Judges 5:5

5 The mountains quaked before the Lord of Sinai, ¹ before the Lord, the God of Israel.

Judges 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:5

The mountains melted from before the Lord
The inhabitants of them, through fear, the Lord going before Israel in a pillar of cloud and fire, and delivering mighty kings and their kingdoms into their hand:

[even] that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel;
or, "as that Sinai", the note of similitude being wanting; and the sense is, the mountains melted, just as the famous mountain Sinai in a literal sense did, when it trembled and quaked at the presence of God on it; the tokens of it, the fire and smoke, thunders, lightnings, and tempests there seen and heard; and which being observed, would call to mind the benefit Israel then received, which required praise and thankfulness, as well as would serve to express the awe and reverence of God due unto him.

Judges 5:5 In-Context

3 Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you rulers! I will sing and play music to Israel's God, the Lord.

4 Lord, when you left the mountains of Seir, when you came out of the region of Edom, the earth shook, and rain fell from the sky. Yes, water poured down from the clouds.

5 The mountains quaked before the Lord of Sinai, before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, caravans no longer went through the land, and travelers used the back roads.

7 The towns of Israel stood abandoned, Deborah; they stood empty until you came, came like a mother for Israel.

Cross References

• 1. 5.5Exodus 19.18.