Judges 5:15

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah,.... On Mount Tabor, whither they came to offer themselves to join in the war against Jabin; or to assist with their counsels, the men of this tribe

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. He was sent on foot into the valley.

Were with Deborah, i.e. ready to assist her. Even Issachar. Heb. and Issachar, i.e. the tribe or people of Issachar, following the counsel and example of their princes, and being now at their commandments, as they were afterwards upon another occasion, . And also Barak, or, even as Barak, i.e. they were as hearty and valiant as Barak their general; and as he marched on foot here and , against their enemies’ horses and chariots, and that into the valley, where the main use of horses and chariots lies; so did they with no less courage and resolution. The divisions, or separations; whereby they were divided or separated, not so much one from another in their thoughts, counsels, and carriage in this war, (for they seem to be all too well agreed in abiding at home with their sheep, as it follows,) as all from their brethren, from whom they were divided no less in their designs and affections, than in their situation by the river Jordan; and they would not join their interests and forces with them in this common cause. Great thoughts, or, great searchings, as it is ; great and sad thoughts, and debates, and perplexities of mind among the Israelites, to see themselves deserted by so great and potent a tribe as Reuben was.

Judges 5:15 And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great thoughts of heart.Ver. 15. For the divisions of Reuben.] Who deserted their brethren in this war, there were great thoughts of heart, that is, great heart burnings and inward turmoil of discontent against them: they were very ill thought of, and hardly censured. Others, reading the words thus, In the divisions of Reuben, make this the sense, That the Reubenites are so divided among themselves, and cannot agree upon it to help their brethren against the common enemy; the true cause is their pride and haughtiness of spirit. The truth is, pride is a dividing distemper. Gouty swollen legs keep at a distance. Bladders blown up with wind spurt else from another, they will not close; but if you prick them, you may pack a thousand in a little room. Burr’ s Heart Divisions.

(15) And the princes of Issachar.—The ordinary reading of the Hebrew gives the meaning, “And my princes in Issachar (came down to battle) with Deborah.” If this be the right reading, Deborah calls them “my princes” with a touch of pride, and hence some have assumed that she belonged to the tribe of Issachar, not to that of Ephraim. But a very slight change gives the meaning of “the princes in Issachar.” Deborah did not take actual part in the battle, like Boadicea or Joan of Arc, but seems to have been close at hand, in the rear, to encourage the combatants, as the ancient British and German women used to do, and as Arab women do to this day. Even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley.—Rather, even Issachar, as well as Barak, rushed down at his feet (i.e., after Barak) into the plain (emek).” It is a pity that the verse does not end here, for the next clause begins the description of “the malingerers,” whose cowardice or selfishness is triumphantly contrasted with the heroic daring of Zebulon and Naphtali in Judges 5:18. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.—The word for “divisions” (pelagoth) might mean “families” or “clans,” as the LXX., or “factions,” as the Vulgate seems to have understood it; but it almost certainly means streams, as in Job 20:17 (margin, “streaming brooks”), where alone it recurs. The allusion is to the Jabbok and its numerous affluents. “Thoughts of heart” only occurs elsewhere in Isaiah 12:1. where it is rendered “decrees,” with the epithet “empty,” or “vain.” Possibly, therefore, an ironic contrast is intended between the magnanimous “decisions” (chikekey lçbh) of Reuben and his evanescent “projects”( chikerey lçbh). The play of words is almost certainly contemptuous, and there may be some lurking scorn in the word pelagoth to imply either “rivers” or “factions.” Reuben debated and stayed at home on frivolous pretences, as Sparta did in the days of Marathon. But even then the sting of the reproach lies in the taunting question of the next verse.

Verse 15. The princes of Issachar] They were at hand and came willingly forth, at the call of Deborah, to this important war. Barak - was sent on foot] I have no doubt that ברגלין, without regarding the points, should be translated with his footmen or infantry. Thus the Alexandrian Septuagint understood it, rendering the clause thus: ΟὑτωΒαρακεξαπεστειλενπεζουςαυτουειςτηνκοιλαδα, "Barak also sent forth his footmen into the valley." Luther has perfectly hit the meaning, Barak mit seinen fussvoleke, "Barak with his footmen." For the divisions of Reuben] Either the Reubenites were divided among themselves into factions, which prevented their co-operation with their brethren, or they were divided in their judgment concerning the measures now to be pursued, which prevented them from joining with the other tribes till the business was entirely settled. The thoughts of heart, and searchings of heart, might refer to the doubts and uneasiness felt by the other tribes, when they found the Reubenites did not join them; for they might have conjectured that they were either unconcerned about their liberty, or were meditating a coalition with the Canaanites.

15. the princes of Issachar were with Deborah] This seems to be the meaning; if Deborah belonged to the tribe of Issachar we can understand why she accompanied it; contrast Judges 4:5 n. Issachar is not mentioned in ch. 1 (see p. 3). The settlements of the tribe lay S.E. of the Plain, S. of Naphtali, and S.E. of Zebulun, to judge from Joshua 19:17-23, which, however, defines the boundaries of a much later age. At this period Issachar had not earned the ignoble reputation with which it is taunted in Genesis 49:14 f. As was Issachar, so was Barak] What can this mean? The construction of the sentence is harsh, and the second Issachar is omitted by LXX and Vulgate We should expect the name of another tribe here; in view of Jdg 5:18, cf. Judges 4:6, Naphtali deserved honourable mention at this point. Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet] i.e. at his heels, after him, cf. Judges 4:10, Judges 8:5. The rendering they rushed is a questionable paraphrase of the verb which lit. = he was sent, i.e. according to usage was let go Genesis 44:3, or dismissed Isaiah 50:1; the form must be incorrect. Winckler repeats the verb which he suggests for Judges 5:14 a. 15b–18. The reluctant and the ready. By the watercourses of Reuben] For the rendering watercourses cf. Job 20:17. But the territory of Reuben was dry rather than well-watered (like that of Gad); perhaps the old rendering divisions (LXX, Vulgate), i.e. sections of the tribe, is to be preferred; for this use of the word cf. 2 Chronicles 35:5. Instead of resolves, lit. decisions, the form in Judges 5:16 b is better, soundings, lit. investigations, cf. 1 Samuel 20:12 ‘when I have sounded my father.’ Transl. Among the divisions of Reuben great were the soundings of heart, i.e. to find out one another’s sentiments. Note the character of Reuben given in Genesis 49:4.

Even Issachar ... - i. e. “and, as well as Issachar, Barak also with the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, rushed down on foot from Mount Tabor into the valley to attack the iron chariots of Sisera.”

15. Was he sent at his feet — This was the way in which Issachar was Barak’s support.