Judges 5:4-14

4 "1LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, 2The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped, Even the clouds dripped water.
5 "3The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, 4This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of 5Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of 6Jael, the highways were deserted, And travelers went by roundabout ways.
7 "The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Until I arose, a mother in Israel.
8 "7New gods were chosen; Then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen Among forty thousand in Israel.
9 "My heart goes out to 8the commanders of Israel, The volunteers among the people; Bless the LORD!
10 "9You who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who travel on the road -sing!
11 "At the sound of those who divide flocks among 10the watering places, There they shall recount 11the righteous deeds of the LORD, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down 12to the gates.
12 "13Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and 14take away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
13 "Then survivors came down to the nobles; The people of the LORD came down to me as warriors.
14 "From Ephraim those whose root is 15in Amalek came down, Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples; From Machir commanders came down, And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of office.

Judges 5:4-14 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.

Cross References 15

Footnotes 9

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