Judges 5:20

20 The stars in the sky joined the fight, from their courses they fought against 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 But Zebulun risked life and limb, defied death, as did Naphtali on the battle heights.
19 The kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach they fought, at Megiddo's brook, but they took no silver, no plunder.
20 The stars in the sky joined the fight, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The torrent Kishon swept them away, the torrent attacked them, the torrent Kishon. Oh, you'll stomp on the necks of the strong!
22 Then the hoofs of the horses pounded, charging, stampeding stallions.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.