Judges 5
1 And Debbora and Barac son of Abineem sang in that day, saying,
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 A revelation was made in Israel when the people were made willing: Praise ye the Lord.
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
3 Hear, ye kings, and hearken, rulers: I will sing, it is I [who will sing] to the Lord, it is I, I will sing a psalm to the Lord the god of Israel.
Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4 O Lord, in thy going forth on Seir, when thou wentest forth out of the land of Edom, the earth quaked and the heaven dropped dews, and the clouds dropped water.
O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water.
5 The mountains were shaken before the face of the Lord Eloi, this Sina before the face of the Lord God of Israel.
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 In the days of Samegar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, they deserted the ways, and went in by-ways; they went in crooked paths.
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.
7 The mighty men in Israel failed, they failed until Debbora arose, until she arose a mother in Israel.
Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods; then the cities of rulers fought; there was not a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel.
When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart [inclines] to the orders given in Israel; ye that are willing among the people, bless the Lord.
My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Ye that mount a she-ass at noon-day, ye that sit on the judgment-seat, and walk by the roads of them that sit in judgment by the way; declare
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11 [ye that are delivered] from the noise of disturbers among the drawers of water; there shall they relate righteous acts: O Lord, increase righteous acts in Israel: then the people of the Lord went down to the cities.
the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:
12 Awake, awake, Debbora; awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barac, and lead thy captivity captive, son of Abineem.
‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
13 Then went down the remnant to the strong, the people of the Lord went down for him among the mighty ones from me.
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
14 Ephraim rooted them out in Amalec, behind thee was Benjamin among thy people: the inhabitants of Machir came down with me searching out the enemy, and from Zabulon came they that draw with the scribe's pen of record.
Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
15 And princess in Issachar were with Debbora and Barac, thus she sent Barac on his feet in the valleys into the portions of Ruben; great [pangs] reached to the heart.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
16 Why did they sit between the sheep-folds to hear the bleating of flocks for the divisions of Ruben? [there were] great searchings of heart.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
17 Galaad [is] on the other side of Jordan where he pitched his tents; and why does Dan remain in ships? Aser sat down on the sea-coasts, and he will tabernacle at his ports.
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
18 The people Zabulon exposed their soul to death, and Nephthali came to the high places of their land.
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 Kings set themselves in array, then the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanaach at the water of Mageddo; they took no gift of money.
Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
20 The stars from heaven set themselves in array, they set themselves [to fight] with Sisara out of their paths.
From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The brook of Kison swept them away, the ancient brook, the brook Kison: my mighty soul will trample him down.
The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
22 When the hoofs of the horse were entangled, his mighty ones earnestly hasted
Then the hooves of horses thundered— the mad galloping of his stallions.
23 to curse Meroz: Curse ye [it], said the angel of the Lord; cursed [is] every one that dwells in it, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to his help among the mighty.
‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
24 Blessed among women be Jael wife of Chaber the Kenite; let her be blessed above women in tents.
Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk in a dish; she brought butter of princes.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 She stretched forth her left hand to the nail, and her right to the hand workman's hammer, and she smote Sisara with it, she nailed through his head and smote him; she nailed through his temples.
She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 He rolled down between her feet; he fell and lay between her feet; he bowed and fell: where he bowed, there he fell dead.
At her feet he collapsed, he fell, there he lay still; at her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell dead.
28 The mother of Sisara looked down through the window out of the loophole, [saying], Why was his chariot ashamed? why did the wheels of his chariots tarry?
Sisera’s mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice and lamented: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? What has delayed the clatter of his chariots?’
29 Her wise ladies answered her, and she returned answers to herself, [saying],
Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
30 Will they not find him dividing the spoil? he will surely be gracious to every man: [there are] spoils of dyed garments for Sisara, spoils of various dyed garments, dyed embroidered garments, they [are] the spoils for his neck.
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil— a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’
31 Thus let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: and they that love him shall be as the going forth of the sun in his strength. And the land had rest forty years.
So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.
