New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
1
At that time, Deborah and Barak, Abinoam's son, sang:
2 “Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. Praise the LORD !
2
When hair is long in Israel, when people willingly offer themselves—bless the LORD!
3 “Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you mighty rulers! For I will sing to the LORD . I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel.
3
Hear, kings! Listen, rulers! I, to the LORD, I will sing. I will make music to the LORD, Israel's God.
4 “ LORD, when you set out from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain.
4
LORD, when you set out from Seir, when you marched out from Edom's fields, the land shook, the sky poured down, the clouds poured down water.
5 The mountains quaked in the presence of the LORD, the God of Mount Sinai— in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
5
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the one from Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travelers stayed on winding pathways.
6
In the days of Shamgar, Anath's son, in the days of Jael, caravans ceased. Those traveling by road kept to the backroads.
7 There were few people left in the villages of Israel — until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.
7
Villagers disappeared; they disappeared in Israel, until you, Deborah, arose, until you arose as a mother in Israel.
8 When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
8
When they chose new gods, then war came to the city gates. Yet there wasn't a shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel!
9 My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD !
9
My heart is with Israel's commanders, who willingly offered themselves among the people—bless the LORD!
10 “Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road.
10
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, who walk along the road: tell of it.
11 Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched down to the city gates.
11
To the sound of instruments at the watering places, there they repeat the LORD's victories, his villagers' victories in Israel. Then the LORD's people marched down to the city gates.
12 “Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!
12
"Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Arise, Barak! Capture your prisoners, Abinoam's son!"
13 “Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors.
13
Then those who remained marched down against royalty; the LORD's people marched down against warriors.
14 They came down from Ephraim— a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff.
14
From Ephraim they set out into the valley, after you, Benjamin, with your people! From Machir commanders marched down, and from Zebulun those carrying the official's staff.
15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision.
15
The leaders of Issachar came along with Deborah; Issachar was attached to Barak, and was sent into the valley behind him. Among the clans of Reuben there was deep soul-searching.
16 Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds— to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision.
16
"Why did you stay back among the sheep pens, listening to the music for the flocks?" For the clans of Reuben there was deep soul-searching.
17 Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors.
17
Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan, and Dan, why did he remain with the ships? Asher stayed by the seacoast, camping at his harbors.
18 But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield.
18
Zebulun is a people that readily risked death; Naphtali too in the high countryside.
19 “The kings of Canaan came and fought, at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs, but they carried off no silver treasures.
19
Kings came and made war; the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by Megiddo's waters, but they captured no spoils of silver.
20 The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera.
20
The stars fought from the sky; from their orbits they fought against Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept them away— that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my soul!
21
The Kishon River swept them away; the advancing river, the Kishon River. March on, my life, with might!
22 Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds.
22
Then the horses' hooves pounded with the galloping, galloping of their stallions.
23 ‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the LORD . ‘Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the LORD — to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.’
23
"Curse Meroz," says the LORD's messenger, "curse its inhabitants bitterly, because they didn't come to the LORD's aid, to the LORD's aid against the warriors."
24 “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.
24
May Jael be blessed above all women; may the wife of Heber the Kenite be blessed above all tent-dwelling women.
25 Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt.
25
He asked for water, and she provided milk; she presented him cream in a majestic bowl.
26 Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples.
26
She reached out her hand for the stake, her strong hand for the worker's hammer. She struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his skull.
27 He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died.
27
At her feet he sank, fell, and lay flat; at her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.
28 “From the window Sisera’s mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’
28
Through the window she watched, Sisera's mother looked longingly through the lattice. "Why is his chariot taking so long to come? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot horses delayed?"
29 “Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself:
29
Her wisest attendants answer; indeed, she replies to herself:
30 ‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’
30
"Wouldn't they be finding and dividing the loot? A girl or two for each warrior; loot of colored cloths for Sisera; loot of colored, embroidered cloths; two colored, embroidered cloths as loot for every neck."
31 “ LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years.
31
May all your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may your allies be like the sun, rising in its strength. And the land was peaceful for forty years.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible