Judges 5:1-8

1 That day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

2 When they let down their hair in Israel, they let it blow wild in the wind. The people volunteered with abandon, bless God!

3 Hear O kings! Listen O princes! To God, yes to God, I'll sing, Make music to God, to the God of Israel.

4 God, when you left Seir, marched across the fields of Edom, Earth quaked, yes, the skies poured rain, oh, the clouds made rivers.

5 Mountains leapt before God, the Sinai God, before God, the God of Israel.

6 In the time of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the time of Jael, Public roads were abandoned, travelers went by backroads.

7 Warriors became fat and sloppy, no fight left in them. Then you, Deborah, rose up; you got up, a mother in Israel.

8 God chose new leaders, who then fought at the gates. And not a shield or spear to be seen among the forty companies of Israel.

Judges 5:1-8 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.