Judges 5:28-31 - Compare All Versions

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Sisera’s mother waited at the window, a weary, anxious watch. “What’s keeping his chariot? What delays his chariot’s rumble?” The wisest of her ladies-in-waiting answers with calm, reassuring words, “Don’t you think they’re busy at plunder, dividing up the loot? A girl, maybe two girls, for each man, And for Sisera a bright silk shirt, a prize, fancy silk shirt! And a colorful scarf—make it two scarves— to grace the neck of the plunderer.” * * * Thus may all GOD’s enemies perish, while his lovers be like the unclouded sun.

The 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? Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself, Have 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? So 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.

“Out of the window she looked and lamented, The mother of Sisera through the lattice, ‘Why does his chariot delay in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’ Her wise princesses would answer her, Indeed she repeats her words to herself, ‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A maiden, two maidens for every warrior; To Sisera a spoil of dyed work, A spoil of dyed work embroidered, Dyed work of double embroidery on the neck of the spoiler?’ Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was undisturbed for forty years.

“Sisera’s mother looked out through the window. She looked through the curtains and cried out, ‘Why is Sisera’s chariot so late in coming? Why are sounds of his chariots’ horses delayed?’ The wisest of her servant ladies answer her, and Sisera’s mother says to herself, ‘Surely they are robbing the people they defeated! Surely they are dividing those things among themselves! Each soldier is given a girl or two. Maybe Sisera is taking pieces of dyed cloth. Maybe they are even taking pieces of dyed, embroidered cloth for the necks of the victors!’ “Let all your enemies die this way, LORD! But let all the people who love you be as strong as the rising sun!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself, 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? 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.

“Through the window peered Sisera’s mother; behind the lattice she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’ The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck— all this as plunder?’ “So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years.

“The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’ Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’ “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.

¶“Out of the window she looked down and lamented (cried out in a shrill voice), The mother of Sisera through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot delayed in coming? Why have the hoofbeats of his chariots delayed?’ “Her wise ladies answered her, Indeed, she repeated her words to herself, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? A maiden (concubine) or two for every man; A spoil of dyed garments for Sisera, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Two pieces of dyed garments embroidered for the neck of the plunderer?’ “So let all Your enemies perish, O LORD; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was at rest for forty years.

“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?’ “Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself: ‘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.’ “LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!”

Sisera’s mother waited for him at her window; she gazed from behind the lattice and lamented: “Why is the clatter of his chariot so late in coming? Why are his horses so slow to return?” The wisest of her princesses replied; indeed, she even thought to herself: “They must be gathering and dividing the spoils: a slave-girl or two for each man, colorful cloth and garments as plunder for Sisera, two colorful garments, embroidered, and richly embroidered garments for my neck.” YAHWEH, may all who hate you perish in the same way! But may those who love you shine like the sun, bright in its strength as it crosses the sky!

“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?’ Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, ‘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?’ “So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”