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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

DEBORAH, Song of

Ancient poem found in Judges 5 (RV · LV · Read together), celebrating an Israelite victory over the Canaanites. Similar to Moses’ song (Ex 15:1-18 (RV · LV · Read together)), and paralleling a prose account in Judges 4 (RV · LV · Read together), the Song of Deborah describes the miraculous defeat of a powerful Canaanite king, Jabin of Hazor, and of Sisera, his general. The song’s poetic style and occasional use of archaic Hebrew forms are reflected in slightly differing translations in modern versions of the Bible. The poem’s vigorous language suggests that it was composed by an eyewitness of the battle, probably Deborah herself.

Judges 5:2 (RV · LV · Read together) addresses Israel with an exhortation to praise the Lord. A second exclamation exhorts foreign kings to learn of Israel’s God and his exploits. It is not clear whether verses 4-5 (RV · LV · Read together) describe the present battle or refer to God’s previous appearance to Moses at Mt Sinai. Verse 5 (RV · LV · Read together) could be translated, “The mountains quaked at the presence of the One of Sinai.”

JDG 5:2: RV JDG 5:2 · LV JDG 5:2 · Read together JDG 5:2

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OET-RV JDG 5:2

2 “When the leaders take the lead in Yisrael (Israel),
⇔ when the people offer themselves willingly,
⇔ Yahweh be blessed.

OET-LV JDG 5:2

2 When_ leaders _acted _as _leaders in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) when_ a _people _volunteers bless YHWH.

JDG 5:4–5: RV JDG 5:4–5 · LV JDG 5:4–5 · Read together JDG 5:4–5

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OET-RV JDG 5:4

4 Yahweh, you left Se’ir.
⇔ ≈ You marched out of the Edom region.
⇔ The earth quaked.
⇔ ≈ The heavens also dropped.
⇔ And the clouds poured down rain.

OET-RV JDG 5:5

5 Mountains melted in Yahweh’s presence,
⇔ Yes, Mt. Sinay shook in front of Yisrael’s god, Yahweh.

OET-LV JDG 5:4

4 Oh_YHWH when_you_went _out from_Sēˊīr when_marched_you from_the _region _of ʼEdōm the_earth it _shook both the_heavens they _dropped as _well _as the_clouds they _dropped water.

OET-LV JDG 5:5

5 The_mountains they _flowed from_face/in _front _of YHWH this Şīnay from_face/in _front _of YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

JDG 5:5: RV JDG 5:5 · LV JDG 5:5 · Read together JDG 5:5

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OET-RV JDG 5:5

5 Mountains melted in Yahweh’s presence,
⇔ Yes, Mt. Sinay shook in front of Yisrael’s god, Yahweh.

OET-LV JDG 5:5

5 The_mountains they _flowed from_face/in _front _of YHWH this Şīnay from_face/in _front _of YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Deborah is first introduced in verse 7 (RV · LV · Read together). Verse 8 (RV · LV · Read together) could mean either that Canaanite oppression prevented open displays of Israelite weaponry or, more likely, that the Canaanites had wiped out all weapon-making industry in Israel (cf. 1 Sm 13:19 (RV · LV · Read together)). In an atmosphere of fear, indecision, and isolationism, Deborah, a judge, urged the Israelite tribes to battle. When Deborah appealed to the whole nation for help, some tribes were apathetic, but others gave assistance. The battle took place at Taanach, 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) southwest of Mt Tabor. The Canaanites had mobilized in that vicinity (Jgs 4:13 (RV · LV · Read together)), so the Israelites lost whatever advantage their mountain position would have afforded. Deborah’s song, however, implies the Lord’s intervention, perhaps through a severe storm. Divine aid is also alluded to in Judges 4:14 (RV · LV · Read together) (“for the Lord is marching ahead of you,” NLT). The stars that fought Sisera and the flooding of the river Kishon represent the forces of nature helping Israel (5:20-21 (RV · LV · Read together)). In addition, any advantage of the Canaanites’ chariotry was nullified after Jael, a heroic Hebrew woman, killed Sisera, the chariot leader (vv 24-27 (RV · LV · Read together)). Sisera’s death fulfilled Deborah’s prophecy to the Israelite commander, Barak, that a woman, not he, would receive glory for that feat (4:9 (RV · LV · Read together)).

JDG 5:7: RV JDG 5:7 · LV JDG 5:7 · Read together JDG 5:7

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OET-RV JDG 5:7

7 Israeli villages were abandoned.
⇔ ≈ No one lived there until I, Deborah, became their leader.
⇔ I became one of Yisrael’s (Israel) mothers.

OET-LV JDG 5:7

7 Rural _people they _ceased in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _ceased until that_ Dəbōrāh _I _arose that_ a _mother in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _I _arose.

JDG 5:8: RV JDG 5:8 · LV JDG 5:8 · Read together JDG 5:8

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OET-RV JDG 5:8

8 When Yisrael chose new gods,
⇔ then enemies attacked the city gates.
⇔ No shield or spear could be found
⇔ among forty thousand in Yisrael.

OET-LV JDG 5:8

8 It _chose gods new then war was _in _the_gates a _shield if and_a _spear it _was _seen among_forty thousand in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

SA1 13:19: RV SA1 13:19 · LV SA1 13:19 · Read together SA1 13:19

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OET-RV SA1 13:19

19 At that time, there were no blacksmiths in Yisrael (Israel) because the Pelishtim didn’t want the Israelis to be able to make swords or spears,

OET-LV SA1 13:19

19 And_a _craftsman not he _was _found in_all _of the _land _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) if/because they _said the_Pəlishtiy lest the_ˊIⱱrī/(Hebrews) they _should _make a _sword or a _spear.

JDG 4:13: RV JDG 4:13 · LV JDG 4:13 · Read together JDG 4:13

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OET-RV JDG 4:13

13 he assembled his warriors and their nine hundred chariots (with iron on them) and went from Haroshet-Hagoyim to the Kishon riverbed.

OET-LV JDG 4:13

13 And_ Şīşərāʼ _he _summoned DOM all _of chariotry _of_his nine hundred(s) chariot[s]_of iron and_DOM all _of the_people which with_him/it from_Harosheth Haggoyim to the _wadi _of Qīshōn.

JDG 4:14: RV JDG 4:14 · LV JDG 4:14 · Read together JDG 4:14

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OET-RV JDG 4:14

14 “Get going,” Deborah told Barak, “because it’s today that Yahweh has gone ahead of you and will help you defeat Sisera.” So Barak led his ten thousand warriors down from Mt. Tavor.

OET-LV JDG 4:14

14 And_ Dəbōrāh _she/it _said to Bārāq arise if/because this the_day which YHWH he _has _given DOM Şīşərāʼ in_hand _of_your not YHWH has _he _gone _out to_your_face and_ Bārāq _he/it _descended from_hill of _Tāⱱōr and_ten _of thousand(s) man were_after_him.

JDG 5:20–21: RV JDG 5:20–21 · LV JDG 5:20–21 · Read together JDG 5:20–21

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OET-RV JDG 5:20

20 From the sky, the stars battled.
⇔ From their courses, they fought against Sisera.

OET-RV JDG 5:21

21 The Kishon river swept them away.
⇔ An ancient river that Kishon river.
⇔ March on with strength, my soul.

OET-LV JDG 5:20

20 From heaven the_stars they _fought from_highways _of_their they _fought with Şīşərāʼ.

OET-LV JDG 5:21

21 The _wadi _of Qīshōn it_swept _them _away a _wadi _of ancient _times the _wadi _of Qīshōn you _will _march my _self _of_my strength.

JDG 5:24–27: RV JDG 5:24–27 · LV JDG 5:24–27 · Read together JDG 5:24–27

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OET-RV JDG 5:24

⇔  24 Ya’el will be an honoured woman.
⇔ The wife of Hever the Keyni.
⇔ She deserves the most praise out of all women who live in tents.

OET-RV JDG 5:25

25 He asked for water—she gave him milk,
⇔ Yogurt in a bowl suitable for nobles.

OET-RV JDG 5:26

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.

OET-RV JDG 5:27

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.

OET-LV JDG 5:24

24 She _will _be _blessed more_than _women Yāˊēl/(Jael) the _wife _of Ḩeⱱer the_Qēynī more_than _women in_tent she _will _be _blessed.

OET-LV JDG 5:25

25 Water he _asked milk she _gave in_a _bowl _of nobles she _brought _near curd[s].

OET-LV JDG 5:26

26 Hand _of_her to_peg they _stretched _out and_her _right _of_hand to_a _hammer _of labourers and_she _struck Şīşərāʼ she _shattered his/its_head and_she _smashed and_she _pierced temple _of_his.

OET-LV JDG 5:27

27 Between feet _of_her he _bowed _down he _fell he _lay _down between feet _of_her he _bowed _down he _fell at_where he _bowed _down there he _fell destroyed.

JDG 4:9: RV JDG 4:9 · LV JDG 4:9 · Read together JDG 4:9

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OET-RV JDG 4:9

9 “I’ll certainly go with you,” she said, “but it won’t be you that’s honoured afterwards, but rather Yahweh will use a woman to defeat Sisera.” So Deborah accompanied Barak to Kedesh.

OET-LV JDG 4:9

9 And_she/it _said certainly _(go) I _will _go with_you nevertheless if/because not it _will _be honour _of_your on the_way which you are_going if/because in_the_hand _of a _woman YHWH he _will _sell DOM Şīşərāʼ and_ Dəbōrāh _she/it _arose and_she _went with Bārāq to_Qedesh.

Sisera’s mother is seen pathetically awaiting his return. In contrast to the sardonic portrayal of that Canaanite woman, the last words of Deborah’s song are a fervent prayer for future safety. Although Jael was blessed (Jgs 5:24 (RV · LV · Read together)) and Deborah acclaimed, the God of Israel (vv 1-3 (RV · LV · Read together)) received the glory.

JDG 5:24: RV JDG 5:24 · LV JDG 5:24 · Read together JDG 5:24

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OET-RV JDG 5:24