Judges 5

1 And Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang in that day, and said,

2 Ye men of Israel, that have willfully offered your lives to peril (who have willingly offered your lives to peril), bless ye the Lord.

3 Ye kings, hear; ye princes, perceive with ears (ye princes, listen!); I am, I am the woman, that shall sing to the Lord; I shall sing to the Lord God of Israel.

4 Lord, when thou wentest out from Seir, and passedest by the countries of Edom (and passedest by the countryside of Edom), the earth was moved, and (the) heavens and (the) clouds dropped with waters;

5 (the) hills flowed from the face of the Lord, and Sinai from the face of the Lord God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, [the] paths rested (the ways were empty), and they that entered by those (ways), went [away] by paths out of the way.

7 Strong men in Israel ceased, and rested, till Deborah (a)rose, a mother in Israel.

8 The Lord chose new battles, and he destroyed the gates of (their) enemies; shield and spear appeared not in forty thousand of Israel. (They chose new gods, and then there was war at the gates; but shields and spears did not appear among the forty thousand of Israel.)

9 Mine heart loveth the princes of Israel; ye that offered you(rselves) to peril by your own will, bless ye the Lord; (My heart loveth the leaders of Israel; ye who willingly offered yourselves to peril, bless ye the Lord;)

10 speak ye, that ascend on shining asses, and sit above in doom, and go in the way. (speak ye, who ride on shining donkeys, and sit in judgement, and go on the way.)

11 Where the chariots were hurled down (al)together, and the host of [the] enemy's was strangled, there the Lord's rightwiseness be told out, and his mercy among the strong men of Israel; then the Lord's people came down to the gates, and got the princehood. (Where the chariots were altogether hurled down, and the enemy's army was strangled, there the Lord's righteousness be told out, and his mercy among the strong men of Israel; then the Lord's people came down to the gates, and got the victory.)

12 Rise, rise thou, Deborah, rise thou, and speak a song; rise thou, Barak, and thou, son of Abinoam, take thy prisoners. (Rise, rise thou, Deborah, rise thou up, and sing a song; rise thou up, Barak, thou son of Abinoam, and take thy prisoners.)

13 The remnants of the people be saved; the Lord fought against strong men of Ephraim. (The remnant of the people were saved; the Lord's people fought against the strong men.)

14 He did away them into Amalek, and after him from Benjamin into thy peoples, thou Amalek. Princes of Machir and of Zebulun went down, that led the host to fight. (From out of Ephraim, they came into the valley, behind the tribe of Benjamin and its people. The leaders of Machir and of Zebulun went down, they who led the army to fight.)

15 The dukes of Issachar were with Deborah, and followed the steps of Barak, that gave himself to peril, as into a ditch headlong, and into hell (like headlong into a ditch, and down into hell). (Yea,) While Reuben was parted against himself; the strife of great hearted men was found.

16 Why dwellest thou betwixt twain ends (Why stayest thou by the stalls), (so) that thou (mayest) hear the hissings of (the) flocks? (Yea,) While Reuben was parted against himself, the strife of great hearted men was found.

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.)

22 The horsehoofs fell away, while the strongest of enemies fled with rush (while the strongest of the enemies fled away with haste), and (then) felled headlong.

23 Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye the dwellers of him, for they came not to the help of the Lord, into the help of the strongest of him. (Curse ye the land of Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye its inhabitants, for they came not to the Lord's help, nor to the help of his strongest men.)

24 Blessed among women be Jael, the wife of Heber (the) Kenite; blessed be she in her tabernacle (blessed be she in her tent).

25 To Sisera asking (for) water she gave milk, and in a basin of princes she gave him butter.

26 She put the left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the smith's hammer; and she smote Sisera, and sought in his head a place of wound, and she pierced strongly his temple. (Then she put a tent peg in her left hand, and the smith's hammer in her right hand; and she sought a place on his head for the wound, and then she struck down Sisera, when she strongly pierced his temple.)

27 He felled betwixt her feet, (and) he failed, and died; he was weltered before her feet, and he lay without life, and wretchedful.

28 His mother beheld by a window, and yelled (out); and she spake from the solar, Why tarrieth his chariot to come again? Why tarry the feet of his four-horsed carts?

29 One wiser than [the] other wives of him answered these words to the mother of her husband,

30 In hap now he parteth spoils, and the fairest of women is chosen to him; clothes of diverse colours be given to Sisera into prey, and diverse array of household is gathered to adorn necks. (Perhaps now he parteth the spoils, and the fairest of the women be chosen for him; yea, clothes of diverse colours be given to Sisera for prey, and a diverse array of things be gathered to adorn the victor's neck.)

31 Lord, all thine enemies perish so; soothly, they that love thee, shine so, as the sun shineth in his strength. And the land rested forty years. (Lord, may all thy enemies so perish; and may they who love thee, shine like the sun shineth in its strength. And then the land rested for forty years.)

Judges 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Praise and glory ascribed to God. (1-5) The distress and deliverance of Israel. (6-11) Some commended, others censured. (12-23) Sisera's mother disappointed. (24-31)

1-5. No time should be lost in returning thanks to the Lord for his mercies; for our praises are most acceptable, pleasant, and profitable, when they flow from a full heart. By this, love and gratitude would be more excited and more deeply fixed in the hearts of believers; the events would be more known and longer remembered. Whatever Deborah, Barak, or the army had done, the Lord must have all the praise. The will, the power, and the success were all from Him.

6-11. Deborah describes the distressed state of Israel under the tyranny of Jabin, that their salvation might appear more gracious. She shows what brought this misery upon them. It was their idolatry. They chose new gods, with new names. But under all these images, Satan was worshipped. Deborah was a mother to Israel, by diligently promoting the salvation of their souls. She calls on those who shared the advantages of this great salvation, to offer up thanks to God for it. Let such as are restored, not only to their liberty as other Israelites, but to their rank, speak God's praises. This is the Lord's doing. In these acts of his, justice was executed on his enemies. In times of persecution, God's ordinances, the walls of salvation, whence the waters of life are drawn, are resorted to at the hazard of the lives of those who attend them. At all times Satan will endeavour to hinder the believer from drawing near to the throne of grace. Notice God's kindness to his trembling people. It is the glory of God to protect those who are most exposed, and to help the weakest. Let us notice the benefit we have from the public peace, the inhabitants of villages especially, and give God the praise.

Verses 12-23 Deborah called on her own soul to be in earnest. He that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. Praising God is a work we should awake to, and awake ourselves unto. She notices who fought against Israel, who fought for them, and who kept away. Who fought against them. They were obstinate enemies to God's people, therefore the more dangerous. Who fought for them. The several tribes that helped are here spoken of with honour; for though God is above all to be glorified, those who are employed must have their due praise, to encourage others. But the whole creation is at war with those to whom God is an enemy. The river of Kishon fought against their enemies. At most times it was shallow, yet now, probably by the great rain that fell, it was so swelled, and the stream so deep and strong, that those who attempted to pass, were drowned. Deborah's own soul fought against them. When the soul is employed in holy exercises, and heart-work is made of them, through the grace of God, the strength of our spiritual enemies will be trodden down, and will fall before us. She observes who kept away, and did not side with Israel, as might have been expected. Thus many are kept from doing their duty by the fear of trouble, the love of ease, and undue affection to their worldly business and advantage. Narrow, selfish spirits care not what becomes of God's church, so that they can but get, keep, and save money. All seek their own, ( Philippians 2:21 ) . A little will serve those for a pretence to stay at home, who have no mind to engage in needful services, because there is difficulty and danger in them. But we cannot keep away from the contest between the Lord and his enemies; and if we do not actively endeavour to promote his cause in this wicked world, we shall fall under the curse against the workers of iniquity. Though He needs no human help, yet he is pleased to accept the services of those who improve their talents to advance his cause. He requires every man to do so.

Verses 24-31 Jael had a special blessing. Those whose lot is cast in the tent, in a low and narrow sphere, if they serve God according to the powers he has given them, shall not lose their reward. The mother of Sisera looked for his return, not in the least fearing his success. Let us take heed of indulging eager desires towards any temporal good, particularly toward that which cherishes vain-glory, for that was what she here doted on. What a picture does she present of an ungodly and sensual heart! How shameful and childish these wishes of an aged mother and her attendants for her son! And thus does God often bring ruin on his enemies when they are most puffed up. Deborah concludes with a prayer to God for the destruction of all his foes, and for the comfort of all his friends. Such shall be the honour, and joy of all who love God in sincerity, they shall shine for ever as the sun in the firmament.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 5

This chapter contains a song of praise on account of the victories obtained over Jabin, and his kingdom; after an exhortation to praise is given, and kings excited to attend to it, the majestic appearance of God at Seir, on Sinai, is observed, to raise in the mind a divine veneration of him, Jud 5:1-5; then the miserable state and condition Israel was in before these victories, and therefore had the more reason to be thankful, Jud 5:6-8; the governors, and judges, and the people that were delivered, together with Deborah and Barak, are stirred up to rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, and bless his name, Jud 5:9-13; and those who willingly engaged in the war are praised, and such who were negligent reproved, and some even cursed, Jud 5:14-23; but Jael, Heber's wife, is particularly commended for her exploit in slaying Sisera, Jud 5:24-27; and the mother of Sisera, and her ladies, are represented as wondering at his long delay, and as assured of his having got the victory, Jud 5:28-30; and the song is concluded with a prayer for the destruction, of the enemies of the Lord, and for the happiness and glory of them that love him, Jud 5:31.