Judges 5
1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 “When the leaders take the lead in Israel, when the people gladly volunteer for war— we praise Yahweh!
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
3 Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders! I, I will sing to Yahweh; I will sing praises to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
4 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.
“Yahweh, when you went 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 before the face of Yahweh; even Mount Sinai quaked before the face of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
The mountains quaked at Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
6 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.
“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7 There were few rural people in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose—arose as a mother in Israel!
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8 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.
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 goes out to the commanders of Israel, along with the people who gladly volunteered— we bless Yahweh for them!
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
10 Think about this—you who ride on white donkeys sitting on rugs for saddles, and you who walk along the road.
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11 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.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Get up, Barak, and capture your prisoners, you son of Abinoam.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13 Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of Yahweh came down to me with the warriors.
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
14 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.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
15 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.
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 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.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17 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.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18 Zebulun was a tribe who would risk their lives to the point of death, and Naphtali, also, on the field of battle.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 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.
“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 heaven the stars fought, from their paths across the heavens they fought against Sisera.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept them away, that old river, the Kishon River. March on my soul, be strong!
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22 Then came the sound of horses' hooves— galloping, the galloping of his mighty ones.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23 '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.'
‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24 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.
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 The man asked for water, and she gave him milk; she brought him butter in a dish fit for princes.
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26 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.
She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27 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.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 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?'
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29 Her wisest princesses replied, and she gave herself the same answer:
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30 '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?'
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
31 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.
“So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
