Judges 5:5-15

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

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths.

7 Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.

8 God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the LORD!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider

11 the voice of the singers^[a] at the watering places. They recite the victories of the LORD, the victories of his villagers in Israel. “Then the people of the LORD went down to the city gates.

12 ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’

13 “The remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.

14 Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s^[b] staff.

15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, sent under his command into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.

Judges 5:5-15 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

• 1. S Exodus 19:18; Psalms 29:6; Psalms 46:3; Psalms 77:18; Psalms 114:4; Psalms 68:8; Psalms 97:5; Isaiah 64:3
• 2. Judges 3:31
• 3. S Judges 4:17
• 4. Leviticus 26:22; Isaiah 33:8
• 5. Psalms 125:5; Isaiah 59:8
• 6. S Judges 4:4
• 7. Deuteronomy 32:17; S Judges 2:13
• 8. ver 11; S Joshua 2:5
• 9. S Numbers 25:7
• 10. S ver 2
• 11. S Genesis 49:11; Judges 10:4; Judges 12:14
• 12. 1 Samuel 12:7; Daniel 9:16; Micah 6:5
• 13. S ver 8
• 14. Psalms 44:23; Psalms 57:8; Isaiah 51:9,17
• 15. S Judges 4:4
• 16. S Judges 4:6
• 17. Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:8
• 18. S Genesis 41:52; S Judges 1:29
• 19. Judges 3:13
• 20. S Numbers 34:21
• 21. S Genesis 50:23
• 22. S Genesis 30:18
• 23. S Judges 4:4; Judges 4:10
• 24. S Judges 4:6

Footnotes

• [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
• [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.