JudgesChapter 5
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1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2"When the leaders in Israel lead the way,
when the people gladly offer themselves,
praise the LORD! 3Listen, you kings!
Pay attention, you rulers!
I will sing to the LORD.
I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel. 4LORD, you went out from Seir.
You marched from the land of Edom.
Then the earth shook.
The skies poured out rain.
The clouds poured down water. 5The mountains shook before the LORD, the One of Sinai.
They shook before the LORD, the God of Israel. 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael,
the main roads were empty.
Travelers took the back roads. 7Life in the villages stopped.
It stopped in Israel,
until I, Deborah, rose up.
I rose up as a mother in Israel. 8When they chose new gods,
war came to their city gates.
Not one shield or spear could be seen
among forty thousand in Israel. 9My heart is with the leaders of Israel.
It is with the people who gladly offered themselves.
Praise the LORD! 10You who ride on white donkeys,
you who sit on saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road,
think about this. 11Listen to the singers at the watering holes.
There they will tell of the righteous acts of the LORD.
They will tell of the righteous deeds of his villagers in Israel.
Then the LORD's people went down to the city gates. 12'Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
Wake up, wake up, sing a song!
Get up, Barak!
Son of Abinoam, lead away your captives!' 13Then the ones who were left came down to the leaders.
The LORD's people came down to me to fight the mighty. 14Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek.
Benjamin came after you with your people.
Commanders came down from Machir.
From Zebulun came those who carry the leader's staff. 15The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah.
Issachar was with Barak,
rushing into the valley right behind him.
But the clans of Reuben could not make up their minds. 16Why did you stay among the sheep pens?
Was it to hear the shepherds whistling for the flocks?
The clans of Reuben could not make up their minds. 17Gilead stayed east of the Jordan.
And Dan, why did you stay by the ships?
Asher stayed by the seashore.
He stayed in his harbors. 18The people of Zebulun risked their lives.
So did Naphtali, on the high ground of the battle. 19Kings came and fought.
The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach,
by the waters of Megiddo.
But they carried off no silver. 20The stars fought from the sky.
From their paths they fought against Sisera. 21The Kishon River swept them away.
It was the ancient river, the Kishon River.
March on with strength, my soul! 22Then the horses' hooves pounded like thunder.
His strong horses galloped wildly. 23'Curse Meroz,' says the angel of the LORD.
'Bitterly curse the people who live there.
They did not come to help the LORD.
They did not help the LORD against the mighty.' 24Jael is the most blessed of women.
She is the wife of Heber the Kenite.
She is the most blessed of women who live in tents. 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for a prince, she brought him cream. 26She reached out her hand for the tent peg.
Her right hand took the worker's hammer.
She struck Sisera and crushed his head.
She smashed and pierced the side of his head. 27He sank down at her feet.
He fell, and there he lay still.
He sank down at her feet. He fell.
Where he sank down, there he fell dead. 28Sisera's mother looked out the window.
She peeked through the window screen and cried,
'Why is his chariot taking so long to come?
Why can't I hear the noise of his chariots?' 29Her wisest ladies answer her.
And she keeps telling herself, 30'They must be finding and dividing the things they took.
There must be a girl or two for each soldier.
There must be colorful clothes for Sisera,
fancy, stitched clothes to wear around the neck of the one who took them.' 31So may all your enemies perish, LORD!
But may those who love you shine like the sun at its brightest."
And the land had peace for forty years.