Judges 5:12

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

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}.

"Awake, awake, D'vorah! Awake, awake, break into song! Arise, Barak! Lead away your captives, son of Avino'am!

‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’

Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, utter a song: Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam.

Context

Judges 5 is famously known as the 'Song of Deborah,' a powerful poetic recounting of Israel's miraculous victory over the oppressive Canaanite forces led by King Jabin and his formidable commander, Sisera. This song serves as a triumphant follow-up to the prose narrative found in Judges 4, where Deborah, a unique prophetess and judge, alongside Barak, the military leader, orchestrated the divine triumph. Verse 12 marks a pivotal shift within the song, moving from a descriptive narrative to an urgent, direct call for praise and celebration after God's decisive intervention.

Key Themes

  • Divine Call to Praise: The repeated exclamation, "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song," is an emphatic and urgent summons for Deborah to begin her prophetic song of victory. It underscores the profound spiritual significance of acknowledging and celebrating God's deliverance, emphasizing that the victory was divinely orchestrated, not merely a result of human strength or strategy.
  • Leadership and Obedience: The command "arise, Barak" serves as both an acknowledgment of his vital role in the battle and an exhortation for him to fully embrace the victory and its spoils. Though initially hesitant in Judges 4, Barak's obedience to Deborah's divine instruction led to their success, and now he is called to lead the captured.
  • Reversal of Fortunes: The powerful phrase "lead thy captivity captive" signifies a complete and dramatic turnaround of circumstances. It means to take as prisoners those who had previously held Israel in bondage. This illustrates God's sovereign power to turn the tables on oppressors, transforming the oppressed into victors and their captors into the captured. It's a vivid picture of divine justice and liberation.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "Awake, awake" ('uri, 'uri) is an emphatic imperative, underscoring the urgency and spiritual significance of Deborah's poetic and prophetic utterance. It's a call to spiritual alertness and inspired declaration. The vivid imagery of "lead thy captivity captive" (sheveh shevykha) is a striking metaphor for taking spoils from a vanquished enemy, specifically those who had previously held the victors in bondage. This concept of triumph over former captors, where the victors seize what was once used against them, is a profound theme echoed in other parts of Scripture, notably in Ephesians 4:8, where Paul applies it to Christ's triumphant ascent.

Practical Application

Judges 5:12 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It reminds us that when God grants victory in our lives—whether over sin, adversity, or spiritual battles—it calls for a public and heartfelt declaration of praise and thanksgiving. Like Deborah, we are to "awake" to God's mighty acts and not take His deliverance for granted. This verse also highlights God's incredible ability to reverse seemingly insurmountable situations, turning oppression into triumph and despair into celebration. For leaders, it emphasizes the importance of obeying divine leading and ensuring that God receives the glory for every victory, even after the battle is won. It reminds us that spiritual victory often culminates in spiritual song and heartfelt praise, echoing the sentiments of the Song of Deborah itself.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 68:18

    Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them].

  • Ephesians 4:8

    Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

  • Psalms 57:8

    Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I [myself] will awake early.

  • 2 Timothy 2:26

    And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

  • Jeremiah 31:26

    Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:34

    Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak [this] to your shame.

  • Ephesians 5:14

    Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
← Back