Shofetim 5:18

18 Zevulun and Naphtali were a people that risked their nefesh unto the death in the high places of the sadeh.

Shofetim 5:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:18

Zebulun and Naphtali were a people
These two tribes were chiefly concerned in this war; out of them were the 10,000 men that followed Barak, who willingly offered themselves, and were the most active and vigorous:

[that] jeoparded themselves unto the death;
exposed them to the utmost danger, fearless of death itself: or reproached F11 their lives; were careless of them, valued them not; they were not dear to them, but were ready to part with them freely, in the cause of liberty in which they were engaged:

in the high places of the field;
on the top of Mount Tabor, where they were mustered, and from whence they beheld the vast host of Sisera surrounding them; and yet, with an undaunted bravery and courage, descended the hill to fight with them. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "in the country of Merome"; in the plains and fields of it, near which were the waters of Merom, where Joshua fought Jabin, a former king of Canaan, and supposed by some to be the same with Kishon here, ( Joshua 11:5 ) ( Psalms 83:9 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Prx) "probris affecit", Pagninus; so the Targum.

Shofetim 5:18 In-Context

16 Why abodest thou among the mishpetayim (sheepfolds), to hear the bleatings of the flocks? Among the divisions of Reuven there were great indecisions of heart.
17 Gil‘ad abode beyond Yarden; and why did Dan linger by oniyyot? Asher remained on the seacoast, and dwelt by his landings.
18 Zevulun and Naphtali were a people that risked their nefesh unto the death in the high places of the sadeh.
19 The melachim came and fought, then fought the melachim of Kena’an at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no plunder of kesef.
20 They fought from Shomayim; the kokhavim in their courses fought Sisra.
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