Judges 5
1 In that day Debbora and Barac son of Abinoem sung, and said:
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying:
2 O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord.
When men let grow their hair in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless ye 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.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, unto the LORD will I sing; 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.
LORD, when Thou didst go forth out of Seir, when Thou didst march out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, yea, the clouds dropped 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 at the presence of the LORD, even yon Sinai at the presence of 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 the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel.
The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until that thou didst arise, Deborah, that thou didst arise 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.
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates; was there a shield or spear seen 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 toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10 Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in judgment, and walk in the way.
Ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit on rich cloths, and ye that walk by the way, tell of it;
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.
Louder than the voice of archers, by the watering-troughs! there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts of His rulers 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, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a song; arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13 The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among the valiant ones.
Then made He a remnant to have dominion over the nobles and the people; the LORD made me have dominion over 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.
Out of Ephraim came they whose root is in Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff.
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.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; as was Issachar, so was Barak; into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. Among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.
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 sattest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships: Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why doth he sojourn by the ships? Asher dwelt at the shore of the sea, and abideth by its bays.
18 But Zabulon and Nephtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merome.
Zebulun is a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, and Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanach by the waters of Mageddo, and yet they took no spoils.
The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20 War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses 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 brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook, the brook Kishon. O my soul, tread them down with strength.
22 The hoofs of the horses were broken whilst the stoutest of the enemies fled amain, and fell headlong down.
Then did the horsehoofs stamp by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.
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 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.'
24 Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
Blessed above women shall Jael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite, above women in the tent shall she be blessed.
25 He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
Water he asked, milk she gave him; in a lordly bowl she brought him curd.
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.
Her hand she put to the tent-pin, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head, yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.
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 sunk, he fell, he lay; at her feet he sunk, he fell; where he sunk, there he fell down 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?
Through the window she looked forth, and peered, the mother of Sisera, through the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29 One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
The wisest of her princesses answer her, yea, she returneth answer to 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, are they not dividing the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments of embroidery, two dyed garments of broidery for the neck of every spoiler?'
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 perish all Thine enemies, O LORD; but they that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
