Judges 5

The Song of Deborah

1On that day Deborah and Barak, son of Abinoam, sang this song:

2‘When the leaders of Israel rule. When the people are happy to obey. Tell them that the LORD is good.

3Hear this, you kings! Listen you rulers! I will sing to the LORD. I will sing. I will sing a song to the LORD God of Israel.

4 LORD, you went out from Seir, you marched from the land of Edom. Then the earth shook. You sent rain from the sky. The clouds rained water.

5The mountains (even Sinai) shook in front of the LORD, the God of Israel.

6The roads were empty in the days of Shamgar, son of Anath. There was no one on them in the days of Jael. People walked on secret paths.

7Nobody lived in the little towns. No one lived there until I came. I, Deborah, became a mother to Israel.

8When they chose new gods, there was fighting near the city. No one in Israel was ready to fight, not one of the 40,000 in Israel.

9I will make strong the leaders of Israel. With the people of Israel who want to fight. Tell all of them that the LORD is good.

10Listen, you rich people as you ride on white horses. Listen while you sit on your animals. And listen you that walk along the road.

11Hear the singing voices, where you stop for water. They speak about all the LORD has done. They tell of the good things that his soldiers did. Then the people of the LORD went down to the city gates.

12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up and sing. Get up Barak! Lock up your enemies, son of Abinoam.

13The men who remained went back to their leaders. The people of the LORD came to me with their lords.

14Some came from Ephraim, where Amalek lived. Benjamin followed you. Makir (Manasseh) came too. The leaders of Zebulun came.

15The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah. Yes, Issachar joined Barak. They ran after him into the valley. Many in Reuben were afraid and did nothing.

16The men of Reuben stayed with the sheep. Many in Reuben were troubled.

17Gilead stayed in his land. Dan stayed by the sea. Asher remained near the sea. They hid near its edge.

18But the people of Zebulun were not afraid to fight. And Naphtali came from the mountains.

19Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought. They fought at Tannach near the water at Megiddo. But they took no gold or rich gifts.

20The stars from the sky fought. They fought against Sisera.

21The very old river Kishon carried away Sisera’s soldiers. River Kishon, be strong and do not stop fighting.

22The horses’ feet made a loud noise. They ran fast, their strong legs ran and ran.

23The LORD‘s angel said, “Punish Meroz. Punish its people, because they did not come to fight for the LORD. They did not help the LORD fight his strong enemy.”

24Jael is blessed. The wife of Heber the Kenite will be the happiest woman who lives in a tent.

25He asked for water, and she gave him milk. She brought him milk in a lovely dish.

26Her hand found the pointed stick. Her right hand took the hammer. She hit Sisera, she hit his head. Her stick went through his head.

27He fell at her feet. He stayed there and died.

28Sisera’s mother looked out of the window. She cried out as she looked. “His chariot is so slow to come. There is no noise.”

29Her clever ladies replied, and she herself thought:

30“They are finding riches to bring home and women to please the men. They are finding rich clothes for Sisera. They will find clothes of many colours and win all these riches for him.”’

31May all your enemies die like Sisera, O LORD! But may those who love you be like the sun, which shines in the day.

There was no more fighting for 40 years.