Judges 5
1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 "Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, YHWH.
“When the leaders take the lead in Israel, when the people gladly volunteer for war— we praise Yahweh!
3 "Hear, you kings. Give ear, you princes. I, even I, will sing to YHWH. I will sing praise to YHWH, the God of Israel.
Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders! I, I will sing to Yahweh; I will sing praises to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
4 "YHWH, 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.
Yahweh, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from Edom, the earth shook, and the skies also trembled; also the clouds poured down water.
5 The mountains quaked at the presence of YHWH, even Sinai, at the presence of YHWH, the God of Israel.
The mountains quaked before the face of Yahweh; even Mount Sinai quaked before the face of Yahweh, 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.
In the days of Shamgar (son of Anath), in the days of Jael, the main roads were abandoned, and those who walked only used the winding paths.
7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
There were few rural people in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose—arose as 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?
When they chose new gods, there was fighting at the city gates and yet there were no shields or spears seen among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart is toward the leaders of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless YHWH.
My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, along with the people who gladly volunteered— we bless Yahweh for them!
10 "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on saddle blankets, and you who walk by the way.
Think about this—you who ride on white donkeys sitting on rugs for saddles, and you who walk along the road.
11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of YHWH, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. "Then the people of YHWH went down to the gates.
Hear the voices of those who sing at the watering places. There they tell again of Yahweh's righteous deeds, and the righteous actions of his warriors in Israel. Then the people of Yahweh went down to the city 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.'
Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Get up, Barak, and capture your prisoners, you son of Abinoam.
13 "Then a remnant of the nobles came down. The people of YHWH marched down to me against the mighty.
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of Yahweh came down to me with the warriors.
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.
They came from Ephraim, whose root is in Amalek; the people of Benjamin followed you. From Machir commanders came down, and from Zebulun those who carry an officer's staff.
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.
My princes in Issachar were with Deborah; and Issachar was with Barak rushing after him into the valley under his command. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings 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.
Why did you sit between the fireplaces, listening to the shepherds playing their pipes for their flocks? As for the clans 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.
Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan; and Dan, why did he wander about on ships? Asher remained on the coast and lived close to his harbors.
18 Zebulun was a people that risked their lives even to death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
Zebulun was a tribe who would risk their lives to the point of death, and Naphtali, also, on the field of battle.
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.
The kings came, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. But they took away no silver as plunder.
20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
From heaven the stars fought, from their paths across the heavens they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
The Kishon River swept them away, that old river, the Kishon River. March on my soul, be strong!
22 Then the horse hoofs pounded because of the galloping, the galloping of their steeds.
Then came the sound of horses' hooves— galloping, the galloping of his mighty ones.
23 Curse Meroz, said the angel of YHWH. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they did not come to help YHWH, to help YHWH against the mighty.
'Curse Meroz!' says the angel of Yahweh. 'Surely curse its inhabitants!— because they did not come to help Yahweh— to help Yahweh in the battle against the mighty warriors.'
24 Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Jael is blessed more than all other women, Jael (the wife of Heber the Kenite), she is more blessed than all the women who live in tents.
25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him curds in a princely bowl.
The man asked for water, and she gave him milk; she brought him butter in a dish fit for princes.
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.
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workman's hammer; with the hammer she struck Sisera, she crushed his head. She smashed his skull into pieces when she pierced him through the side of his head.
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.
He collapsed between her feet, he fell and he lay there. Between her feet he fell limp. The place he collapsed is where he was violently killed.
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?'
Out of a window she looked— the mother of Sisera looked through the lattice and she called out in sadness, 'Why has it taken his chariot so long to come? Why have the hoofbeats of the horses that pull his chariots been delayed?'
29 Her wise princesses answered her; indeed, she answers herself,
Her wisest princesses replied, and she gave herself the same answer:
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?'
'Have they not found and divided up the plunder? —A womb, two wombs for every man; the plunder of dyed fabric for Sisera, the plunder of dyed fabric embroidered, two pieces of dyed fabric embroidered for the necks of those who plunder?'
31 So let all your enemies perish, YHWH, but let those who love you be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength." And the land had rest forty years.
So may all your enemies perish, Yahweh! But your friends be like the sun when it rises in its might.” Then the land had peace for forty years.
