Judges 5

Judges 5

1Then 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 , 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 .

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 .

5The mountains quaked at the LORD ’s presence ,

even 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 Jael , the highways were unoccupied .

The travellers walked through byways .

7The rulers ceased in Israel .

They ceased until I , Deborah , arose ;

Until I arose a mother in Israel .

8They chose new gods.

Then war was in the gates .

Was there a shield or spear seen amongst forty thousand in Israel ?

9My heart is towards the governors of Israel ,

who offered themselves willingly amongst the people .

Bless the LORD !

10“Speak , you who ride on white donkeys,

you who sit on rich carpets ,

and you who walk by the way .

11Far 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 .

12‘Awake , awake , Deborah !

Awake , awake , utter a song !

Arise , Barak , and lead away your captives , you son of Abinoam.’

13“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down.

The LORD came down for me against the mighty .

14Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim,

after you , Benjamin , amongst your peoples .

Governors come down out of Machir .

Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun .

15The 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 .

16Why did you sit amongst the sheepfolds ?

To hear the whistling for the flocks ?

At the watercourses of Reuben ,

there were great searchings of heart .

17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan .

Why did Dan remain in ships?

Asher sat still at the haven of the sea ,

and lived by his creeks.

18Zebulun was a people that jeopardised their lives to the 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 .

20From the sky the stars fought .

From their courses , they fought against Sisera .

21The river Kishon swept them away ,

that ancient river , the river Kishon .

My soul , march on with strength .

22Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing,

the prancing of their strong ones.

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 .’

24“Jael shall be blessed above women,

the wife of Heber the Kenite ;

blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25He asked for water .

She gave him milk .

She brought him butter in a lordly dish .

26She 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 .

27At her feet he bowed , he fell , he lay .

At her feet he bowed , he fell .

Where he bowed , there he fell down dead .

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?’

29Her wise ladies answered her ,

Yes, she returned answer 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 ?’

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 .

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