Judges 5:20

20 de caelo dimicatum est contra eos stellae manentes in ordine et cursu suo adversum Sisaram pugnaverunt

Judges 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:20

They fought from heaven
Either the angels of heaven, afterwards called stars; or the heavens, the elements, fought for Israel, and against Sisera; a violent storm of rain and hail falling at this time, which discomfited Sisera's army; (See Gill on Judges 4:15), or this victory was obtained in such a manner as plainly showed it was not of man, but of God from heaven; so the Targum,

``from heaven war was made with them;''

with the kings before mentioned; God fought against them, and no wonder they were conquered:

the stars in their courses fought against Sisera
it seems as if it was in the night that this battle was fought, at least that the pursuit lasted till night, when the stars by their brightness and clear shining favoured the Israelites, and were greatly to the disadvantage of the Canaanites; unless it can be thought, as is by some, that the stars had an influence to cause a tempest of rain, hail, thunder, and lightnings, by which the army of Sisera was discomfited in the daytime, as before observed.

Judges 5:20 In-Context

18 Zabulon vero et Nepthalim obtulerunt animas suas morti in regione Merome
19 venerunt reges et pugnaverunt pugnaverunt reges Chanaan in Thanach iuxta aquas Mageddo et tamen nihil tulere praedantes
20 de caelo dimicatum est contra eos stellae manentes in ordine et cursu suo adversum Sisaram pugnaverunt
21 torrens Cison traxit cadavera eorum torrens Cadumim torrens Cison conculca anima mea robustos
22 ungulae equorum ceciderunt fugientibus impetu et per praeceps ruentibus fortissimis hostium
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.