Judges, chapter 5

Deborah and Barak Sing for the Lord

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

²We praise you, Lord! Our soldiers volunteered,

ready to follow you.

³Listen, kings and rulers, while I sing for the Lord,

the God of IsraelI.

⁴Our Lord, God of Israel, when you came from SeirG,

where the Edomites live,

⁵ C rain poured from the sky, the earth trembled,

and mountains shook.

⁶In the time of ShamgarP son of Anath,

and now again in Jael's time,

roads were too dangerous for caravans.

Travelers had to take the back roads,

⁷and villagers couldn't work in their fields.*

Then Deborah* took command, protecting Israel

as a mother protects her childrenI.

⁸The Israelites worshiped other godsI,

and the gates of their towns were then attacked.*

But they had no shields or spears to fight with.

⁹I praise you, Lord, and I am grateful

for those leaders and soldiers who volunteered.

¹⁰Listen, everyone!

Whether you ride a donkey with a padded saddle

or have to walk.

¹¹Even those who carry water* 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

¹²and said, “Deborah, let's go! Let's sing as we march.

Barak, capture our enemies.”

¹³The Lord's people who were left

joined with their leaders and fought at my side.*

¹⁴Troops came from Ephraim, where Amalekites

once lived.

Others came from Benjamin; officers and leaders

came from Machir and Zebulun.

¹⁵The rulers of Issachar came along with Deborah,

and Issachar followed Barak into the valley.

But the tribe of Reuben was no help at all!*

¹⁶Reuben, why did you stay among your

sheep pens?*

Was it to listen to shepherds whistling for

their sheep?

No one could figure out why Reuben

wouldn't come.*

¹⁷The 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?

¹⁸But soldiers of Zebulun and NaphtaliH risked

their lives to attack the enemy.*

¹⁹Canaanite kings fought us at Taanach

by the stream near MegiddoG—

but they couldn't rob us of our silver.

²⁰From their pathways in the sky the stars

fought Sisera,

²¹and his soldiers were swept away

by the ancient Kishon RiverI.

I will march on and be brave.

²²Sisera's horsesO galloped off,

their hoofs thundering in retreat.

²³The Lord's angel said, “Put a curse on Meroz TownG!

Its people refused to help the Lord fight

his powerful enemies.”

²⁴But honor JaelP, 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.

²⁵Sisera asked for water, but Jael gave him milk—

cream in a fancy cup.

²⁶She reached for a tent-peg and held a hammer

in her right hand.

And with a blow to the head, she crushed his skull.

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

²⁸Sisera's mother looked out through her window.

“Why is he taking so long?” she asked.

“Why haven't we heard his chariots coming?”

²⁹She and her wisest women gave the same answer:

³⁰“Sisera and his troops are finding treasuresI

to bring back—

a woman, or maybe two, for each man,

and beautiful dresses for those women to wear.”*

³¹Our 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

There was peace in Israel for about 40 years.