Judges 5

Deborah’s song

1 At that time, Deborah and Barak, Abinoam's son, sang:

2 When hair is long in Israel, when people willingly offer themselves—bless the LORD!

3 Hear, kings! Listen, rulers! I, to the LORD, I will sing. I will make music to the LORD, Israel's God.

4 LORD, when you set out from Seir, when you marched out from Edom's fields, the land shook, the sky poured down, the clouds poured down water.

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

6 In the days of Shamgar, Anath's son, in the days of Jael, caravans ceased. Those traveling by road kept to the backroads.

7 Villagers disappeared; they disappeared in Israel, until you, Deborah, arose, until you arose as a mother in Israel.

8 When they chose new gods, then war came to the city gates. Yet there wasn't a shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel!

9 My heart is with Israel's commanders, who willingly offered themselves among the people—bless the LORD!

10 You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, who walk along the road: tell of it.

11 To the sound of instruments at the watering places, there they repeat the LORD's victories, his villagers' victories in Israel. Then the LORD's people marched down to the city gates.

12 "Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Arise, Barak! Capture your prisoners, Abinoam's son!"

13 Then those who remained marched down against royalty; the LORD's people marched down against warriors.

14 From Ephraim they set out into the valley, after you, Benjamin, with your people! From Machir commanders marched down, and from Zebulun those carrying the official's staff.

15 The leaders of Issachar came along with Deborah; Issachar was attached to Barak, and was sent into the valley behind him. Among the clans of Reuben there was deep soul-searching.

16 "Why did you stay back among the sheep pens, listening to the music for the flocks?" For the clans of Reuben there was deep soul-searching.

17 Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan, and Dan, why did he remain with the ships? Asher stayed by the seacoast, camping at his harbors.

18 Zebulun is a people that readily risked death; Naphtali too in the high countryside.

19 Kings came and made war; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by Megiddo's waters, but they captured no spoils of silver.

20 The stars fought from the sky; from their orbits they fought against Sisera.

21 The Kishon River swept them away; the advancing river, the Kishon River. March on, my life, with might!

22 Then the horses' hooves pounded with the galloping, galloping of their stallions.

23 "Curse Meroz," says the LORD's messenger, "curse its inhabitants bitterly, because they didn't come to the LORD's aid, to the LORD's aid against the warriors."

24 May Jael be blessed above all women; may the wife of Heber the Kenite be blessed above all tent-dwelling women.

25 He asked for water, and she provided milk; she presented him cream in a majestic bowl.

26 She reached out her hand for the stake, her strong hand for the worker's hammer. She struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his skull.

27 At her feet he sank, fell, and lay flat; at her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.

28 Through the window she watched, Sisera's mother looked longingly through the lattice. "Why is his chariot taking so long to come? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot horses delayed?"

29 Her wisest attendants answer; indeed, she replies to herself:

30 "Wouldn't they be finding and dividing the loot? A girl or two for each warrior; loot of colored cloths for Sisera; loot of colored, embroidered cloths; two colored, embroidered cloths as loot for every neck."

31 May all your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may your allies be like the sun, rising in its strength. And the land was peaceful for forty years.

Judges 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Praise and glory ascribed to God. (1-5) The distress and deliverance of Israel. (6-11) Some commended, others censured. (12-23) Sisera's mother disappointed. (24-31)

1-5. No time should be lost in returning thanks to the Lord for his mercies; for our praises are most acceptable, pleasant, and profitable, when they flow from a full heart. By this, love and gratitude would be more excited and more deeply fixed in the hearts of believers; the events would be more known and longer remembered. Whatever Deborah, Barak, or the army had done, the Lord must have all the praise. The will, the power, and the success were all from Him.

6-11. Deborah describes the distressed state of Israel under the tyranny of Jabin, that their salvation might appear more gracious. She shows what brought this misery upon them. It was their idolatry. They chose new gods, with new names. But under all these images, Satan was worshipped. Deborah was a mother to Israel, by diligently promoting the salvation of their souls. She calls on those who shared the advantages of this great salvation, to offer up thanks to God for it. Let such as are restored, not only to their liberty as other Israelites, but to their rank, speak God's praises. This is the Lord's doing. In these acts of his, justice was executed on his enemies. In times of persecution, God's ordinances, the walls of salvation, whence the waters of life are drawn, are resorted to at the hazard of the lives of those who attend them. At all times Satan will endeavour to hinder the believer from drawing near to the throne of grace. Notice God's kindness to his trembling people. It is the glory of God to protect those who are most exposed, and to help the weakest. Let us notice the benefit we have from the public peace, the inhabitants of villages especially, and give God the praise.

Verses 12-23 Deborah called on her own soul to be in earnest. He that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. Praising God is a work we should awake to, and awake ourselves unto. She notices who fought against Israel, who fought for them, and who kept away. Who fought against them. They were obstinate enemies to God's people, therefore the more dangerous. Who fought for them. The several tribes that helped are here spoken of with honour; for though God is above all to be glorified, those who are employed must have their due praise, to encourage others. But the whole creation is at war with those to whom God is an enemy. The river of Kishon fought against their enemies. At most times it was shallow, yet now, probably by the great rain that fell, it was so swelled, and the stream so deep and strong, that those who attempted to pass, were drowned. Deborah's own soul fought against them. When the soul is employed in holy exercises, and heart-work is made of them, through the grace of God, the strength of our spiritual enemies will be trodden down, and will fall before us. She observes who kept away, and did not side with Israel, as might have been expected. Thus many are kept from doing their duty by the fear of trouble, the love of ease, and undue affection to their worldly business and advantage. Narrow, selfish spirits care not what becomes of God's church, so that they can but get, keep, and save money. All seek their own, ( Philippians 2:21 ) . A little will serve those for a pretence to stay at home, who have no mind to engage in needful services, because there is difficulty and danger in them. But we cannot keep away from the contest between the Lord and his enemies; and if we do not actively endeavour to promote his cause in this wicked world, we shall fall under the curse against the workers of iniquity. Though He needs no human help, yet he is pleased to accept the services of those who improve their talents to advance his cause. He requires every man to do so.

Verses 24-31 Jael had a special blessing. Those whose lot is cast in the tent, in a low and narrow sphere, if they serve God according to the powers he has given them, shall not lose their reward. The mother of Sisera looked for his return, not in the least fearing his success. Let us take heed of indulging eager desires towards any temporal good, particularly toward that which cherishes vain-glory, for that was what she here doted on. What a picture does she present of an ungodly and sensual heart! How shameful and childish these wishes of an aged mother and her attendants for her son! And thus does God often bring ruin on his enemies when they are most puffed up. Deborah concludes with a prayer to God for the destruction of all his foes, and for the comfort of all his friends. Such shall be the honour, and joy of all who love God in sincerity, they shall shine for ever as the sun in the firmament.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or I
• [b]. Heb uncertain
• [c]. Heb uncertain
• [d]. Heb uncertain
• [e]. Heb adds for me.
• [f]. Or From Ephraim their root
• [g]. LXX; MT in Amalek
• [h]. LXX; MT cried

Chapter Summary

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.