Judges 5
1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying:
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 When men let grow their hair in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless ye the LORD.
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
3 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.
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 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.
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 quaked at the presence of the LORD, even yon Sinai at the presence 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 Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased, and the travellers walked through byways.
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 rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until that thou didst arise, Deborah, that thou didst arise 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 was war in the gates; was there 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 is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10 Ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit on rich cloths, and ye that walk by the way, tell of it;
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11 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.
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, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a song; arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
13 Then made He a remnant to have dominion over the nobles and the people; the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
14 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.
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 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.
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 sattest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the divisions of Reuben 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 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.
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
18 Zebulun is a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, and Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain 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 They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook, the brook Kishon. O my soul, tread them down with strength.
The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
22 Then did the horsehoofs stamp by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.
Then the hooves of horses thundered— the mad galloping of his stallions.
23 '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.'
‘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 above women shall Jael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite, above women in the tent shall she be blessed.
Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 Water he asked, milk she gave him; in a lordly bowl she brought him curd.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 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.
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 sunk, he fell, he lay; at her feet he sunk, he fell; where he sunk, there he fell down 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 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?
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 The wisest of her princesses answer her, yea, she returneth answer to herself:
Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
30 '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?'
‘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 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.
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.
