Judges 5:19

19 "Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo. But they didn't carry any silver away. They didn't take anything at all.

Judges 5:19 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:19

The kings came
Who were with Sisera, as the Targum adds; unless Deborah can be thought to refer to the battle, supposed to be fought about the same place, between Joshua and the kings in confederacy with Jabin, ( Joshua 10:1 Joshua 10:7 )

then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo;
the other kings of Canaan, which came into the assistance of Jabin, either in the times of Joshua; or rather which now joined Sisera's army, in those places, which both belonged to Manasseh, but were in the tribe of Issachar, of which (See Gill on Joshua 17:11) and were at some distance from each other, as appears by the villages and country around, and belonging to each; and such was the largeness of Sisera's army, reinforced by those kings, that according to the Targum it reached from Taanach to Megiddo; the same is observed by the Jewish commentators; the waters of Megiddo are the same with the river Kishon, which ran near the city:

they took no gain of money;
that is, either of Jabin king of Canaan, whom they came to serve; but freely engaged with him, and maintained their own troops, which they brought into the field, and had raised at their own expense; but according to Kimchi the sense is, they took no money of the Israelites that fell into their hands, but slew them, would not save their lives, though they offered them money, being like the merciless Medes, ( Isaiah 13:17 Isaiah 13:18 ) but rather the meaning is, that whereas they came big with expectation of a large booty among the Israelites, they were disappointed, and obliged to flee without any.

Judges 5:19 In-Context

17 Gilead stayed east of the Jordan River. Why did Dan stay near the ships? The men of Asher remained on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. They stayed in their safe harbors.
18 The people of Zebulun put their very lives in danger. So did Naphtali on the hills in the open country.
19 "Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo. But they didn't carry any silver away. They didn't take anything at all.
20 From the heavens the stars fought. From the sky they fought against Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept them away. The Kishon is a very old river. My spirit, march on! Be strong!
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