1On that day Deborah and Barak sang a song. Barak was the son of Abinoam. Here is what Deborah and Barak sang.2‘The princes in Israel lead the way. The people follow them just because they want to. When this happens, praise the LORD!3‘Kings, hear this! Rulers, listen! I will sing to the LORD. I will praise the LORD in song. He is the God of Israel.4‘LORD, you went out from Seir. You marched out from the land of Edom. The earth shook. The heavens poured. The clouds poured down their water.5The mountains shook because of the LORD. He was at Mount Sinai. They shook because of the LORD. He is the God of Israel.6‘The main roads were deserted. So travellers used the winding paths. That happened in the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath. It happened in the days of Jael.7Those who lived in the villages of Israel would not fight. They held back until I, Deborah, came. I came as a mother in Israel.8War came to the city gates. Then God chose new leaders. But no shields or spears were seen anywhere. There weren’t any among 40,000 men in Israel.9My heart is with the princes in Israel. It’s with the people who follow them just because they want to. Praise the LORD!10‘Some of you ride on white donkeys. Some of you sit on your saddle blankets. Some of you walk along the road. Think about11the voices of the singers at the watering places. They sing about the victories of the LORD. They sing about the victories of his people who live in Israel’s villages. ‘The people of the LORD went down to the city gates.12“Wake up, Deborah! Wake up!” they said. “Wake up! Wake up! Begin to sing! Barak, get up! Son of Abinoam, capture your prisoners!”13‘The nobles who were left came down. The people of the LORD came down to me against the powerful enemy.14Some came from the part of Ephraim where some Amalekites lived. Some from Benjamin were with the people who followed Ephraim. Captains came down from Makir. Those who rule like commanders came down from Zebulun.15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. The men of Issachar were with Barak. They went into the valley under his command. In the territories of Reuben, men looked deeply into their hearts.16Why did they stay among the sheepfolds? Why did they stay to hear shepherds whistling for the flocks? In the territories of Reuben, men looked deeply into their hearts.17Gilead stayed east of the River Jordan. Why did Dan stay near the ships? The men of Asher remained on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. They stayed in their safe harbours.18The people of Zebulun put their very lives in danger. So did Naphtali on the hillside fields.19‘Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo. But they didn’t carry away any silver. They didn’t take anything at all.20From the heavens the stars fought. From the sky they fought against Sisera.21The River Kishon swept them away. The Kishon is a very old river. My spirit, march on! Be strong!22The hooves of the horses pounded like thunder. The powerful horses of our enemies galloped away.23“Let Meroz be cursed,” said the angel of the LORD. “Let bitter curses fall on its people. They did not come to help the LORD. They did not come to help him against our powerful enemies.”24‘May Jael be the most blessed woman of all. May the wife of Heber, the Kenite, be blessed. May she be the most blessed woman of all those who live in tents.25Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.26Her hand reached out for a tent stake. Her right hand reached for a hammer. She hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She drove the stake right through his head.27He sank down. He fell at her feet. He was lying there. At her feet he sank down. He fell. He fell where he sank down. That’s where he died.28‘Sisera’s mother looked out through the window. From behind the wooden screen she cried out. “Why is his chariot taking so long to get here?” she said. “Why can’t I hear the noise of his chariots yet?”29Her wisest ladies answer her. And here’s what she keeps saying to herself.30She says, “They must be finding riches to bring back. They must be dividing them up. Each man is getting a woman or two. They are giving colourful clothes to Sisera. The clothes are very beautiful. He will bring some for me to wear. The men must be finding many things to bring home.”31‘LORD, may all your enemies be destroyed. But may all who love you be like the morning sun. May they be like the sun when it shines the brightest.’ So the land was at peace for 40 years.
Judges 5
English Standard Version
The Song of Deborah and Barak
1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: (Ex 15:1)2“That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord! (Jud 5:9; 2Ch 17:16)3“Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.4“Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. (De 33:2; 2Sa 22:8; Ps 18:7; Ps 68:7; Ps 68:8; Ps 77:18; Na 1:5; Hab 3:10)5The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord,[1] the God of Israel. (Ex 19:18; De 4:11; Isa 64:1; Isa 64:3)6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways. (Le 26:22; Jud 3:31; Jud 4:17; Isa 33:8; La 1:4)7The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.8When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel? (De 32:16; Jud 2:12; Jud 2:17; 1Sa 13:19; 1Sa 13:22)9My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord. (Jud 5:2)10“Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets[2] and you who walk by the way. (Jud 10:4; Jud 12:14; Zec 9:9)11To the sound of musicians[3] at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. “Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. (Ps 57:8; Ps 68:18; Eph 4:8)13Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty.14From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley,[4] following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s[5] staff; (Nu 32:39; Jud 3:27; Jud 12:15)15the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. (Jud 4:14)16Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. (Ge 49:14; Nu 32:1; Ps 68:13)17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. (Ge 49:13; Jos 13:24; Jos 19:29; Jos 19:31; Jos 19:46)18Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. (Jud 4:10)19“The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. (Jos 17:11; Jud 1:27; Jud 5:30; 1Ki 4:12; 2Ki 9:27; 2Ki 23:29; 2Ch 35:22)20From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. (Jos 10:11)21The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! (Jud 4:7)22“Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.23“Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. (Jud 21:9)24“Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. (Jud 4:17)25He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl. (Jud 4:19)26She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. (Jud 4:21)27Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.28“Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’ (2Sa 6:16; Pr 7:6)29Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself,30‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’ (Ex 15:9)31“So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” And the land had rest for forty years. (Jud 3:11; 2Sa 23:4; Ps 19:5; Ps 37:6; Ps 83:9; Da 12:3; Mt 13:43)