Judges 5
1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel,
because the people offered themselves willingly,
because the people offered themselves willingly,
be blessed, the LORD!
“Hear, you kings!
Give ear, you princes!
Give ear, you princes!
I, even I, will sing to the LORD.
I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
“LORD, when you went forth out of Seir,
when you marched out of the field of Edom,
when you marched out of the field of Edom,
the earth trembled, the sky also dropped.
Yes, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD,
even Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
even Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied.
The travelers walked through byways.
in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied.
The travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel.
They ceased until I, Deborah, arose;
Until I arose a mother in Israel.
They ceased until I, Deborah, arose;
Until I arose a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods.
Then war was in the gates.
Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
Then war was in the gates.
Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is toward the governors of Israel,
who offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless the LORD!
who offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless the LORD!
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys,
you who sit on rich carpets,
and you who walk by the way.
you who sit on rich carpets,
and you who walk by the way.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,
there they will rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD,
the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
there they will rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD,
the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.
“Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down.
The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim,
after you, Benjamin, among your peoples.
after you, Benjamin, among your peoples.
Governors come down out of Machir.
Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah.
As was Issachar, so was Barak.
They rushed into the valley at his feet.
As was Issachar, so was Barak.
They rushed into the valley at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben,
there were great resolves of heart.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds,
To hear the whistling for the flocks?
To hear the whistling for the flocks?
At the watercourses of Reuben
There were great searchings of heart.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan.
Why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
and lived by his creeks.
Why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
and lived by his creeks.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths;
Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
“The kings came and fought,
then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo.
They took no plunder of silver.
then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo.
They took no plunder of silver.
From the sky the stars fought.
From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
The river Kishon swept them away,
that ancient river, the river Kishon.
My soul, march on with strength.
that ancient river, the river Kishon.
My soul, march on with strength.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings,
the prancings of their strong ones.
the prancings of their strong ones.
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD.
‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants,
because they didn’t come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.’
‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants,
because they didn’t come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.’
“Jael shall be blessed above women,
the wife of Heber the Kenite;
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
the wife of Heber the Kenite;
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
He asked for water.
She gave him milk.
She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
She gave him milk.
She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
She put her hand to the tent peg,
and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer.
and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer.
With the hammer she struck Sisera.
She struck through his head.
Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay.
At her feet he bowed, he fell.
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
At her feet he bowed, he fell.
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
“Through the window she looked out, and cried:
Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice.
Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice.
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
Her wise ladies answered her,
Yes, she returned answer to herself,
Yes, she returned answer to herself,
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?
A lady, two ladies to every man;
A lady, two ladies to every man;
to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,
a spoil of dyed garments embroidered,
of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?’
“So let all your enemies perish, LORD,
but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength.”
Then the land had rest forty years. but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength.”
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