Judges 5:1-7

The Song of Deborah and Barak

1 ¹Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that ²the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

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, ³when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, ⁴the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.

5 The mountains ⁵quaked before the Lord, ⁶even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 “In the days of ⁷Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of ⁸Jael, ⁹the 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.

Judges 5:1-7 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. 5:1 [Ex. 15:1]
• 2. 5:2 ver. 9; [2 Chr. 17:16]
• 3. 5:4 Deut. 33:2; [Ps. 68:7]
• 4. 5:4 2 Sam. 22:8; Ps. 18:7; 68:8; 77:18; Nah. 1:5; Hab. 3:10
• 5. 5:5 Isa. 64:1, 3
• 6. 5:5 [Ex. 19:18; Deut. 4:11]
• 7. 5:6 ch. 3:31
• 8. 5:6 ch. 4:17
• 9. 5:6 Lev. 26:22; Isa. 33:8; Lam. 1:4