Judges 5:19

19 Kings came, and fought; kings of Canaan fought in Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo; and nevertheless they took nothing by prey (but they took nothing of prey).

Judges 5:19 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:19

The kings came
Who were with Sisera, as the Targum adds; unless Deborah can be thought to refer to the battle, supposed to be fought about the same place, between Joshua and the kings in confederacy with Jabin, ( Joshua 10:1 Joshua 10:7 )

then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo;
the other kings of Canaan, which came into the assistance of Jabin, either in the times of Joshua; or rather which now joined Sisera's army, in those places, which both belonged to Manasseh, but were in the tribe of Issachar, of which (See Gill on Joshua 17:11) and were at some distance from each other, as appears by the villages and country around, and belonging to each; and such was the largeness of Sisera's army, reinforced by those kings, that according to the Targum it reached from Taanach to Megiddo; the same is observed by the Jewish commentators; the waters of Megiddo are the same with the river Kishon, which ran near the city:

they took no gain of money;
that is, either of Jabin king of Canaan, whom they came to serve; but freely engaged with him, and maintained their own troops, which they brought into the field, and had raised at their own expense; but according to Kimchi the sense is, they took no money of the Israelites that fell into their hands, but slew them, would not save their lives, though they offered them money, being like the merciless Medes, ( Isaiah 13:17 Isaiah 13:18 ) but rather the meaning is, that whereas they came big with expectation of a large booty among the Israelites, they were disappointed, and obliged to flee without any.

Judges 5:19 In-Context

17 Gilead rested beyond (the) Jordan, and Dan gave attention to ships. Asher dwelled in the brink of the sea, and dwelled in havens (Asher stayed by the seashore, and lived in safe coves).
18 And Zebulun and Naphtali offered their lives to the death, in the country of Meromei, that is interpreted, high. (And Zebulun and Naphtali offered their lives unto the death, in the high places of the countryside.)
19 Kings came, and fought; kings of Canaan fought in Taanach, beside the waters of Megiddo; and nevertheless they took nothing by prey (but they took nothing of prey).
20 From heaven, it was fought against them (They fought against them from the heavens); (the) stars dwelled in their order, and in their course, and they fought against Sisera.
21 The strand of Kishon drew (away) their dead bodies, the strand of Kedumim, the strand of Kishon. My soul, tread thou (down the) strong men. (The Kishon River drew away their dead bodies, yea, the ancient river, the Kishon River. My soul, tread thou forth with strength.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.