Jueces 5:16

16 ¿Por qué se quedaron sentados en su casa entre los rediles,
para oír a los pastores silbar a sus rebaños?
Así es, en la tribu de Rubén
hubo gran indecisión.

Jueces 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:16

Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings
of the flocks?
&c.] This tribe abounded with flocks and herds, and therefore chose the country on the other side Jordan, as suitable for them; and now, at this critical juncture, they judged it wisest, and their best policy, to abide by them, and the care of them; lest by intermeddling, should Jabin prevail, he might be provoked to fall upon them, and take them from them; wherefore the bleatings of their flocks, and the whistlings of the shepherds that kept them, sounded louder in their ears, and more engrossed their attention, than the groans and cries of Israel under oppression; or than the soundings of the trumpet, the alarm of war, or the loud calls of Deborah and Barak; being under the influence of a carnal worldly spirit, and wanting affection and sympathy towards their brethren, about which Deborah here expostulates with them:

for the divisions of Reuben [there were] great searchings of heart;
this is repeated to show how much the prophetess, the general of the army, the princes and people, were affected with this conduct of the tribe of Reuben; it gave them much pain and uneasiness, occasioned many inquiries, caused much discourse and conversation, and put them upon thinking, and greatly exercised their minds, what should be the meaning of their behaving after this manner. Cocceius takes these words to be spoken ironically, and renders them,

``at the rivers of Reuben were great men in searchings of heart;''

there were wisdom, prudence, counsel, searching, and discerning of spirits, preferring their flocks to the people of God.

Jueces 5:16 In-Context

14 Descendieron de Efraín,
tierra que antes pertenecía a los amalecitas;
te siguieron a ti, Benjamín, con tus tropas.
De Maquir los comandantes descendieron a paso de marcha;
desde Zabulón llegaron los que llevan el bastón de mando.

15 Los príncipes de Isacar estuvieron con Débora y Barac;
siguieron a Barac a toda prisa hasta el valle.
Pero en la tribu de Rubén
hubo gran indecisión.

16 ¿Por qué se quedaron sentados en su casa entre los rediles,
para oír a los pastores silbar a sus rebaños?
Así es, en la tribu de Rubén
hubo gran indecisión.

17 Galaad permaneció al oriente del Jordán.
Y ¿por qué Dan se quedó en su casa?
Aser se sentó sin moverse a la orilla del mar,
y permaneció en sus puertos.

18 Pero Zabulón arriesgó la vida,
igual que Neftalí, en las alturas del campo de batalla.