Judges 5:20

20 From heaven was the fight; The stars from their courses fought with Sisera.

Judges 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:20

They fought from heaven
Either the angels of heaven, afterwards called stars; or the heavens, the elements, fought for Israel, and against Sisera; a violent storm of rain and hail falling at this time, which discomfited Sisera's army; (See Gill on Judges 4:15), or this victory was obtained in such a manner as plainly showed it was not of man, but of God from heaven; so the Targum,

``from heaven war was made with them;''

with the kings before mentioned; God fought against them, and no wonder they were conquered:

the stars in their courses fought against Sisera
it seems as if it was in the night that this battle was fought, at least that the pursuit lasted till night, when the stars by their brightness and clear shining favoured the Israelites, and were greatly to the disadvantage of the Canaanites; unless it can be thought, as is by some, that the stars had an influence to cause a tempest of rain, hail, thunder, and lightnings, by which the army of Sisera was discomfited in the daytime, as before observed.

Judges 5:20 In-Context

18 Zebulun is a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto death, Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

19 Kings came, -- they fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan; At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoil of silver.

20 From heaven was the fight; The stars from their courses fought with Sisera.

21 The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. My soul, thou hast trodden down strength!

22 Then did the horse-hoofs clatter with the coursings, The coursings of their steeds.