Judges 5
1 In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord.
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
3 Hear, O ye kings, give ear, ye princes: It is I, it is I, that will sing to the Lord, I will sing 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, when thou wentest out of Seir, and passedst by the regions of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens 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 melted before the face of the Lord, and Sinai before the face of the Lord the 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 Samgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jahel the paths rested: and they that went by them, walked through by-ways.
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 valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel.
Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
8 The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overthrew the gates of the enemies: a shield and spear was not seen among forty thousand of 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 loveth the princes of Israel: O you that of your own good will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.
My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in judgment, and walk in the way.
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11 Where the chariots were dashed together, and the army of the enemies was choked, there let the justices of the Lord be rehearsed, and his clemency towards the brave men of Israel: then the people of the Lord went down to the gates, and obtained the sovereignty.
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 Arise, arise, O Debbora, arise, arise, and utter a canticle. Arise, Barac, and take hold of thy captives, O son of Abinoem.
‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
13 The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among the valiant ones.
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
14 Out of Ephraim he destroyed them into Amalec, and after him out of Benjamin into thy people, O Amalec: Out of Machir there came down princes, and out of Zabulon they that led the army to fight.
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 The captains of Issachar were with Debbora, and followed the steps of Barac, who exposed himself to danger, as one going headlong, and into a pit. Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
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 dwellest thou between two borders, that thou mayest hear the bleatings of the flocks? Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of courageous men.
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 rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships: Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
18 But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merome.
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanach by the waters of Mageddo, and yet they took no spoils.
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 War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The torrent of Cison dragged their carcasses, the torrent of Cadumim, the torrent of Cisoii: tread thou, my soul, upon the strong ones.
The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
22 The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
Then the hooves of horses thundered— the mad galloping of his stallions.
23 Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord: curse the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to help his most valiant men.
‘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 Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman’s hammer, and she struck Sisara, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing 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 At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
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 His mother looked out at a window, and howled: and she spoke from the dining room: Why is his chariot so long in coming back? Why are the feet of his horses so slow?
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 One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
30 Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the fairest of the women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped together to adorn the necks.
‘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 So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love thee shine, as the sun shineth in his rising. And the land rested for 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.
