Judges 5
1 Then sang Deborah with Barak the son of Abino'am on that day, saying,
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying:
2 When depravity had broken out in Israel, then did the people offer themselves willingly; [therefore] praise ye the Lord.
When men let grow their hair in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless ye the LORD.
3 Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; I—unto the Lord will I sing; I will sing praise 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 Lord, at thy going forth out of Seir, at thy marching along out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, also the heavens dropped, also the clouds 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 away because of the presence of the Lord, yonder Sinai, because of the presence 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 Shamgar the son of 'Anath, in the days of Ja'el, the highways were unoccupied, and those who travelled on roads walked through crooked by-paths.
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 Desolate were the open towns in Israel, they were desolate, until that I arose, Deborah, that I arose a mother in Israel.
The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until that thou didst arise, Deborah, that thou didst arise a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods, then was there war in the gates: was there a shield seen or a spear among forty thousand in 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 [belongeth] to the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people: praise ye the Lord.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10 Ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and ye who walk on the way, utter praise!
Ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit on rich cloths, and ye that walk by the way, tell of it;
11 [Urged on] by the voice of those who divide [the flocks] between the watering wells, there shall they rehearse the benefits of the Lord, the benefits toward his open towns in Israel; [for] now go down [again] to the gates the people of the Lord.
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 Awake, awake, Deborah! awake, awake, utter a song! up, Barak, and lead away thy captives, son of Abino'am.
Awake, awake, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a song; arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13 Then obtained dominion a few that had escaped for the nobles among the people—the Lord gave me dominion over the mighty.
Then made He a remnant to have dominion over the nobles and the people; the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14 They whose root is out of Ephraim were against 'Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, with thy armies; out of Machir came down lawgivers, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
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 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yea Issachar, the support of Barak; into the valley he hastened down in his train; [but] at the streams of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
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 didst thou sit among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flocks? At the streams of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
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 Gil'ad abode beyond the Jordan; and Dan—why would he tarry in ships? Asher remained on the seashore, and abode near his bays.
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 Zebulun is a people that jeoparded its life unto death, and Naphtali—on the high places of the [battle] field.
Zebulun is a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death, and Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
19 There came kings, [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan, in Ta'anach by the waters of Megiddo: gain of money they took not away.
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 From heaven they fought—the stars in their courses fought against Sissera.
They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21 The stream of Kishon swept them away, that ancient stream, the stream of Kishon: step along, O my soul, in victorious strength.
The brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook, the brook Kishon. O my soul, tread them down with strength.
22 Then were crushed the hoofs of the horses, through the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.
Then did the horsehoofs stamp by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.
23 Curse ye Meroz, saith the messenger of the Lord, yea, curse ye bitterly its inhabitants; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord among the mighty.
'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 above [other] women shall be Ja'el the wife of Cheber the Kenite, above [other] women [dwelling] in the tent may she be blessed.
Blessed above women shall Jael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite, above women in the tent shall she be blessed.
25 Water he asked, milk she gave [him]: in a lordly dish she brought him cream.
Water he asked, milk she gave him; in a lordly bowl she brought him curd.
26 Her hand she put forth to the nail, and her right hand to the laborious workmen's hammer; and she hammered Sissera, she struck his head, and crushed and smote through his temple.
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 Between her feet he bent, he fell, he lay; between her feet he bent, he fell: where he had bent, there he fell down, bereft of life.
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 Out of the window looked and moaned the mother of Sissera, through the lattice, Why tarrieth his chariot so long in coming? why lag the wheels of his chariot?
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 The wise among her ladies answered her, she also returned a reply to herself.
The wisest of her princesses answer her, yea, she returneth answer to herself:
30 Will they not find, —divide booty? one maiden, two maidens for every man, a booty of colored garments for Sissera, a booty of colored embroidered garments, colored, double-worked garments round the necks of the captives!
'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 Thus may perish all thy enemies, O Lord; but may those that love him be as the rising of the sun in his might. And the land had rest 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.
