Judges 5
1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
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, LORD!
“Israel's leaders took charge, and the people were totally committed. Praise the Lord!
3 “Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
Listen, kings! Pay attention, rulers! I, yes I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.
4 “LORD, 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.
Lord, when you set off from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, rain fell from the skies, the clouds poured down water.
5 The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
The mountains melted in the presence of the Lord, the God of Sinai, in the presence of the Lord, 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, people didn't use the main highways and stayed on winding paths.
7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
Village life in Israel was abandoned until I, Deborah, came on the scene 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 the people chose new gods, then war arrived at their gates. Not even a shield or spear could be found among forty thousand warriors in Israel.
9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!
My thoughts are with the Israelite commanders and those people who volunteered. Praise the Lord!
10 “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
You people riding white donkeys, sitting on comfortable blankets, traveling down the road, notice
11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.
what people are talking about as they gather at the watering holes. They describe the Lord's just acts and those of his warriors in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went to the town gates.
12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
‘Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners, son of Abinoam.’
13 “Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
The survivors went to attack the nobles, the people of the Lord went to attack the powerful.
14 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.
Some came from Ephraim, a land that used to belong to the Amalekites; the tribe of Benjamin followed you with its men. Commanders came Makir; from Zebulun came those who carry a military officer's staff.
15 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.
The leaders of Issachar supported Deborah and Barak; they raced into the valley following Barak. But the tribe of Reuben was very undecided.
16 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.
Why did you stay at home in the sheepfolds, listening to shepherds whistling for their flocks? The tribe of Reuben really couldn't decide what to do.
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 creeks.
Gilead remained on the other side of Jordan. Dan stayed with his ships. Asher sat still on the seacoast, not moving from his ports.
18 Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
The people of Zebulun risked their lives; as did Naphtali on the high battlefields.
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.
Kings came and fought, the Canaanite kings fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo, but they didn't get any silver plunder.
20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their courses 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—the old river turned into a raging torrent! I bravely march on!
22 Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
Then the horses' hooves flailed loudly, his stallions stampeded.
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the Lord. ‘Totally curse those who live there, for they refused to come help the Lord, to help the Lord against the powerful enemies.’
24 “Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite is to be praised the most among women. She deserves praise above all other women who live in tents.
25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
26 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.
With one hand she picked up the tent peg, and with her right hand she held a workman's hammer. She hit Sisera and smashed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay motionless. At her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell, his life plundered from him.
28 “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?’
Sisera's mother looked out from the window. Through the latticed window she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot taking so long to come? Why is the sound of his chariot arriving so delayed?’
29 Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
The wisest of her ladies tells her, and she repeats the same words to herself,
30 ‘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?’
‘They're busy dividing up the plunder and assigning a girl or two for each man. There'll be colorful clothes for Sisera as plunder; beautifully embroidered colorful clothes as plunder; double-embroidered clothing reaching to the neck as plunder.’
31 “So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
May all your enemies die like this, Lord, but may those who love you shine like the sun in all its brilliance!” The land was at peace for forty years.
