Praise to God for Victory
Study note
This ancient victory song is one of the oldest pieces of Hebrew poetry in the Bible. Deborah and Barak sang it to celebrate God's power in delivering Israel. The opening verses describe God's awesome presence, with the earth trembling and the heavens pouring rain, recalling how God appeared at Mount Sinai when he gave Moses the law.
1 That same day, Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song: Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2 "Give praise to the Lord! Israel's leaders stepped up, and the people eagerly volunteered for battle. Praise the Lord!" Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3 "Pay attention, kings! Listen carefully, rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will make music for the Lord, the God of Israel." Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
4 "Lord, when you marched out from Seir, when you advanced from Edom's land, the ground trembled, rain poured from the sky, and water streamed from the clouds." LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5 "The mountains shook in the presence of the Lord, the God of Sinai, in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel." The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
The Desperate Condition of Israel
Study note
Before Deborah arose as leader, the roads were so dangerous that travelers had to use hidden back paths. Village life had nearly ceased because the people were terrified of the Canaanites. Israel had chosen to worship new gods, and as a result they had no weapons to defend themselves. The song calls on everyone, from rich to poor, to retell God's mighty acts at the watering places, where people gathered to draw water.
6 "Back in the days of Shamgar son of Anath, back when Jael was alive, the main roads were deserted. Travelers had to sneak along back paths to get anywhere." In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 "Life in Israel's villages had almost disappeared. Then I, Deborah, stepped up as a mother for Israel." The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
8 "When the people started chasing after new gods, war arrived at the city gates. Out of forty thousand soldiers in Israel, you could not find a single shield or spear." They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 "My heart goes out to Israel's commanders, to those among the people who willingly stepped forward. Praise the Lord!" My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10 "Speak up, all of you who ride white donkeys and sit on fine saddle blankets, and you who travel the roads on foot." Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11 "Let the voices at the watering holes tell the story of the Lord's righteous victories for his village people in Israel. Then the Lord's people marched down to the city gates." They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
The Tribes Who Fought and Those Who Stayed Home
Study note
The song praises the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir (part of Manasseh), Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali for joining the battle. But it sharply criticizes Reuben for sitting among their sheep instead of fighting, Dan for staying by their ships, Asher for remaining on the seacoast, and Gilead (Gad) for staying east of the Jordan. Zebulun and Naphtali are especially honored for risking their lives on the battlefield.
12 "Get up, get up, Deborah! Get up, get up, and sing your song! Rise, Barak! Go capture your prisoners, son of Abinoam!" Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13 "Then the survivors marched down to join the leaders. The Lord's people came to me ready to fight." Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14 "Warriors came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek's territory. Benjamin marched with its troops behind you. Officers came down from Machir, and commanders marched from Zebulun." Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15 "The chiefs of Issachar stood with Deborah. Issachar was loyal to Barak, rushing down into the valley at his side. But over in Reuben's territory, people spent a long time debating what to do." 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.
16 "Why did you sit among the sheep pens, listening to shepherds calling their flocks? Over in Reuben's territory, people spent a long time debating what to do." Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 "Gilead stayed put on the far side of the Jordan. Why did Dan hang around by the ships? Asher stayed behind on the seacoast, comfortable in their harbors." Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18 "But Zebulun and Naphtali put their lives on the line out there on the open battlefield." Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
God Fights from Heaven
Study note
The Canaanite kings fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo but gained nothing. The song poetically says even the stars fought from heaven against Sisera, and the Kishon River swept the enemy away. This likely describes a sudden rainstorm that flooded the river and turned the battlefield to mud, trapping the Canaanite chariots. The town of Meroz is cursed for refusing to help in the battle.
19 "Kings marched out to fight. The kings of Canaan battled at Taanach near Megiddo's waters, but they went home without any plunder or treasure." The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20 "Even the stars in the sky joined the fight. From their paths overhead, they battled against Sisera." They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21 "The Kishon River, that ancient river, swept Sisera's army away. March forward with courage, my soul!" The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22 "The horses' hooves hammered the ground, galloping, galloping, as the mighty stallions charged." Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
23 "The angel of the Lord declared, 'Place a curse on the town of Meroz! A bitter curse on all who live there! They refused to come help the Lord fight against his powerful enemy.'" Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
Jael Honored and Sisera's Mother Waits
Study note
The song blesses Jael above all women for her courage in killing Sisera. It paints a vivid picture of Sisera's mother looking out her window, wondering why her son's chariot is taking so long to return. Her ladies suggest he must be dividing the plunder, not knowing he is already dead. The song ends with a prayer that all God's enemies will perish like Sisera, while those who love God will shine like the sun. After this victory, the land had peace for forty years.
24 "Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, deserves the highest honor among women. She is the most blessed of all women who dwell in tents." Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25 "Sisera asked for water, but she served him milk instead. She brought him cream in an elegant bowl." He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26 "With one hand she grabbed a tent peg, and with the other a workman's hammer. She struck Sisera and smashed his skull, shattering his temple completely." She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27 "He collapsed at her feet, crumpled and still. There at her feet he sank down, fell over, and lay motionless. Right where he fell, there he lay dead." At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28 "Sisera's mother peered through the window and called out through the lattice screen, 'What is taking his chariot so long? Why have I not heard the sound of his chariots returning?'" The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29 "Her wisest ladies tried to comfort her. And she kept repeating to herself," Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30 "'They must be finding and splitting up the loot. A girl or two goes to every soldier. Fancy colorful cloth goes to Sisera. Beautifully stitched clothing and two pieces of embroidered cloth go to the winners.'" Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
31 "Lord, let every one of your enemies die this way! But let everyone who loves you shine as brightly as the sun at its strongest." After this, the land had peace for forty years. So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.