Judges 5

The Song of Deborah

1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:2 When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!3 Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.4 Lord, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water;5 The mountains gushed before the Lord, This Sinai, before the Lord God of Israel.6 In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways.7 Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel.8 They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.9 My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord!10 Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges attire, And who walk along the road.11 Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the Lord, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the Lord shall go down to the gates.12 Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!13 Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The Lord came down for me against the mighty.14 From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiters staff.15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart.17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.18 Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.19 The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver.20 They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.21 The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength!22 Then the horses hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds.23 Curse Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty.24 Most blessed among women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed is she among women in tents.25 He asked for water, she gave milk; She brought out cream in a lordly bowl.26 She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmens hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple.27 At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; At her feet he sank, he fell; Where he sank, there he fell dead.28 The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?29 Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself,30 Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?31 Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength. So the land had rest for forty years.

JUDGES 5

Deborah and Barak Sing //for the [Lord]

1 After the battle was over that day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:

2 We praise you, [Lord]!
Our soldiers volunteered,
ready to follow you.

3 Listen, kings and rulers,
while I sing for the [Lord],
the God of Israel.

4 Our [Lord], God of Israel,
when you came from Seir,
where the Edomites live,

5  t rain poured from the sky,
the earth trembled,
and mountains shook.

6 In the time of Shamgar
son of Anath,
and now again in Jael's time,
roads were too dangerous
for caravans.
Travelers had to take
the back roads,

7 and villagers couldn't work
in their fields.t
Then Deboraht took command,
protecting Israel as a mother
protects her children.

8 The Israelites worshiped
other gods,
and the gates of their towns
were then attacked.t
But they had no shields
or spears to fight with.

9 I praise you, [Lord],
and I am grateful
for those leaders and soldiers
who volunteered.

10 Listen, everyone!
Whether you ride a donkey
with a padded saddle
or have to walk.

11 Even those who carry watert
to the animals will tell you,
“The [Lord] has won victories,
and so has Israel.”
Then the [Lord]'s people marched
down to the town gates

12 and said, “Deborah, let's go!
Let's sing as we march.
Barak, capture our enemies.”

13 The [Lord]'s people who were left
joined with their leaders
and fought at my side.t

14 Troops came from Ephraim,
where Amalekites once lived.
Others came from Benjamin;
officers and leaders came
from Machir and Zebulun.

15 The rulers of Issachar
came along with Deborah,
and Issachar followed Barak
into the valley.
But the tribe of Reuben
was no help at all!t

16 Reuben, why did you stay
among your sheep pens?t
Was it to listen to shepherds
whistling for their sheep?
No one could figure out
why Reuben wouldn't come.t

17 The people of Gilead stayed
across the Jordan.
Why did the tribe of Dan
remain on their ships
and the tribe of Asher
stay along the coast
near the harbors?

18 But soldiers of Zebulun
and Naphtali
risked their lives
to attack the enemy.t

19 Canaanite kings fought us
at Taanach by the stream
near Megiddot—
but they couldn't rob us
of our silver.t

20 From their pathways in the sky
the starst fought Sisera,

21 and his soldiers were swept away
by the ancient Kishon River.
I will march on and be brave.

22 Sisera's horses galloped off,
their hoofs thundering
in retreat.

23 The [Lord]'s angel said,
“Put a curse on Meroz Town!
Its people refused
to help the [Lord] fight
his powerful enemies.”

24 But honor Jael,
the wife of Heber
from the Kenite clan.
Give more honor to her
than to any other woman
who lives in tents.
Yes, give more honor to her
than to any other woman.

25 Sisera asked for water,
but Jael gave him milk—
cream in a fancy cup.

26 She reached for a tent-peg
and held a hammer
in her right hand.
And with a blow to the head,
she crushed his skull.

27 Sisera sank to his knees
and fell dead at her feet.

28 Sisera's mother looked out
through her window.
“Why is he taking so long?”
she asked.
“Why haven't we heard
his chariots coming?”

29 She and her wisest women
gave the same answer:

30 “Sisera and his troops
are finding treasures
to bring back—
a woman, or maybe two,
for each man,
and beautiful dresses
for those women to wear.”t

31 Our [Lord], we pray
that all your enemies
will die like Sisera.
But let everyone who loves you
shine brightly like the sun
at dawn.

Midian Steals Everything //from Israel