chapter: 5
Verse 1
Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
Verse 2
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
Verse 3
“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Verse 4
“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
Verse 5
The mountains quaked Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Verse 6
“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
Verse 7
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
Verse 8
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
Verse 9
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
Verse 10
“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
Verse 11
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
Verse 12
‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
Verse 13
“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
Verse 14
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
Verse 15
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. 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.
Verse 16
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
Verse 17
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.
Verse 18
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
Verse 19
“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
Verse 20
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
Verse 21
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
Verse 22
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
Verse 23
‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
Verse 24
“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Verse 25
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
Verse 26
She put her hand to the tent peg, 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.
Verse 27
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
Verse 28
“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
Verse 29
Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
Verse 30
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
Verse 31