< Judges 5 >
1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless ye Jehovah.
3 Hear, O ye kings. Give ear, O ye rulers. I, even I, will sing to Jehovah. I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.
4 Jehovah, when thou went forth out of Seir, when thou marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, yea, the clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, even yon Sinai at the presence of Jehovah, the God of Israel.
6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.
7 The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until that I, Deborah, arose, that 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 ye Jehovah.
10 Tell, ye who ride on white donkeys, ye who sit on rich carpets, and ye who walk by the way.
11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they shall rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song. Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam.
13 Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Jehovah came down for me against the mighty.
14 Out of Ephraim, those whose root is in Amalek, after thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples, out of Machir, came down governors, and out of Zebulun those who handle the marshal's staff.
15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, as was Issachar, so was Barak, into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.
16 Why did thou sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead abode beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and abode by his creeks.
18 Zebulun was a people who jeopardized their lives to the death, and Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no gain of money.
20 From heaven the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength.
22 Then the horse hoofs stamped by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.
23 Curse ye Meroz, said the agent of Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants of it, because they did not come to the help of Jehovah, to the help of Jehovah against the mighty.
24 Blessed above women shall Jael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 She put her hand to the tent-pin, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer. And with the hammer she smote Sisera; she struck through his head. Yea, 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.
28 Through the window she looked forth, and cried-the mother of Sisera through the lattice-Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots delay?
29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30 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?
31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah, but let those who love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
