Judges 5

The Song of Deborah

1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

2“Israel’s leaders took charge,

and the people gladly followed.

Praise the Lord!

3“Listen, you kings!

Pay attention, you mighty rulers!

For I will sing to the Lord.

I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4“Lord, when you set out from Seir

and marched across the fields of Edom,

the earth trembled,

and the cloudy skies poured down rain.

5The mountains quaked in the presence of the Lord,

the God of Mount Sinai—

in the presence of the Lord,

the God of Israel.

6“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

and in the days of Jael,

people avoided the main roads,

and travelers stayed on winding pathways.

7There were few people left in the villages of Israel#5:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.—

until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.

8When Israel chose new gods,

war erupted at the city gates.

Yet not a shield or spear could be seen

among forty thousand warriors in Israel!

9My heart is with the commanders of Israel,

with those who volunteered for war.

Praise the Lord!

10“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys,

you who sit on fancy saddle blankets,

and you who walk along the road.

11Listen to the village musicians#5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

gathered at the watering holes.

They recount the righteous victories of the Lord

and the victories of his villagers in Israel.

Then the people of the Lord

marched down to the city gates.

12“Wake up, Deborah, wake up!

Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!

Arise, Barak!

Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!

13“Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles.

The people of the Lord marched down against mighty warriors.

14They came down from Ephraim—

a land that once belonged to the Amalekites;

they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops.

From Makir the commanders marched down;

from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff.

15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak.

They followed Barak, rushing into the valley.

But in the tribe of Reuben

there was great indecision.#5:15 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac version, which read searchings of heart; Masoretic Text reads resolve of heart.

16Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds—

to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks?

Yes, in the tribe of Reuben

there was great indecision.

17Gilead remained east of the Jordan.

And why did Dan stay home?

Asher sat unmoved at the seashore,

remaining in his harbors.

18But Zebulun risked his life,

as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield.

19“The kings of Canaan came and fought,

at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs,

but they carried off no silver treasures.

20The stars fought from heaven.

The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera.

21The Kishon River swept them away—

that ancient torrent, the Kishon.

March on with courage, my soul!

22Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground,

the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds.

23‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the Lord.

‘Let them be utterly cursed,

because they did not come to help the Lord—

to help the Lord against the mighty warriors.’

24“Most blessed among women is Jael,

the wife of Heber the Kenite.

May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.

25Sisera asked for water,

and she gave him milk.

In a bowl fit for nobles,

she brought him yogurt.

26Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg,

and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer.

She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head.

With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples.

27He sank, he fell,

he lay still at her feet.

And where he sank,

there he died.

28“From the window Sisera’s mother looked out.

Through the window she watched for his return, saying,

‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’

29“Her wise women answer,

and she repeats these words to herself:

30‘They must be dividing the captured plunder—

with a woman or two for every man.

There will be colorful robes for Sisera,

and colorful, embroidered robes for me.

Yes, the plunder will include

colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’

31“Lord, may all your enemies die like Sisera!

But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!”

Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

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Judges 5: NLT

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Judges 5

Song of Deborah

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

2Praise ye the LORD

For the avenging of Israel,

When the people willingly offered themselves.

3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes;

I, even I, will sing unto the LORD;

I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir,

When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom,

The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped,

The clouds also dropped water.

5The mountains melted from before the LORD,

Even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,

And the travellers walked through byways.

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel,

Until that I Deborah arose,

That I arose a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods;

Then was war in the gates:

Was there a shield or spear seen

Among forty thousand in Israel?

9My heart is toward the governors of Israel,

That offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless ye the LORD.

10Speak, ye that ride on white asses,

Ye that sit in judgment,

And walk by the way.

11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water,

There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD,

Even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel:

Then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

12Awake, awake, Deborah:

Awake, awake, utter a song:

Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people:

The LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

14Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek;

After thee, Benjamin, among thy people;

Out of Machir came down governors,

And out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah;

Even Issachar, and also Barak:

He was sent on foot into the valley.

For the divisions of Reuben

There were great thoughts of heart.

16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds,

To hear the bleatings of the flocks?

For the divisions of Reuben

There were great searchings of heart.

17Gilead abode beyond Jordan:

And why did Dan remain in ships?

Asher continued on the sea shore,

And abode in his breaches.

18Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death

In the high places of the field.

19The kings came and fought,

Then fought the kings of Canaan

In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo;

They took no gain of money.

20They fought from heaven;

The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21The river of Kishon swept them away,

That ancient river, the river Kishon.

O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22Then were the horsehoofs broken

By the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD,

Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;

Because they came not to the help of the LORD,

To the help of the LORD against the mighty.

24Blessed above women shall Jael

The wife of Heber the Kenite be,

Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25He asked water, and she gave him milk;

She brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26She put her hand to the nail,

And her right hand to the workmen's hammer;

And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head,

When she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down:

At her feet he bowed, he fell:

Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28The mother of Sisera looked out at a window,

And cried through the lattice,

Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

29Her wise ladies answered her,

Yea, she returned answer to herself,

30Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey;

To every man a damsel or two;

To Sisera a prey of divers colours,

A prey of divers colours of needlework,

Of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

31So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD:

But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.

And the land had rest forty years.

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