Judges 5
1 And Debbora and Barac son of Abineem sang in that day, saying,
In that day, Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang out, saying:
2 A revelation was made in Israel when the people were made willing: Praise you the Lord.
“All you of Israel who have willingly offered your lives to danger, bless the Lord!
3 Hear, you kings, and listen, 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! Pay attention, O princes! It is I, it is I, who will sing to the Lord. I will sing a psalm to the Lord, the God of Israel!
4 O Lord, in your going forth on Seir, when you went forth out of the land of Edom, the earth quaked and the heaven dropped dews, and the clouds dropped water.
O Lord, when you departed from Seir, and you crossed through the regions of Edom, the earth and the heavens were moved, and the clouds rained 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 flowed away before the face of the Lord, and Sinai, before the face of the Lord 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, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the paths were quiet. And whoever entered by them, walked along rough byways.
7 The mighty men in Israel failed, they failed until Debbora arose, until she arose a mother in Israel.
The strong men ceased, and they rested in Israel, until Deborah rose up, until a mother rose up 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.
The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overturned the gates of the enemies. A shield with a spear was not seen among the forty thousand of Israel.
9 My heart [inclines] to the orders given in Israel; you that are willing among the people, bless the Lord.
My heart loves the leaders of Israel. All you who, of your own free will, offered yourselves during a crisis, bless the Lord.
10 You that mount a she-ass at noon-day, you that sit on the judgment-seat, and walk by the roads of them that sit in judgment by the way; declare
You who ride upon donkeys laboring, and you who sit in judgment, and you who walk along the way, speak out.
11 [you 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.
Where the chariots were struck together, and the army of the enemies was choked, in that place, let the justices of the Lord be described, and let his clemency be for the brave of Israel. Then did the people of the Lord descend to the gates, and obtain leadership.
12 Awake, awake, Debbora; awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barac, and lead your captivity captive, son of Abineem.
Rise up, rise up, O Deborah! Rise up, rise up, and speak a canticle! Rise up, Barak, and seize 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.
The remnants of the people were saved. The Lord contended with the strong.
14 Ephraim rooted them out in Amalec, behind you was Benjamin among your 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.
Out of Ephraim, he destroyed those with Amalek, and after him, out of Benjamin, those of your people, O Amalek. From Machir, there descended leaders, and from Zebulun, those who led the army to war.
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 commanders of Issachar were with Deborah, and they followed the steps of Barak, who endangered himself, like one rushing headlong into a chasm. Reuben was divided against himself. Contention was found among great souls.
16 Why did they sit between the sheepfolds to hear the bleating of flocks for the divisions of Ruben? [there were] great searchings of heart.
Why do you live between two borders, so that you hear the bleating of the flocks? Reuben was divided against himself. Contention was found among great souls.
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 rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan was occupied with ships. Asher was living on the shore of the sea, and dwelling in the ports.
18 The people Zabulon exposed their soul to death, and Nephthali came to the high places of their land.
Yet truly, Zebulun and Naphtali offered their lives to death in the region of Merom.
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.
The kings came and fought; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo. And yet they took no spoils.
20 The stars from heaven set themselves in array, they set themselves [to fight] with Sisara out of their paths.
The conflict against them was from heaven. The stars, remaining in their order and courses, 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 torrent of Kishon dragged away their carcasses, the onrushing torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, tread upon the stalwart!
22 When the hoofs of the horse were entangled, his mighty ones earnestly hasted
The hoofs of the horses were broken, while the strongest of the enemies fled away with fury, and rushed on to ruin.
23 to curse Meroz: Curse you [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.
‘Cursed be the land of Meroz!’ said the Angel of the Lord. ‘Cursed be its inhabitants! For they did not come to the aid of the Lord, to the assistance of his most valiant men.’
24 Blessed among women be Jael wife of Chaber the Kenite; let her be blessed above women in tents.
Blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. And blessed is she in her tabernacle.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk in a dish; she brought butter of princes.
He begged her for water, and she gave him milk, and she offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
26 She stretched forth her left hand to the nail, and her right to the hand workman's hammer, and she struck Sisara with it, she nailed through his head and struck him; she nailed through his temples.
She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman’s mallet. And she struck Sisera, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing his temples.
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.
Between her feet, he was ruined. He fainted away and passed on. He curled up before her feet, and he lay there lifeless and miserable.
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 wait?
His mother gazed through a window and wailed. And she spoke from an upper room: ‘Why does his chariot delay in returning? Why are the feet of his team of horses so slow?’
29 Her wise ladies answered her, and she returned answers to herself, [saying],
One who was wiser than the rest of his wives responded to her mother-in-law with this:
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.
‘Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the most beautiful among the women is being selected for him. Garments of diverse colors are being delivered to Sisera as spoils, and various goods are being collected for the adornment of necks.’
31 Thus let all your 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.
O Lord, so may all your enemies perish! But may those who love you shine with splendor, as the sun shines at its rising.” And the land rested for forty years.
