Judges 5:5

5 The mountains 1quaked before the LORD, 2even Sinai 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 "Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4 "LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, even 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, and travelers kept to the byways.
7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Isaiah 64:1, 3
  • 2. [Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:11]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.