New International Version NIV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
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On that day D'vorah and Barak the son of Avino'am sang this song:
2 “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves— praise the LORD!
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"When leaders in Isra'el dedicate themselves, and the people volunteer, you should all bless ADONAI.
3 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will praise the LORD, the God of Israel, in song.
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Hear, kings; listen, princes; I will sing to ADONAI! I will sing praise to ADONAI the God of Isra'el.
4 “When you, LORD, went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water.
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"ADONAI, when you went out from Se'ir, when you marched out from the field of Edom; the earth quaked, and the sky shook; yes, the clouds poured down torrents.
5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
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The mountains melted at the presence of ADONAI, at Sinai, before ADONAI the God of Isra'el.
6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths.
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"In the days of Shamgar the son of 'Anat, in the days of Ya'el, the main roads were deserted; travelers walked the byways.
7 Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.
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The rulers ceased in Isra'el, they ceased, until you arose, D'vorah, arose a mother in Isra'el.
8 God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
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"They chose new gods when war was at the gates. Was there a shield or spear to be seen among Isra'el's forty thousand men?
9 My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the LORD!
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My heart goes out to Isra'el's leaders and to those among the people who volunteer. All of you, bless ADONAI.
10 “You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider
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"You who ride white donkeys, sitting on soft saddle-blankets, and you walking on the road, talk about it!
11 the voice of the singers at the watering places. They recite the victories of the LORD, the victories of his villagers in Israel. “Then the people of the LORD went down to the city gates.
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Louder than the sound of archers at the watering-holes will they sound as they retell the righteous acts of ADONAI, the righteous acts of his rulers in Isra'el. "Then ADONAI's people marched down to the gates.
12 ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’
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"Awake, awake, D'vorah! Awake, awake, break into song! Arise, Barak! Lead away your captives, son of Avino'am!
13 “The remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
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"Then a remnant of the nobles marched down; the people of ADONAI marched down to me like warriors.
14 Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff.
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From Efrayim came those rooted in 'Amalek. Behind you, Binyamin is with your peoples. From Makhir the commanders marched down, and from Z'vulun those holding the musterer's staff.
15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, sent under his command into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.
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The princes of Yissakhar were with D'vorah, Yissakhar, along with Barak; into the valley they rushed forth behind him. Among the divisions of Re'uven they made great resolutions in their hearts.
16 Why did you stay among the sheep pensto hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.
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But why did you stay at the pens for the sheep, and listen to the shepherd's flute playing for the flocks? Concerning the divisions of Re'uven there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves.
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Gil'ad lives beyond the Yarden. Dan - why does he stay by the ships? Asher stayed by the shore of the sea, remaining near its bays.
18 The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.
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The people of Z'vulun risked their lives, Naftali too, on the open heights.
19 “Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver.
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"Kings came; they fought. Yes, the kings of Kena'an fought at Ta'anakh, by the waters of Megiddo; but they took no spoil of silver.
20 From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
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They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses; yes, they fought against Sisra.
21 The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong!
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The Kishon River swept them away, that ancient river, the Kishon River. O my soul, march on with strength!
22 Then thundered the horses’ hooves— galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.
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Then the horses' hoofs pounded the ground, their mighty steeds galloping at full speed.
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD. ‘Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
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"'Curse Meroz!' said the angel of ADONAI, 'Curse the people living there with a bitter punishment for not coming to help ADONAI, to help ADONAI against the mighty warriors.'
24 “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
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"Ya'el will be blessed more than all women. The wife of Hever the Keini will be blessed more than any woman in the tent.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
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He asked for water, and she gave him milk; In an elegant bowl she brought him curds.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple.
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Then she took a tent peg in her left hand and a workman's hammer in her right; with the hammer she struck Sisra, pierced his skull, yes, she shattered and crushed his temple.
27 At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.
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He sank down at her feet, he fell and lay there; he sank at her feet, he fell - where he sank down, there he fell dead.
28 “Through the window peered Sisera’s mother; behind the lattice she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’
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"Sisra's mother looks out the window; peering out through the lattice she wonders, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why are his horses so slow to return?'
29 The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
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The wisest of her ladies answer her, and she repeats it to herself,
30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck— all this as plunder?’
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'Of course! They're collecting and dividing the spoil a girl, two girls for every warrior, for Sisra booty of dyed clothing, a plunder of colorfully embroidered garments, two embroidered scarves for every soldier's neck.'
31 “So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years.
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"May all your enemies perish like this, ADONAI; but may those who love him be like the sun going forth in its glory!" Then the land had rest for forty years.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.