Judg 5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 5:1-31: 5:1-31 This song , a victory hymn usually credited to Deborah , presents a second, more poetic account of the entire battle with various details that supplement the prose account. It is one of the most ancient Hebrew poems. It blesses the Lord, those tribes who responded to the muster, and Jael. It curses those who remained at home, Sisera, and his mother’s entourage. It contrasts conditions before Barak’s victory, when the Lord’s curse was on the land, with the life of blessing in the wake of the warriors’ righteous acts. It ends with a prayer that the Lord’s enemies will perish like Sisera (5:31 ).

Summary for Judg 5:1-31: 5:1-31 ^a This song, a victory hymn usually credited to Deborah, presents a second, more poetic account of the entire battle with various details that supplement the prose account. It is one of the most ancient Hebrew poems. It blesses the Lord, those tribes who responded to the muster, and Jael. It curses those who remained at home, Sisera, and his mother’s entourage. It contrasts conditions before Barak’s victory, when the Lord’s curse was on the land, with the life of blessing in the wake of the warriors’ righteous acts. It ends with a prayer that the Lord’s enemies will perish like Sisera (5:31 ^b).
5:3 ^c The victory song is primarily a hymn to the Lord, the God of Israel. It is also a wisdom song that gives instruction to kings and rulers, as other wisdom psalms do (see thematic note for Wisdom Psalms at end of chapter).
Summary for Judg 5:4-5: 5:4-5 ^d In the poem, the Lord is on the march from his home in the mountains of Edom (cp. Hab 3:3 ^e), or Mount Sinai (one tradition places Sinai east of the Jordan Valley, in the region of Edom; cp. Gal 4:25 ^f). The fire and earthquake that had so terrified Israel at the giving of the law (Exod 19:18 ^g) here symbolize God’s power and fury on the battlefield against his enemies.

• Torrential rain would have created a quagmire, making Sisera’s chariots a liability rather than an asset (Judg 4:15-16 ^h).
5:6 ⁱ During this period of chaos and uncertainty, there was little security for those living outside the main walled cities. Even Shamgar (see 3:31 ^j) did little to alleviate the misery of the common people, who suffered under the hand of the Canaanites and their cruel commander, Sisera.
5:7 ^k Deborah was God’s agent in bringing relief during this general social breakdown. Deborah did not muster or command the troops, but she was Israel’s spiritual and emotional pillar; she is described as a mother in Israel.
5:8 ^l Israel was in social chaos and also lacked defensive weapons.

• Forty thousand warriors: The Hebrew word translated thousand could also be translated clans (see study note on Exod 12:37).
5:10 ^m Both the rich (those who ride) and the poor (those who walk) were to listen and spread the song, which would have both a spiritual and a social impact as it was disseminated.
5:11 ⁿ Listen to the village musicians: The picture is of divine exploits being recited where people gathered. Much Old Testament narrative and psalmody probably took shape in this way. “Remembering” in song and poetry is foundational to both Jewish and Christian worship.
5:13 ^o The few were Barak’s army, marching down against the mighty warriors of Sisera’s army.
Summary for Judg 5:14-18: 5:14-18 ^p These verses honor those who volunteered and shame those who did not.

• Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (represented by Makir) came from the south. Issachar, the territory where the battle actually took place, was joined by Zebulun and Naphtali, the two tribes closest to Barak’s home base.

• The tribes that were too irresolute and fainthearted to join the fight included Reuben, Gad (represented by Gilead), Dan, and Asher.
Summary for Judg 5:19-23: 5:19-23 ^q The battle is described. The brave warriors who followed Deborah and Barak faded into the background as the Lord mustered the stars of heaven and the Kishon River to obliterate Sisera’s host. 5:19 ^r Taanach was southeast of the great administrative center of Megiddo, so the battle took place in the lower part of the Jezreel Valley. The references to Taanach and Megiddo are probably poetic allusions to well-known places in the Jezreel Valley, rather than exact locations of any fighting, which appears to have taken place between Mount Tabor and the lowlands around the Kishon River.
5:23 ^s The location of Meroz is unknown, but it should not be confused with Merom (Josh 11:5 ^t), which was approximately twenty miles to the north in the hills of Galilee.
Summary for Judg 5:24-27: 5:24-27 ^u Sisera’s end is described in a brief celebration of Jael.
5:28 ^v The natural confidence of Sisera’s mother was beginning to crumble.
Summary for Judg 5:29-30: 5:29-30 ^w The wise women betrayed Sisera’s evil intentions as they tried to encourage his mother.

• The poet didn’t need to tell how the story concluded.
5:31 ^x Sisera typifies the Lord’s enemies; Jael represents those who love the Lord.

• there was peace in the land: Rest followed the Lord’s rescue.

Thematic note: Wisdom Psalms
Some psalms are called wisdom psalms because they make a case for the primary importance of wisdom or instruct readers in dealing with questions, issues, and doubts that arise in life (see Pss 1 ^y; 14 ^z; 25 ^aa; 34 ^ab; 37 ^ac; 39 ^ad; 49 ^ae; 73 ^af; 78 ^ag; 90 ^ah; 91 ^ai; 111 ^aj; 112 ^ak; 127 ^al; 128 ^am; 131 ^an; 133 ^ao; 139 ^ap). Many other psalms contain elements of wisdom teaching (see Pss 18 ^aq; 27 ^ar; 31 ^as; 32 ^at; 40 ^au; 62 ^av; 92 ^aw; 94 ^ax; 107 ^ay; 144 ^az; 146 ^ba).
In the other nations of the ancient Near East, wisdom had to do with maintaining order, pleasing the gods and other people, and carefully observing life, society, and nature. In Israel, wisdom shares these concerns but is distinct in the centrality it gives to fear of the Lord. God alone is the center and focus of life, and proper fear of him opens the path of wisdom (111:10 ^bb). Fear of the Lord is a disposition of absolute submission to and trust in the Lord (115:11 ^bc; see also 40:3 ^bd; 112:7 ^be), which leads to purity of life (19:9 ^bf). Psalm 34 ^bg connects the fear of the Lord with abundant life.
The way of wisdom is the way of godliness. Psalm 1 ^bh invites all readers of the psalms to delight in God, his revelation, and the lifestyle that results from his care for the wise. The lives of the godly demonstrate inner consistency, growth, and beauty as they increasingly reflect God’s righteousness and justice, love and fidelity, compassion and grace. They practice godliness from the inside out.
Wisdom enlarges a person’s perspective on life. A wise person desires to see life from God’s point of view. This search means living in submission and trust under the sovereign King who maintains the order and harmony of creation. Seeking God encourages an orderly and peaceful life and motivates obedience (19:7 ^bi; 25:12 ^bj; 51:6 ^bk; 112:1 ^bl; 119:98-100 ^bm). The wise imitate God, and their lives are full of joy even when they are suffering hardship. They praise the Lord amid all circumstances of life (see 22:23 ^bn, 25 ^bo), and they face life confidently because the Lord is with them (23:4 ^bp; 27:1 ^bq, 3 ^br; 33:18 ^bs; 91:1-16 ^bt).
In contrast to the way of the wise is the way of the fool, or the wicked. Such people perceive themselves as powerful and continually boast of their accomplishments. They do not accept limitations. They brag, oppress, steal, and deprive others of their happiness. They have no fear of the Lord (36:1 ^bu; 55:19 ^bv). The poets of Israel repeatedly warned the people to be wary of the path of folly, lest God’s judgment overtake them (2:10-11 ^bw; 94:8-10 ^bx).
Jesus Christ came into the world as God in the flesh, and he embodies all the qualities of wisdom. Through him, we can walk in the way of wisdom (Col 2:2-3 ^by).

Passages for Further Study
Pss 1 ^bz; 14 ^ca; 25 ^cb; 34 ^cc; 37 ^cd; 39 ^ce; 49 ^cf; 73 ^cg; 78 ^ch; 90 ^ci; 91 ^cj; 111 ^ck; 112 ^cl; 127 ^cm; 128 ^cn; 131 ^co; 133 ^cp; 139 ^cq