Judges 5

1. Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

2. “Praise the LORD for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves.

3. Hear, O kings. Give ear, O princes. I, even I, will sing to the LORD, I will sing to the LORD God of Israel.

4. LORD, when You went out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

5. The mountains quaked from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

6. In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were empty, and the travelers walked through crooked ways.

7. The leaders ceased in Israel, they ceased until I, Deborah, arose; until I arose, a mother in Israel.

8. They chose new gods; then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

9. My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.

10. Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit in judgment and walk by the way.

11. Louder than the voice of archers at the watering places, there shall they tell again the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous acts of His leaders in Israel. Then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

12. Awake, awake, Deborah. Awake, awake, sing a song. Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.

13. Then He made me tread on the remnant of the nobles among the people. The LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

14. Out of Ephraim there was a root of them against Amalek, following you, Benjamin, with your peoples. Out of Machir came down commanders, and out of Zebulun came they who handle the pen of the writer.

15. And the rulers of Issachar were with Deborah, even Issachar, and also Barak. He was sent on foot into the valley. There were great searchings of heart for the divisions of Reuben.

16. Why did you stay among the sheepfolds to hear the bleating of the flocks? For in the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17. Gilead stayed beyond Jordan. And why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore and remained in
his havens.

18. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people who put their lives in danger of death in the high places of the field.

19. Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no gain of silver.

20. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

21. The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength.

22. Then did the hooves of horses beat from the galloping, the galloping of their mighty ones.

23. ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD; ‘Curse the people of it bitterly because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.’

24. Blessed among women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be. She shall be blessed above women in the tent.

25. He asked for water, and she gave him milk. She brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26. She put her hand to the peg and her right hand to the workman’s hammer. She hammered Sisera; she smashed his head; she pierced and struck through his temple.

27. He bowed between her feet, he fell, he lay down. Between her feet he bowed; he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28. The mother of Sisera looked out a window and cried through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariot wait?’

29. Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned an answer to herself,

30. ‘Do they not find and divide the spoil? A woman, two women for every man, for Sisera a prize of dyed garments, a prize of embroidered dyed garments for the necks of those that take the spoil.’

31. So let all Your enemies perish, O LORD. But let them that love Him be like the sun going forth in its glory.” And the land had rest forty years.