HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 591
JUDG ES 5
page 221
23 So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin,
the Canaanite king. 24 And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King
Jabin until they finally destroyed him.
The Song of Deborah
On that day Deborah and Barak son of
Abinoam sang this song:
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“Israel’s leaders took charge,
and the people gladly followed.
Praise the Lord!
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“Listen, you kings!
Pay attention, you mighty rulers!
For I will sing to the Lord.
I will make music to the Lord, the God
of Israel.
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“Lord, when you set out from Seir
and marched across the fields of Edom,
the earth trembled,
and the cloudy skies poured down rain.
The mountains quaked in the presence of
the Lord,
the God of Mount Sinai—
in the presence of the Lord,
the God of Israel.
“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
and in the days of Jael,
people avoided the main roads,
and travelers stayed on winding pathways.
There were few people left in the villages
of Israel*—
until Deborah arose as a mother
for Israel.
When Israel chose new gods,
war erupted at the city gates.
Yet not a shield or spear could be seen
among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
My heart is with the commanders of Israel,
with those who volunteered for war.
Praise the Lord!
“Consider this, you who ride on fine
donkeys,
you who sit on fancy saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road.
Listen to the village musicians*
gathered at the watering holes.
They recount the righteous victories of
the Lord
and the victories of his villagers in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord
marched down to the city gates.
“Wake up, Deborah, wake up!
Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!
Arise, Barak!
Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!
5:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 5:11 The
meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 5:15 As in some Hebrew
manuscripts and Syriac version, which read searchings of
heart; Masoretic Text reads resolve of heart.
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“Down from Tabor marched the few against
the nobles.
The people of the Lord marched down
against mighty warriors.
They came down from Ephraim—
a land that once belonged to the
Amalekites;
they followed you, Benjamin, with your
troops.
From Makir the commanders marched down;
from Zebulun came those who carry a
commander’s staff.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah
and Barak.
They followed Barak, rushing into
the valley.
But in the tribe of Reuben
there was great indecision.*
Why did you sit at home among the
sheepfolds—
to hear the shepherds whistle for
their flocks?
Yes, in the tribe of Reuben
there was great indecision.
Gilead remained east of the Jordan.
And why did Dan stay home?
Asher sat unmoved at the seashore,
remaining in his harbors.
But Zebulun risked his life,
as did Naphtali, on the heights of
the battlefield.
“The kings of Canaan came and fought,
at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs,
but they carried off no silver treasures.
The stars fought from heaven.
The stars in their orbits fought against
Sisera.
The Kishon River swept them away—
that ancient torrent, the Kishon.
March on with courage, my soul!
Then the horses’ hooves hammered the
ground,
the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s
mighty steeds.
‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said
the angel of the Lord.
‘Let them be utterly cursed,
because they did not come to help the
Lord—
to help the Lord against the mighty
warriors.’
“Most blessed among women is Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite.
May she be blessed above all women
who live in tents.
Sisera asked for water,
and she gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for nobles,
she brought him yogurt.