Judges 5:19-29

19 Kings came, and fought; kings of Canaan fought in Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo; and nevertheless they took nothing by prey (but they took nothing of prey).

20 From heaven, it was fought against them (They fought against them from the heavens); (the) stars dwelled in their order, and in their course, and they fought against Sisera.

21 The strand of Kishon drew (away) their dead bodies, the strand of Kedumim, the strand of Kishon. My soul, tread thou (down the) strong men. (The Kishon River drew away their dead bodies, yea, the ancient river, the Kishon River. My soul, tread thou forth with strength.)

22 The horsehoofs fell away, while the strongest of enemies fled with rush (while the strongest of the enemies fled away with haste), and (then) felled headlong.

23 Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye the dwellers of him, for they came not to the help of the Lord, into the help of the strongest of him. (Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye its inhabitants, for they came not to the Lord's help, nor to the help of his strongest men.)

24 Blessed among women be Jael, the wife of Heber (the) Kenite; blessed be she in her tabernacle (blessed be she in her tent).

25 To Sisera asking (for) water she gave milk, and in a basin of princes she gave him butter.

26 She put the left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the smith's hammer; and she smote Sisera, and sought in his head a place of wound, and she pierced strongly his temple. (Then she put a tent peg in her left hand, and the smith's hammer in her right hand; and she sought a place on his head for the wound, and then she struck down Sisera, when she strongly pierced his temple.)

27 He felled betwixt her feet, (and) he failed, and died; he was weltered before her feet, and he lay without life, and wretchedful.

28 His mother beheld by a window, and yelled (out); and she spake from the solar, Why tarrieth his chariot to come again? Why tarry the feet of his four-horsed carts?

29 One wiser than [the] other wives of him answered these words to the mother of her husband,

Judges 5:19-29 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.