< Judges 5 >

1 And Debbora and Barac son of Abineem sang in that day, saying,
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2 A revelation was made in Israel when the people were made willing: Praise you the Lord.
Praise ye YHWH for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
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.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto YHWH; I will sing praise to YHWH Elohim 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.
YHWH, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped 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 melted from before YHWH, even that Sinai from before YHWH Elohim 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 highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 The mighty men in Israel failed, they failed until Debbora arose, until she arose a mother in Israel.
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I 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.
They chose new elohim; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart [inclines] to the orders given in Israel; you that are willing among the people, bless the Lord.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye YHWH.
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
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
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.
They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of YHWH, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of YHWH go down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Debbora; awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barac, and lead your captivity captive, son of Abineem.
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou 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 he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: YHWH made me have dominion over the mighty.
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 was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
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.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
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 abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
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 abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18 The people Zabulon exposed their soul to death, and Nephthali came to the high places of their land.
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
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, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20 The stars from heaven set themselves in array, they set themselves [to fight] with Sisara out of their paths.
They fought from heaven; the stars in their 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 river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22 When the hoofs of the horse were entangled, his mighty ones earnestly hasted
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
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.
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of YHWH, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of YHWH, to the help of YHWH against the mighty.
24 Blessed among women be Jael wife of Chaber the Kenite; let her be blessed above women in tents.
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk in a dish; she brought butter of princes.
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a noble dish.
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 hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through 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.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down 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 wait?
The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29 Her wise ladies answered her, and she returned answers to herself, [saying],
Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to 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.
Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
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.
So let all thine enemies perish, O YHWH: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

< Judges 5 >