Open English Translation JDG Chapter 5

5 That day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:

2 “When the leaders take the lead in Yisrael,

when the people offer themselves willingly,

Yahweh be blessed.

3 Listen you kings.

≈ Pay attention you rulers.

I will sing to Yahweh, yes, even me.

≈ I will make music for Yisrael’s god Yahweh.

4 Yahweh, you left Seir.

≈ You marched out of the Edom region.

The earth quaked.

≈ The heavens also dropped.

And the clouds poured down rain.

5 Mountains melted in Yahweh’s presence,[ref]

Yes, Mt. Sinai shook in front of Yisrael’s god, Yahweh.

6 In the days of Anat’s son Shamgar,

≈ in the days of Yael,

main roads were abandoned,

≈ and travellers walked twisting trails.

7 Israeli villages were abandoned.

≈ No one lived there until I, Deborah, became their leader.

I became one of Yisrael’s mothers.

8 When Yisrael chose new gods,

then enemies attacked the city gates.

No shield or spear could be found

among forty thousand in Yisrael.

9 I’m thankful to Yisrael’s commanders

who volunteered to help the people.

Yahweh be blessed.

10 You riders of white donkeys,

you who sit on saddle blankets,

you who are walking on the road,

tell about this.

11 From the sounds of conflict over the watering places

they recount ≈ Yahweh’s righteousness

and about his righteous warriors in Yisrael.

Then Yahweh’s people went down to the city gates.

12 Wake up, Deborah, wake up.

Wake up, wake up, sing a song.

Barak, get moving and capture your prisoners,

you son of Abinoam.

13 Then the survivor went down to the nobles.

Yahweh’s people went down to the mighty. ???

14 From Efrayim their root was with Amalek.

After you, Benyamin, among your people.

From (Menashsheh’s) Makir, the commanders came down.

And from Zebulun, those who march carrying an officer’s staff.

15 My princes in Yissakar were with Deborah.

And Yissakar was also with Barak.

He was sent into a valley on his heels.

There was intense heart searching among the clans of Reuben.

16 Why did you sit between the sheep pens?

To hear the whistling for the flocks?

There was intense heart searching among the clans of Reuben.

17 Gilead settled east of the Yordan.

But, Dan, why does he stay on ships?

Asher stayed at the sea coast

≈ and lives by his jetties.

18 Zebulun were a tribe that devotedly risked losing their lives.

And Naftali was at their heights on the battlefield.

19 Kings came and made war.

Then the Canaanite kings fought at Taanak,

at the Megiddo springs.

But they weren’t able to plunder any silver.

20 From the sky, the stars battled.

From their courses, they fought against Sisera.

21 The Kishon river swept them away.

An ancient river that Kison river.

March on with strength, my soul.

22 Then the horses’ hooves struck.

His galloping stallions charging.

23 ‘Curse that Meroz place,’ said Yahweh’s messenger.

‘You shall certainly curse its inhabitants

because they didn’t come and help Yahweh—

to help Yahweh against the mighty ones.’

24 Yael will be an honoured woman.

The wife of Heber the Kenite.

She deserves the most praise out of all women who live in tents.

25 He asked for water—she gave him milk,

Yogurt in a bowl suitable for nobles.

26 Her hands reached out for the tent peg,

and her right hand for the workman’s hammer.

She hammered Sisera—shattering his head—

shattering and piercing his temple.

27 He bowed down between her feet—he fell—he lay down.

He bowed down between her feet—where he bowed down, there he fell—destroyed.

28 Sisera’s mother looked out the window.

She peered through the lattice, crying out,

‘Why is his chariot so slow to return?

Why are the hoofbeats of his chariots delayed?’

29 Her wise ladies answered her.

Indeed, she keeps telling herself

30 ‘Won’t they be gathering and dividing the plunder?

A woman or two for each warrior to bear children.

Finding some colourful material for Sisera.

Taking some embroidered fabrics.

Dyed scarves as plunder.’

31 May all your enemies perish like that, Yahweh.

But may those who love you shine like the sun rising in its strength.”

Then that region had peace for forty years.