THE BOOK OF JUDGES

 

Judges Chapter 5

1 ¶ That day, Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang this song,

2 Praise the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

3 Hear, O kings; give ear, O you 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 of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens also dropped, yes clouds dropped water.

5 The mountains melted before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD God of Israel.

6 ¶ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.

7 The villages were unoccupied, and rulers ceased in Israel, until I Deborah arose, I arose a mother in Israel.

8 When they chose new gods; war was in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.

10 Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

11 Far from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there they will retell the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts of his rulers in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

12 ¶ Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead your captivity captive, you son of Abinoam.

13 Then down marched the remnant of the nobles: the people of the LORD came down to me with the mighty.

14 Those whose root is in Amalek came down out of Ephraim; after you, Benjamin, among your kinsmen; commanders came down out of Machir, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 And the princes of Issachar came with Deborah; and Issachar faithful to Barak: into the valley they rushed forth at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there was great searching of heart.

16 Why did you linger among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleating of the flocks? For among the clans of Reuben there was great searching of heart.

17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan: and why did Dan stay with the ships? Asher stayed at the seashore, and remained by its bays.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people who risked their lives and death on the high places of the field.

19 The kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they did not gain any booty.

20 From heaven the stars fought; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength.

22 Then the horses’ hoofs beat loudly by reason of the galloping, the galloping of his stallions.

23 Curse you Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse bitterly its inhabitants; because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

24 ¶ Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed above women, of tent dwelling women most blessed.

25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a lordly bowl.

26 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she struck Sisera, she smashed his skull, when she pierced and struck through his temples.

27 He collapsed at her feet, he fell, he lay down: he collapsed at her feet, he fell: where he collapsed, there he fell down dead.

28 The mother of Sisera looked out of a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why do the wheels of his chariots tarry?

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yet, she repeated her words to herself,

30 Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? to every man a damsel or two; a spoil of colored garments for Sisera, a spoil of dyed and embroidered things, two dyed garments embroidered for the necks of those who take the spoil?

31 So let all your enemies perish, O LORD: but let those who love him be as the sun when it goes forth in its might. And the land had rest for forty years.