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.

The Song of Deborah and Barak

1
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, ​
2
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, the LORD! ​
3
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

The Majestic Power of Yahweh

4
“LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water. ​
5
The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, even Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, 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. The travelers walked through byways. ​
7
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel. ​
8
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? ​
9
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!
10
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way. ​
11
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. ​

Rallying the Tribes of Israel

12
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’ ​
13
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
14
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun. ​
15
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. ​
16
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart. ​
17
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks. ​
18
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. ​

The Battle at Megiddo

19
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver. ​
20
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera. ​
21
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength. ​
22
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.

The Curse of Meroz

23
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’ ​

The Praise of Jael

24
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. ​
25
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish. ​
26
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, 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 out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ ​
29
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’ ​
31
“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then 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.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options