Judges 5

1 On that day [in that specific time, at that moment] Deborah [a prophetess and judge, known for her wisdom] and Barak [meaning lightning, a deliverer] son [a descendant, offspring] of Abinoam [an Israelite, Barak’s father] sang [to sing, uttering praise] this song [a hymn, a poetic expression]: word study 2 “When the princes [leaders, commanders] take the lead [to lead, to guide] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob], when the people [a nation, a community] volunteer [willingly offer themselves, freely give], bless [praise, honor] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 3 Listen [hear and obey], O kings [royal rulers]! Give ear [pay attention], O princes [noble leaders]! I [the speaker, a worshiper] will sing [make music, praise] to the LORD [Yehovah, the God of Israel]; I will sing praise [celebrate] to the LORD [the God of Israel, the supreme God], the God [Elohim, the one true God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]. word study 4 O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], when You went out [came forth, marched] from Seir [a mountain in Idumaea, meaning hairy or shaggy], when You marched [stepped regularly, paced] from the land [earth, territory] of Edom [the region where Esau lived], the earth [ground, soil] trembled [shook, quaked], the heavens [visible universe, sky] poured out rain [dropped], and the clouds [dark clouds, thick clouds] poured down [dropped, dripped] water [a source of refreshment, liquid]. word study 5 The mountains [hills] quaked [melted, flowed] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the One of Sinai [the mountain where the Law was given], before the LORD [the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, the chosen people]. word study 6 In the days [of great turmoil, times of crisis] of Shamgar [a deliverer] son of Anath [father of Shamgar, answer or response], in the days [epochs, periods of history] of Jael [a brave woman, heroine], the highways [main roads, public paths] were deserted [unoccupied, ceased to be used] and the travelers [those journeying, wayfarers] took the byways [winding paths, crooked roads]. word study 7 Life [village life, daily activity] in the villages [rural areas, unwalled towns] ceased [stopped, came to an end]; it ended [ceased to exist, was no more] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob], until I, Deborah [a prophetess and judge], arose [stood up, rose to power], a mother [a maternal figure, caregiver] in Israel. word study 8 When they chose [selected, elected] new [recently created, renewed] gods [Elohim, divine beings], then [at that time, previously] war [battle, conflict] came to their gates [city entrances, points of access]. Not a shield [means of protection, defense] or spear [weapon, lance] was found [seen, discovered] among forty thousand [a large number, multitude] in Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s people]. word study 9 My [innermost being, feelings, and will] heart is with the [governors, rulers, or leaders] princes of Israel, with the volunteers [those who offer themselves willingly] among the [nation, people, or community] people. Bless [praise, honor, or magnify] the [Yehovah, the Lord God] LORD! word study 10 You who ride [on the backs of] white [tawny, light brown] donkeys, who sit [dwell, remain] on saddle blankets [rich carpets, garments], and you who travel [go, walk] the road [way, path], ponder [meditate, think deeply, muse] word study 11 the voices [sounds of joy, shouts of triumph] of the singers at the watering places [by the wells, where people gather]. There they shall recount [tell again, celebrate] the righteous acts [just deeds, virtuous works] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], the righteous deeds [just actions, moral excellence] of His villagers [rural people, inhabitants of unwalled towns] in Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. Then the people [nation, community] of the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God] went down [descended, came forth] to the gates [city entrances, places of gathering]: word study 12 ‘Awake, awake, O Deborah [prophetess and judge]! Awake, awake, sing a song [utter a hymn of praise]! Arise, O Barak [lightning, deliverer], and take hold of your captives [lead your captivity captive, prisoners of war], O son [descendant] of Abinoam [father of Barak]!’ word study 13 Then [at that time, earlier] the survivors [remnants, those who remain] came down [to rule, have power over] to the nobles [leaders, great ones]; the people [nation, community] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] came down [to fight, to have dominion] to me against [among, in the midst of] the mighty [strong, powerful ones]. word study 14 Some came from Ephraim [a land once belonging to the Amalekites], with their roots [source, foundation] in Amalek; Benjamin [son of the right hand, a tribe of Israel] came with your people [nation, tribe] after you [in your rear, following]. The commanders [governors, lawgivers] came down [descended, went lower] from Machir [an Israelite leader], the bearers [those handling, drawing] of the marshal’s staff [a rod or staff, a sceptre] from Zebulun [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob]. word study 15 The princes [rulers, leaders] of Issachar [there is recompense] were with Deborah [a prophetess and judge], and Issachar was with Barak [lightning, a deliverer], rushing into the valley [a lowland area] at his heels [feet, in his footsteps]. In the clans [divisions, sections] of Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob] there was great [significant, substantial] indecision [thoughts of heart, inner turmoil]. word study 16 Why did you sit [dwell, remain] among the sheepfolds [sheep pens, folds for flocks] to hear [listen, obey] the whistling [piping, bleatings] for the flocks [herds, groups of animals]? In the clans [divisions, tribes] of Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob] there was great [large, significant] indecision [searchings of heart, uncertainty]. word study 17 Gilead [beyond the Jordan, in the mountainous region] remained [to dwell, to stay] beyond the Jordan [the key river in Israel]. Dan [the tribe, a son of Jacob], why [what, how] did you linger [remain, sojourn] by the ships [fleet, vessels]? Asher [the eighth son of Jacob] stayed [to dwell, to sit] at the coast [seashore, by the sea] and remained [to abide, to live] in his harbors [landing places, creeks]. word study 18 Zebulun was a people [who jeopardized their lives, exposing their soul] who risked their lives [unto death, to the point of death]; Naphtali, too [upon the high places], on the heights of the battlefield [in the high places of the field, on the elevated areas of the land]. word study 19 Kings [rulers, monarchs] came and fought [engaged in battle, waged war]; then the kings [royal leaders] of Canaan [the land of the Canaanites] fought at Taanach [an ancient city in Palestine] by the waters [source of refreshment] of Megiddo [a significant city in Israel], but they took [acquired, obtained] no plunder [unjust gain, spoils] of silver [valuable metal, wealth]. word study 20 From [the visible universe, the abode of God] the heavens [the sky] the stars [round or shining celestial bodies] fought [to feed on or consume, battling against]; from their [raised highways or public roads] courses [paths, orbits] they fought [battled, consumed] against [in opposition to, together with] Sisera [a Canaanite king and general, meaning battle array]. word study 21 The River Kishon [that ancient river, a brook or stream] swept them away [with force, to remove quickly], the ancient [from a very long time ago] river, the River Kishon. March on [bravely, with strength], O my soul [the essence of a person, a living being], in strength [physical power, might, or boldness]! word study 22 Then [at that time, in the past] the hooves [heel, footprint] of horses [chariot horses, swallows] thundered [were broken, stamped]— the mad [rushing, dashing] galloping [prancings, stampeding] of his [mighty, strong] stallions [war-horses, powerful ones]. word study 23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. ‘Bitterly curse [execrate, wish harm upon] her inhabitants; for they did not come [approach, draw near] to help [assist, aid] the LORD, to help [support, succor] the LORD against the mighty [strong, powerful warriors].’ word study 24 Most blessed [highly favored, praised] among women is Jael [a brave Canaanite woman], the wife [partner, companion] of Heber [comrade, friend] the Kenite [a member of the Kenite tribe], most blessed [highly honored, esteemed] of tent-dwelling [nomadic, living in a portable home] women [females, wives]. word study 25 He asked [requested, inquired] for water [liquid refreshment], and she gave [presented, offered] him milk. In a magnificent [great] bowl [basin] she brought [presented] him curds [butter, curdled milk]. word study 26 She reached for the tent peg [a small, pointed piece of metal], her right hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] for the workman’s hammer [a basic tool used in everyday life]. She struck Sisera [the Canaanite king and general] and crushed his skull [completely destroying it]; she shattered [severely wounding] and pierced [passing through] his temple [the side of the head, rakka]. word study 27 At her feet [between her feet] he collapsed [bowed, in reverence or defeat], he fell [to the ground], there he lay still [rested, in a state of inactivity]; at her feet he collapsed [bowed], he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell [to the ground] dead [destroyed, ruined]. word study 28 Sisera’s mother [the queen, his female parent] looked through the window [gazing out, peering]; she peered through the lattice [a crisscross pattern, a decorative screen] and lamented [cried out, mourned]: ‘Why [for what reason, on account of what] is his chariot [vehicle, war carriage] so long in coming [delayed, taking time to arrive]? What has delayed [caused to tarry, hindered] the clatter [sound, noise] of his chariots [war vehicles, cavalry]?’ word study 29 Her wisest [most skilled, intelligent] ladies [princesses, noble women] answer; indeed [also, in addition] she keeps telling [returning words to, speaking to] herself [her own heart, her own mind], word study 30 ‘Are they not [perhaps, maybe] finding [discovering, attaining] and dividing [apportioning, sharing] the spoil [plunder, booty]— a girl [damsel, maiden] or two [a pair, a couple] for each warrior [great man, fighter], a plunder [spoil, prey] of dyed [colored, embroidered] garments [clothing, apparel] for Sisera [the Canaanite king], the spoil [plunder, booty] of embroidered [needlework, intricate designs] garments [clothing, apparel] for the neck [throat, adornment] of the looter [spoiler, plunderer]?’ word study 31 So may all [every single one] your enemies [haters, adversaries] perish [be destroyed, lost], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]! But may those who love [have affection for, are devoted to] You shine [be radiant, glow] like the sun [the sun; the east or the west] at its brightest [in its full strength, with great might].” And the land [earth, territory] had rest [was at peace, quiet] for forty [a significant period of time, marking completion] years [periods of time, seasons]. word study