< Judges 5 >
1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 "Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Jehovah.
3 "Hear, you kings. Give ear, you princes. I, even I, will sing to Jehovah. I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.
4 "Jehovah, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, even Sinai, at the presence of Jehovah, the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart is toward the leaders of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah.
10 "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on saddle blankets, and you who walk by the way.
11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. "Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.
12 'Awake, awake, Deborah. Awaken the multitudes of a nation. Awake, awake, sing a song. Be strong. Arise, Barak. And Deborah, strengthen Barak. And lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.'
13 "Then a remnant of the nobles came down. The people of Jehovah marched down to me against the mighty.
14 From Ephraim those who uprooted Amalek came out, following you, Benjamin, among your peoples; out of Makir leaders came down, and out of Zebulun those that handle the staff of office.
15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the piping for the flocks? At the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his harbors.
18 Zebulun was a people that risked their lives even to death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 Then the horse hoofs pounded because of the galloping, the galloping of their steeds.
23 Curse Meroz, said the angel of Jehovah. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they did not come to help Jehovah, to help Jehovah against the mighty.
24 Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him curds in a princely bowl.
26 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer. She struck Sisera, she pierced his head; she shattered and struck through his temple.
27 At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he collapsed, he fell. Where he collapsed, there he fell down, destroyed.
28 Through the window she looked out. Sisera's mother cried out through the lattice, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariots delayed?'
29 Her wise princesses answered her; indeed, she answers herself,
30 'Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A womb or two for every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, for the neck of the plunderer?'
31 So let all your enemies perish, Jehovah, but let those who love you be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength." And the land had rest forty years.
