse 10

Deborah addresses three groups: the wealthy elite ('ride on white asses'), the officials ('sit in judgment'), and the common people ('walk by the way'), calling all strata of society to acknowledge God's victory.

Verse 11

The places of drawing water were highly vulnerable, yet crucial. Their deliverance means that life-sustaining activities can resume safely, allowing the people to openly rehearse God's righteous acts.

Verse 12

This verse transitions from reflection to command, urging the leaders, Deborah and Barak, to complete the victory by capturing the remaining enemy forces.

Verse 14

Machir (the name for the eastern half of Manasseh) and Zebulun are praised for supplying leadership and organization ('governors' and 'they that handle the pen'), showing diverse types of necessary contribution to the war effort.

Verse 15

Reuben is the first tribe condemned for its failure to participate. The 'great thoughts of heart' signifies internal deliberation that resulted in inaction rather than commitment to the covenant.

Verse 16

This verse mocks Reuben for prioritizing agricultural life and the comfort of the flocks over the covenant responsibility to fight, emphasizing their selfish concerns.

Verse 17

Gilead (Gad/East Manasseh), Dan, and Asher are also criticized for staying home, focused on their own affairs (trans-Jordanian security, shipping, and coastal trade, respectively) rather than helping their brethren.

Verse 18

In sharp contrast to the abstainers, Zebulun and Naphtali receive high praise for having risked their lives fully, establishing them as models of covenant loyalty.

Verse 19

Taanach and Megiddo were strategic locations controlling the Jezreel Valley. The Canaanite kings fought not for plunder ('no gain of money') but to maintain regional dominance, making their defeat absolute.

Verse 20

The victory is attributed directly to divine intervention, where even the celestial bodies ('stars in their courses') participate in the battle, suggesting a powerful, supernatural storm aiding Israel.

Verse 21

The storm turned the Kishon River into a flash flood, washing away Sisera’s chariots. The river is personified as an instrument of divine judgment, destroying the mighty enemy army.

Verse 23

Meroz, an unidentified location, is cursed not for fighting against Israel, but for failing to come to the aid of the Lord. This emphasizes that neutrality in the face of God’s war is considered active disobedience.

Verse 24

Jael, a Kenite (a neutral tribe), is blessed above all women. Her action, though deceitful by human standards, is celebrated because it completed the divine victory by eliminating the primary enemy commander.

Verse 25

Sisera requested water, a sign of urgent need and hospitality. Jael offered him milk (curds/butter), which would induce drowsiness, making his subsequent murder easier and more shocking.

Verse 26

This verse describes Jael's brutal act in detail, using common household tools (tent peg and hammer). This highlights the unconventional nature of the victory achieved by a non-combatant woman.

Verse 28

The scene shifts dramatically to Sisera's home, where his mother waits anxiously. This poignant lament uses dramatic irony, contrasting the mother’s hopeful expectation with the reality of her son’s ignominious death.

Verse 30

The mother and her ladies discuss the expected spoils of war, including female captives and rich garments. This reinforces the brutality of the Canaanite regime and justifies the severity of God's judgment.

Verse 31

This concluding prayer serves as a theological summary for the entire episode: the prayer for the destruction of God’s enemies is balanced by the blessing promised to those who faithfully love Him, resulting in peace ('rest') for the land.

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