Judges 5
PATcommonly used in tins sense; as Bochart skews, lib. i. Canaan, cap. 16. and 42. It is likely there was a great flood, which was made by that sudden violent rain, which fell in the forenamed tempest. That ancient river, the river Kishon.] It is an elegancy used by orators themselves (as we find in Cicero) to repeat the same words, when there is great occasion. And here she makes an addition to the same word; by calling Kishon that ancient river; because of some other great exploit performed thero in ancient timo; the memory of which is now lost. But Kcchimim some take to be a proper name, and another name of the same river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.] This is an elegant apostrophe (or turning of her speech) to herself; whose happiness she applauds, in beholding the most powerful enemies quite vanquished, by her commission which she gave from God, and by her prayers to. him: for none can doubt that she implored help from heaven, while Barak fought with Siscra. of her cutting off his head from the body, but only of striking it through, as here it must be understood. When she hud pierced and stricken through his temples.] Here are two words more, machatz and chalaph, signifying penetrating and boring quite through. And the place is specified where his head was perforated, which was in his temples, the softest part of it, which gave the easiest entrance to the nail.
Judges 5:1
JL JIEN sang Deborah, and Barak the son of Abi- \ noam, in that day, this song. It was composed by Deborah, (ver. 7.) being a prophetess, one of whose special gifts was to sing God’s praises, (1 Chrbn. xxv. 1 — 3.) and commanded to be sung by the authority of Barak; who was now, I suppose, become a jud&e, upon this great deliverance God had wrought by him. For it is not to be thought that these two persons alone, sang this song; but all the elders of the people were called together in one assembly to sing it with them; and they afterward delivered it to the people. It was likely it was composed and sung after they had completed their victory by the destruction of Jabiu’s kingdom. For the prophets were taught such sublimity of thought and speech, as is used in these songs, by their admiration of such wonderful events as they observed.
Judges 5:2
Praise the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. It is evident to all, that this hymn is expressed in another kind of language, than the historical part of this book; and in a language So majestic, in such variety of elegant figures, and such native expressions of those affections which the occasion required, that none of the ancient Greek or Latin poets have equalled; at least it appears, there was a most excellent spirit of poetry among the Hebrew’s, especially such of them as were divinely moved, when the Greeks lay in dark ignorance.. And first she excites all the people to give thanks unto God, and acknowledge his wisdom and power, in taking vengeance of their oppressors, and in moving the hearts of so many especially in Naphtali and Zebulun, voluntarily to list themselves to fight against the Lord’s enemies: where it is to be noted, that she very wisely excites them so to ascribe the victory unto God, as not to forget the instruments he used to obtain it; for that she knew would be a great encouragement to others in time to come, to engage themselves in such enterprises, when they saw these men so highly praised, and looked upon as employed by God in his service.
Judges 5:3
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes. Next, she calls upon all the neighbouring potentates to give attentive heed unto her song; whereby they might understand what God had done for Israel, and learn from’ thence not to oppress them, when it was in their power; for fear of the same vengeance which God had taken upon Jabin. I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praises to the Lord God of Israel.] Who she would have the world know was superior to all in power, and would defend his people, while they depended on him alone.
Judges 5:4
Lord, when thou wentest out ofSeir, when thou marchedst out ofEdom. This is but a repetition of the same thing; Edom and Seir signifying the country where the posterity of Esau dwelt, who refused to give Israel a passage through their land, as the Lord led them into Canaan; and therefore he conducted them from thence another way, and made them encompass that land: (Numb.* xxi. 4. Deut. ii. 1.) and when they had left it behind them (which is here called marching out of Edom), then he wrought for them astonishing things, as it follows in the next words. Tlte earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.] These are poetical phrases, to express the great consternation in w T hich all those countries were, when they saw Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og the king ofBashan, overthrown on a sudden by the Israelites > and utterly destroyed. (See Numb. xxi. 21, &c.) Digitized by microsoft CHAP. V.] UPON JUDGES.
Judges 5:5
The mountains melted from before the Lord J. All the inhabitants of those mountains. Even that Sinai, from before the Lord God of Israel.’] Just as Sinai trembled and quaked at the giving of the law. In these two verses she turns her speech unto God, and commemorates his wonderful acts in former times, with which she compares the glorious deliverance he had given them now: as much as to say, his power was not at all decayed, but he was as terrible to his enemies in her days, as he had been in former times.
Judges 5:6
In the day of Shamgar the son ofAnath, in the days ofJael. The sense of this verse will be very plain, if we translate these words, as I think the Hebrew will bear, from the days of Shamgar, &e. After his death they fell into sin and great misery. And Jael is here mentioned, not as a judge (as Rasi and Ralbag fancy), but as a great woman of a masculine and valiant spirit, who yet “could do nothing to hinder those spoils that were committed. The highways were unoccupied.] The people being corrupted in their religion, broke out into all manner of violence, and turned highway-robbers; so that men durst not travel in the common road upon their occasions, but were fain to seek for by-paths, because the highways were infested by thieves: or this may be meant of robberies which Jabin’s soldiers committed, after he had brought them in subjection to him; who took no care to protect the Israelites, but suffered their country to be ravaged by his troops.’ The travellers walked through by-ways.] In the Hebrew (as in the margin of our Bibles is observed) the words are, the walkers of paths: by which we may understand men accustomed to travel, who, though they went in great companies together, yet durst not venture in the direct road, but went about through crooked ways (as the Hebrew word signifies, which we translate by-ways), by which means commerce was very much obstructed.
Judges 5:7
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel. Men were not safe in their own houses; which were broken open, if they lived in villages, and therefore they forsook them, and fled to walled towns, and fortified places. Until that I Deborah arose.] This some of the Jews take to be a proud and arrogant expression, for which the Holy Spirit was taken from her: but Rasi (who reports this conceit) soberly acknowledges, that they are not words of boasting, but of joy and gladness. Tluit I arose a mother in Israel.] A judge or ruler of God’s people. For, as men that governed were called fathers of their country, so it was proper for her, being a Woman, to call herself a mother in Israel; among whom she did such great things, and governed with so much prudence, that it made her famous in other countries. For very learned men think, as I noted above, that the story of Sphinx among the Greeks was made out of the history of Deborah, she being a judge among the Boeotians, as’ Deborah was in Israel. (See Bochart in the book beforenamed; and Hennannus Witsius more lately, in his Miscellanea Sacra, lib. i. cap. 23.)
Judges 5:8
They chose new gods. That is, the Israelites, after the death of Ehud, forsook the Lord, and served Baalim and Ashtaroth, (as they had done formerly, ii. 13. iii. 7.) or perhaps they introduced the worship of some other gods, whom they had not served before, fancying they might be more powerful than their former had proved. Then was war in the gates.] This was the fountain of all their calamities; for God immediately delivered them into the hand of some enemy or other, who possessed themselves of their cities and strong holds; for that is the meaning of war in the gates. Their.enemies seized on their cities and fortresses; for their strength was in their gates; where sat also the courts of justice. Was there spear or shield seen among forty thousand in Israel?] They were generally disarmed, for the securing their subjection to the Canaanites; as afterward the Philistines took the same course with them, (1 Sam. xiii. 19.) Here the Targum makes a strange excursion in mustering up the many thousand commanders, and sword-men, anil spear-men, and archers, &c. that were in the army of Sisera.
Judges 5:9
My heart is towards the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. It seems there were some of the greatest men in the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun, who, of their own accord, hazarded their lives, among the common people, in this service: towards whom she expresses a singular affection; and, with the praises of God, mixes the commendation of those who were his instruments in this deliverance. Bless ye the Lord.] This is added, like a prophetess, who, when she commends the most deserving men, carries their thoughts up to God, who gave, them that courage and good success. -Abarbinel had a conceit came into his head, as he tells us, when he was commenting on these words, that by chokkee Israel (which Kimchi interprets as we do, the great men of Israel), are. meant the scribes, whose office it was to register all notable passages, particularly the causes of wars, and thcir,events; whom Deborah exhorts to bless the Lord, and when they wrote. the history of this war, to ascribe the success to the Divine favour. But it is not likely they had such scribes in these ages, as it is likely they had in future times; much less such plenty of them now in these confused days, that Deborah should make a particular address to them to do their duty.
Judges 5:10
Speak. i. e. Give thanks to, God. Ye that ride on white asses.] She calls upon such men, as the governors beforcmentioned, to proclaim aloud the praises of God. There were no horses in Judea, but what were brought out of other countries,. so. that the greatest persons rode on asses, as appears by the Scripture story; but in this country they were commonly of a red colour, (whence an ass hath the name of chamor, as Bochart observes, lib. ii. Hieroz. cap. 12.) and therefore white asses (or, as he translates this word, whitish, or that were of a colour inclining to white) were highly esteemed for their rarity, and used only by hdnourable persons; who could not appear in any splendour during their servitude under Jabin, but now were restored to their dignity; for which she <would have them praise the Lord. < Ye that sit in judgment.] With whom she exhorts the judges to join, who now sat in the gates, as they were wont to do, which were not possessed by their enemies, (ver. 8.) Or perhaps this belongs to the foregoing clause, it being
Judges 5:22
Then were the horse-hoofs broken. They could not save themselves by flight, their horse-hoofs being broken in stony places, when they ran away as fast as they were able. By the means of their prancings.] The more haste they made the worse speed (as the common saying is), for they running full gallop (so the Jews interpret the Hebrew word dahar [prancings] to signify the swiftest course), they trod the harder on the ground, and were in the more danger to break their hoofs. Tlie prancings.] The Hebrews wanting a superlative degree in their language, are wont to double a word (as Peter Martyr here observes); and therefore prancings, prancings, hp thinks, are not here’ an orriament of speech, but signify the most vehement motion, when a horse is in his full speed. Of their mighty ones.] Of their best and strpngest horses: for the word abbirim in Hebrew, as Bochart observes, signifies not only strong bulls, but horses also. (See Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 6.)
Judges 5:23
Curse ye Meroz. Most interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, understand by Meroz a city not far from the placo where the fight was. Which seems to be proved by the following Words, where he speaks of the inhabitants thereof But R. Sol. Jarchi thinks Meroz signifies a potent person in those parts, who being able to give great assistance to Barak, and living near Mount Tabor, refused to do any thing. And this is the opinion of the Talmudists (whom Jarchi is wont to follow), as Mr. Selden shews out of the Gemara Babylon, lib. i. de Synedriis, cap. C. p. 123, &c. where they fancy that this great man was excommunicated by Deborah, with all his adherents; and hence they. fetch the ground and original of the excommunication in use among them: which is an idle conceit; there being no such thing as excommunication practised among them, till they had quite lost their civil government, and it was in the hands of the, heathen. Saith the angel of the Lord.] She would not have it thought that this curse proceeded frOm her anger, but from the authority of God, who, by his angel, which spake to her, denounced it against Meroz. And who should this angel be, but the Captain of the Lord’s host, mentioned Josh. v. 14.? (See there.),, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof ] They that take Meroz for a person, by inhabitants understand those that dwelt near him, and were his dependants or associates; which is very forced. Because they came not to the help of the Lord.] The battle was the Lord’s, as the Scripture elsewhere speaks, and therefore they that refused to engage in it, refused to maintain his cause: and the people of this place are so heavily cursed, when all others that came not in to help their brethren are only discommended, because they lived so near, that they might easily have joined their forces with them, whereas some others lived a great way off, which might something excuse them. To the help of the Lord against the mighty.] According to this translation of the last word, she means their most powerful enemies; but the Hebrew may as well be translated ivith the mighty; that is, with other valiant men, who freely offered their service in this enterprise. This aggravated their guilt, that when they had such noble examples of zeal from others, who were less able to help, they would afford no assistance.
Judges 5:24
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be. On the other side, she desires Jael may be ever praised; or rather foretells she shall always continue famous, and her husband too, in future generations. Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.] This is thought to be a wishing, or promising her all happiness in her domestic affairs. But P. Martyr thinks it may be interpreted, Blessed shall she be for what she did in her tent. Which was no less glorious, than what others did in the field.
Judges 5:25
He asked water, and she brought him milk.’) Her prudence is first commended, in treating him with great respect, that he might entertain no suspicion of’danger.. " She brought forth butter.] Milk from which the cream (of which butter is made) was not separated. * In a lordly dish.] Tho Hobrew word sephel (which we translate dish) is no where else found, but in the story of Gideon in the next chapter, vi. 38. where we translate it a bowl. From whence Bochart rightly concludes, it signifies a large and wide vessel, (par. i. Hieroz. lib. ii. cap. 49.) which explains the word lordly or princely; which doth not signify that she had any gold or silver vessel in her tent (which was not agreeable to their manner of living), but that’ sho brought him milk in the best vessel she had, and that very capacious: for out,of such great men w r ere wont to drink, as Pet. Martyr observes out of Cicero against M. Antony. Ver. 2G. She put her hand to the nail] Next her courage and fortitude is celebrated: and hy hand is to be understood her left, wherewith she held the nail, as with* her right hand the hammer. And her right hand to the workmen’s hammer.] A lively description how she went about this work; just as if she had been fastening her tent. And with her hammer she smote Sisera.] The Hebrew word halam, which we translate smote, signifies such a blow as makes a contusion. She smote off his head.] The word machak, which is commonly translated cut off, cannot have that signification here; because there is not the least indication in this story
Judges 5:27
At her feet he boived, he fell, he lay dozen. In the Hebrew, between her feet, &c. which some of the Talmudists have abused to a lewd sense; justly censured by Kimchi: who observes, that this is according to the style of the Hebrew language, which reduplicates words, that they may more strongly affirm what is said; and these words, he bowed, he fell, signify (he thinks).such a fall that he never rose up again. But taking all these expressions together [lie bowed, he fell, he lay down], they seem to me to import, that, at the first stroke, he started and lifted up his body; but being very much stunned, he soon laid down again. At her feet he bowed, he fell.] Then I suppose she repeated her stroke, which perfectly disabled bim to move, Wliere he bowed, there he fell down dead.] And at the third stroke, it is likely, she fastened his head to the ground. But this repetition doth not certainly argue that she gave so many blows (though it may pass for a probable conjecture); for it is an usual elegancy in such composures, wherein she intended to set out this fact of Jael’s 1 with the highest encomiums. Some may fancy, indeed,’that it deserved reprehension, rather than commendation, upon many accounts; being a breach of the laws of hospitality, and of the peace which was between her family and Jabin, &c. But this fact is not to be measured by the common rules which are to govern us, it being an extraordinary, heroic, and Divine work, unto which she was excited by God; whose people Jabin oppressed with a cruel servitude, from which God, ordered Barak to be their deliverer; who, having defeated all his forces in a miraculous manner, Jael understood there was a Divine band in this victory, and was moved by the same spirit which stirred np Deborab and Barak, to help, by this act, to complete their shameful overthrow. For nothing could be more dishonourable, than for a great captain to fall thus by the hand of a woman.
Judges 5:28
The mother ofSisera looked out at a window.* Was in earnest longings and expectations to see him return victorious. And tried through the lattice*] Either fear of some miscarriage, or impatient desire, made her cry out with a lamentable voice; as the word jabab in the Hebrew signifies. Why is his chariot so long in coming? Wliy tarry the wheels of his chariot?] Having such numerous forces, they promised themselves an easy and speedy victory over a handful of the Israelites; and therefore wondered what retarded his coming back, with all his chariots, in triumph.
Judges 5:29
Her wise ladies answered her. The Vulgar takes the Hebrew words to signify, one of the wisest of Jits wives (who was not so apt to despair as his mother) replied to her! For it is well observed by Terence, iji his Adclphi (as Pet. Martyr here notes), " Multo satius ost, ea evenirc nobis qua?, de absentibus suspicantur uxores quam ea quae parentes.” It is much better that those things should happen to their absent husbands, ivhich their wives suspect, than those which their parents fear* But I see no reason to depart from our translation, which is the same with the LXX. al <ro<pal apx ov
Judges 5:30
Have they not sped?. She did not think it possible they should miscarry. • . Have they not divided the prey?] She was willing to be confident they had got the victory; and therefore imputed their stay to the time that must needs be’taken up in making an equal division of the spoil. For those days were not like to ours, wherein every man keeps to himself what he can lay his hands upon; but after the battle, they were obliged to bring all that they had gotten to the general of the army; who considered every man’s quality and desert, and accordingly distributed Ihe prey among them. To every mana damsel or two.] Young virgins are by all historians and poets reckoned as a principal part of the soldiers’ prey. - And she puts here an unusual word for a damsel, which is racham; for it properly signifies a womb, and seems here to be spoken by way of contempt, as if they were good for nothing but to serve their filthy appetites. To Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours ofneedle-work, of divers colours oj’needle-work on both sides.] These were the richest part of the spoil, being highly esteemed by all people, as Pliny observes, lib. viii. cap. 48. where he mentions great variety of them, both in bis own and in ancient time: for be takes notice* that Horner^ mentions pictas vestes, as he calls them, painted garments, which shined with flowers and trees in beautiful colours; which the Phrygians afterward wrought with needles; and Attalus invented the interweaving gold in them: but for divers-coloured garments, Babylon w r as above all places famous; from whence they had Ihe name of Babylonish garptents, which were much valued even in those early times, as appears by the story of Achan, Josh. vii. 21. and they were of such account in aftertimes, that every one was not pennitted to wear them, but only the greater sort of persons (as Pet. -Martyr observes out of the Roman laws), which may be tho reason that here they are appropriated to Sisera as bis part of the spoil. Meet for thenecjes of them that take the spoil?] That is, of the chief commanders, to whom the spoil, as I said, was brought to be divided. In the Hebrew the words are, for thenecks of the spoil; which Kimchi expounds, the head of the prey. As if she had said, These are to be put in the head of the prey; and therefore fit to be given only to the goneral of the army.
Judges 5:31
So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord. From hence she takes occasion to convert her speech to God, beseeching him, that all his enemies may be thus, disappointed of their vain hopes. But Ut all them that love him be as the sun ivhen he goetli forth jnjiis might.] Increase in power and force, as the sun doth from.the time of i(s rising till it comes to its meridian height Jlndfhe land had rest forty years.] These forty years are to bexomputed from the time of Ehud, as our great primate