Judges 5:18-28

18 Zebulun was a people risking their lives, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no spoil of silver.
20 The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their courses.
21 The river Kishon swept them away,[a] the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength!
22 The horses' hooves then hammered- the galloping, galloping of his[b] stallions.
23 "Curse Meroz," says the Angel of the Lord, "Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty warriors."
24 Jael is most blessed of women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him curdled milk in a majestic bowl.
26 She reached for a tent peg, her right hand, for a workman's mallet. Then she hammered Sisera- she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 He collapsed, he fell, he lay down at[c] her feet; he collapsed, he fell at her feet; where he collapsed, there he fell-dead.
28 Sisera's mother looked through the window; she [peered] through the lattice, crying out: "Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't I hear the hoofbeats of his horses?"[d]

Judges 5:18-28 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.

Footnotes 4

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