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Judges 5:12-23

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12 1"Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, 2lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.
14 From 3Ephraim their root 4they marched down into the valley,[a] following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from 5Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's[b] staff;
15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to 6Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
16 Why did you sit still 7among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 8Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; 9and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? 10Asher sat still 11at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings.
18 12Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; 13Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
19 "The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at 14Taanach, by the waters of 15Megiddo; 16they got no spoils of silver.
20 17From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 18The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might!
22 "Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.
23 "Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, 19because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
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Judges 5:12-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 5

This chapter contains a song of praise on account of the victories obtained over Jabin, and his kingdom; after an exhortation to praise is given, and kings excited to attend to it, the majestic appearance of God at Seir, on Sinai, is observed, to raise in the mind a divine veneration of him, Jud 5:1-5; then the miserable state and condition Israel was in before these victories, and therefore had the more reason to be thankful, Jud 5:6-8; the governors, and judges, and the people that were delivered, together with Deborah and Barak, are stirred up to rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, and bless his name, Jud 5:9-13; and those who willingly engaged in the war are praised, and such who were negligent reproved, and some even cursed, Jud 5:14-23; but Jael, Heber's wife, is particularly commended for her exploit in slaying Sisera, Jud 5:24-27; and the mother of Sisera, and her ladies, are represented as wondering at his long delay, and as assured of his having got the victory, Jud 5:28-30; and the song is concluded with a prayer for the destruction, of the enemies of the Lord, and for the happiness and glory of them that love him, Jud 5:31.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 19

  • 1. Psalms 57:8
  • 2. Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:8
  • 3. Judges 3:27; Judges 12:15
  • 4. [Judges 12:15]
  • 5. Numbers 32:39, 40
  • 6. Judges 4:14
  • 7. Genesis 49:14; Psalms 68:13; [Numbers 32:1]
  • 8. See Joshua 13:24-28
  • 9. [Joshua 19:46]
  • 10. [Joshua 19:29, 31]
  • 11. Genesis 49:13
  • 12. Judges 4:10
  • 13. Judges 4:10
  • 14. Judges 1:27; Joshua 17:11; 1 Kings 4:12
  • 15. 2 Kings 9:27; 2 Kings 23:29, 30; 2 Chronicles 35:22
  • 16. [ver. 30]
  • 17. Joshua 10:11
  • 18. Judges 4:7
  • 19. [Judges 21:9, 10]

Footnotes 2

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.