Jdg 5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Then sang Deborah, and Barak - Deborah, as “a prophetess,” both composed and sang this noble ode, which, for poetic spirit and lyric fire, is not surpassed by any of the sacred songs in the Bible. And, as Miriam took up the first verse of the song of Moses Exodus 15:1Then the sons of Moses and Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying, I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. Exo_15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea, and sang it as an antiphony, so Barak, with the chorus of men, answered the song of Deborah by singing Jdg_5:2, which is also exactly suited for an antiphon, summing up as it does the subject matter of the whole ode.
Then sang Deborah and Barak - Deborah is first mentioned, because she was the root or foundation of the work, the chief person in it, both in the direction of the war, and in the composition of this song; she alone composed it, see Jdg_5:7; and the verb is singular: "then sang Deborah"; and after her, and in her words, sung also Barak; he joined with her, not in making the song, but in singing it; and so likewise the people of Israel joined with her in singing it, as they did with Moses at the Red sea; and this song was sung. The poetess or writer of the song, according to Jdg_5:3, Jdg_5:7, and Jdg_5:12, was Deborah.
Then sang Deborah and Barak - This verse briefly recites the subject of this inspired song, which consists of eight stanzas: The first opens with a devout thanksgiving. The second describes the magnificent scenes at Mount Sinai , etc. The third states the apostasy and consequent punishment of the Israelites. The fourth contrasts their present happy state. The fifth censures the recreant tribes of Reuben, Gad, etc. The sixth records the defeat of the confederate kings of Canaan . The seventh contains a panegyric on Jael. And the eight describes the fond anticipations and disappointment of the mother of Sisera.
No time should be lost in returning thanks to the Lord for his mercies; for our praises are most acceptable, pleasant, and profitable, when they flow from a full heart. By this, love and gratitude would be more excited and more deeply fixed in the hearts of believers; the events would be more known and longer remembered. Whatever Deborah, Barak, or the army had done, the Lord must have all the praise. The will, the power, and the success were all from Him.
Jdg 5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
when the people willingly offered themselves - to go and fight for Israel against their enemies; and therefore praise was due to the Lord on this account, who works in the hearts of men both to will and to do, as in things spiritual and religious, so in things natural and civil. When neither Deborah nor Barak had any power to compel them they were willing to go into the battle of their own free will, without any outward and authoritative command. This introduction transports us in the most striking manner into the time of the judges, when Israel had no king who could summon the nation to war, but everything depended upon the voluntary rising of the strong and the will of the nation at large. The manifestation of this strength and willingness Deborah praises as a gracious gift of the Lord.
Jdg 5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes - Not only the neighboring ones, but all the kings and princes of the earth, far and near, then and in succeeding ages; Deborah desires and wishes that all potentates might hear of the wonderful works of God done for his people, that they might learn to know there is one that is higher than they, to whom all the amazing things done in the world are to be ascribed; and be cautious how they oppressed the people of God, since sooner or later he would avenge them on them.
I, even I, will sing unto the Lord - the repetitions serve to express how cordial, earnest, and vehement she was in her praise and thankfulness to God; thereby setting an example to others, encouraging them to the same practice, and directing persons of every rank and quality to give praise only to Jehovah, the self-existing, everlasting, and unchangeable Being; to him who is the Lord and God of Israel in a peculiar manner, and not to any of the gods of the Gentiles.
Jdg 5:4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
Compare Psa_68:7-9, and Hab_3:3-16. The three passages relate to the same events, and mutually explain each other. The subject of them is the triumphant march of Israel , with the Lord at their head, to take possession of Canaan , and the overthrow of Sihon, Og, and the Midianites. This march commenced from Kadesh, in the immediate neighborhood of Self, and the victories which followed were an exact parallel to the victory of Deborah and Barak, accompanied as it had been with the storm which made Kishon to overflow his banks.
When thou wentest out of Seir - Here is an allusion to the giving of the law, and the manifestation of God’s power and glory at that time; and as this was the most signal display of his majesty and mercy in behalf of their forefathers, Deborah very properly begins her song with a commemoration of this transaction, taking notice of ancient appearances of God for his people, which were always matter of praise and thankfulness.
When thou wentest out of Seir - this passage refers either to the giving of the law on Sinai, as the Targum and Jarchi, Deu_33:2 And he said: The LORD came from Sinai and rose up from Seir to them. He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints. From His right went a fiery law for them; or rather, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and others, to the Lord's going before Israel, after they had encompassed the land of Edom, and marched from thence towards the land of Canaan, when they fought with Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and conquered them; which struck terror into all the nations round about them, and the prophecies of Moses in his song began to be fulfilled.
The earth trembled - God prepared the way for his people, and struck a dread into their enemies, by earthquakes as well as by other terrible signs.
Dropped water - That is, thou didst send storms and tempests, thunder and lightning, and other tokens of thy displeasure upon thine enemies.
When thou wentest out of Seir - Just as Moses in his blessing (Deu_33:2) referred the tribes of Israel to this mighty act, as the source of all salvation and blessing for Israel, so the prophetess Deborah makes the praise of this glorious manifestation of God the starting-point of her praise of the great grace, which Jehovah as the faithful covenant God had displayed to His people in her own days. The tacit allusion to Moses' blessing is very unmistakeable. But whereas Moses describes the descent of the Lord upon Sinai (Ex 19), according to its gracious significance in relation to the tribes of Israel, as an objective fact (Jehovah came from Sinai, Deu_33:2), Deborah clothes the remembrance of it in the form of an address to God, to bring out the thought that the help which Israel had just experienced was a renewal of the coming of the Lord to His people.
Jdg 5:5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
The mountains melted from before the Lord - flowed, with floods of water powered out of the clouds upon them, and from them flowing down in a mighty stream upon the lower grounds, and carrying down part of the mountains with it. The inhabitants of them, through fear, the Lord going before Israel in a pillar of cloud and fire, and delivering mighty kings and their kingdoms into their hand: It could also be in the sense is, the mountains melted, just as the famous mountain Sinai in a literal sense did, when it trembled and quaked at the presence of God on it;
Jdg 5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
the highways were empty - Words descriptive of a state of weakness and fear, so that Israel could not frequent the highways. The land was full of anarchy and confusion, being everywhere infested with bandits. No public road was safe; and in going from place to place, the people were obliged to use unfrequented paths. It is a graphic description of a country occupied by an enemy.
In the days of Shamgar - Of whom see Jdg_3:31; who succeeded Ehud as a judge, but lived not long, and did not much; at least wrought not a perfect deliverance of the children of Israel ; but during his time till now, quite through the twenty years of Jabin's oppression, things were as they are after described:
In the days of Shamgar, in the days of Jael – Although Shamgar had brought help to the people against their enemies by a victory over the Philistines (Jdg_3:31), and although Jael, who proved herself a heroine by slaying the fugitive Sisera, was then alive, things had got to such a pitch with Israel, that no one would venture upon the public high roads.
Jdg 5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
The villages ceased – Some take this to refer to the population of the villages. The people forsook all their unfortified towns, not being able to protect them from bandits and the Canaanite military. The people were obliged to live together in fortified places; or in great numbers, to protect each other against the incursions of bands of spoilers. Not only did those Canaanite robbers go upon the highway, and robbed all they met with, which made traveling difficult and dangerous; but entered into the villages and unwalled towns, and broke into houses and plundered them; so that the inhabitants of them were obliged to quit their dwellings, and go into the fortified cities for security; by which means the villages were left empty, and in time fell to ruin, and ceased:
The inhabitants of the villages ceased – Some render the word “villages” (here and in Jdg_5:11) judgment, rule, or judges, rulers. The sense is “The princes (or magistrates) ceased in Israel ,” i. e. there was no one to do justice in the gate, or defend men from their oppressors.
until that I Deborah arose - until it pleased God to raise her up, and endow her in a very wonderful and extraordinary manner with gifts qualifying her to be a nursing mother to Israel, to teach and instruct them in the mind and will of God, to administer judgment and justice to them, to protect and defend them, and in all which she discovered a maternal affection for them; and as a good judge and ruler.
Jdg 5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
They chose new gods - This was the cause of all their calamities; they forsook Jehovah, and served other gods;
then was war in their gates - when they fell into idolatry, then God suffered the judgment of war to come upon them, even into the gates of their fortified cities, which were the security of them. The “war in the gates” describes the hostile attacks of the Canaanites, which were the punishment of the idolatry of the Israelites, and the reduction of Israel to an unarmed and unresisting state under the Philistine dominion. They were hemmed up in every place, and besieged in all their fortified cities; and they were defenseless, they had no means of resisting their adversaries; for even among forty thousand men, there was neither spear nor shield to be seen.
was there a shield or spear seen - though the number of the Israelites were several hundred thousands, yet there were not to be seen among them shields and spears sufficient for 40,000; or not one among 40,000 was armed; which was owing either to their negligence and sloth in not providing themselves with arms, or not taking care of them in a time of peace; so that when war came into their gates, they had nothing to defend themselves with, or annoy their enemies; or to their cowardice, not daring to take up a shield or spear in their own defence; or to the enemy, Jabin king of Canaan, having disarmed them, that they might not be able to make a revolt, from him, and recover their liberties. Shield and spear (or lance) are mentioned particularly as arms of offence and defence, to signify arms of all kinds.
was there a shield or spear seen - The words are not to be explained as signifying that there were no longer any weapons to be found among the Israelites, because the enemy had taken them away; they simply affirm that there were no longer any weapons to be seen, because not one of the 40,000 men in Israel took a weapon in his hand. The number 40,000 is not the number of the men who offered themselves willingly for battle, according to Jdg_5:2; for apart from the fact that they did not go unarmed into the battle, it is at variance with the statement in Jdg_4:6, Jdg_4:10, that Barak went into the war and smote the enemy with only 10,000 men. It is a round number, i.e., an approximative statement of the number of the warriors who might have smitten the enemy and delivered Israel from bondage, and was probably chosen with a reference to the 40,000 fighting men of the tribes on the east of the Jordan, who went with Joshua to Canaan and helped their brethren to conquer the land (Jos_4:13).
The singer now turns from the contemplation of the deep degradation of Israel to the glorious change which took place as soon as she appeared: -
Jdg 5:9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
My heart is towards the governors of Israel - the great men of the nation, their leaders. Deborah’s heart was filled with admiration as she thought of their patriotic devotion, and broke out into thanksgiving to Yahweh.
that offered themselves willingly among the people - to go along with them, and march at the head of them, to fight Sisera and his army; thereby setting a good example, and animating the people to battle, and inspiring them with courage and intrepidity; when they saw their chiefs and the heads of them exposing their lives with them in defense of their country, and the rights of it:
Jdg 5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
Ye that ride on white donkeys - nobles or magistrates. Those which are purely white are highly prized, and being costly, are possessed only by the wealthy and great. Those that rode on these creatures were the leaders or important people of Israel . Deborah appeals to the classes mentioned in Jdg_5:6-7, to bear witness to the happy change that had followed the overthrow of Jabin. She is appealing to wealthy and leaders (ye that ride on white donkeys), judges (ye that sit in judgment) and common folk (walk by the way) with each of the 3 descriptions. All classes of the people, both high and low, have reason to join in the praise.
ye that sit in judgment - which seems to describe judges upon the bench, sitting to hear and try causes, and pass righteous judgment; these are also exhorted to give thanks to the Lord, that they were now restored to their seats of judgment. Some commentators see this as sitting on coverings or rugs, and refers to the middle class. Those who ride white donkeys would be upper class, and those who walk by the way the lower class.
And walk by the way - the common people that travelled from place to place on business, who before were obliged to leave the public roads, and go in byways, Jdg_5:6 but now could travel in the common road without fear. Persons who go from place to place for the purposes of traffic.
Jdg 5:11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. (KJV)
There is a clear difference in how this verse is translated. The word for archer or divide is Strong’s H2686 which has 2 meanings: I. A verb indicating to divide, to divide into ranks; to cut off, to come to an end, to sing. It means to divide something or separate out something for a purpose (Jdg_5:11); or to arrange something into orderly fashion (Pro_30:27). It may have the meaning of dividing off, cutting off, or ending one's life (Job_21:21). II. A verb meaning to shoot an arrow. Some take this verb form in context, a masculine plural participle, to indicate those who shoot arrows (Jdg_5:11; KJV, NKJV), expert archers.
Jdg 5:11 Louder than the voice of the dividers between the watering places, there shall they tell again the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of His leaders in Israel. Then shall the people of Jehovah go down to the gates. (MKJV)
Jdg 5:11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. "Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD. (ESV)
Jdg 5:11 "At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the LORD, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. (NASB)
Jdg 5:11 Louder than the voice of the dividers between the watering places there, they shall tell of the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of His leaders in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates. (LITV)
They that are delivered from the noise of archers - The sense of the King James Version is that, whereas formerly they could not go in safety to draw water from their wells, but were shot at by the archers of the enemy, now they were delivered from such tumults.
Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates - They may go down to the gates to receive judgment and justice as usual. It is well known that the gate was the place of judgment in the East.
In the places of drawing water - As wells were very scarce in every part of the East, and travelers in such hot countries must have water, robbers generally took their stations near tanks, pools, and springs, in order that they might suddenly fall upon those who came to drink; and when the country was badly governed, annoyances of this kind were very frequent. The victory gained now by the Israelites put the whole country under their own government, and the land was cleansed from such marauders.
They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the place of drawing water - Meaning either the army of the Israelites, delivered from the archers of Sisera's host at the river Kishon; or such persons, as maidens and others, that went out of the cities to fountains and wells of water, to fetch water from thence for their necessities, but were frightened by the noise of archers that shot at them; or shepherds who led their flocks to water them there, but were repulsed or slain by archers that lay in wait in woods or lurking places thereabout; but now the country being cleared of them, they could without fear have recourse to these places of drawing water for their flocks or other uses.
there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord - coming to those places again, it would put them in mind to what hazards and dangers they had been exposed formerly by the enemy, but now were freed from.
The whole nation had good reason to make this reflection, as the warriors, having returned home, were now relating the mighty acts of the Lord among the women who were watering their flocks, and the people had returned to their towns once more. This is in all probability the idea of the obscure verse before us, which has been interpreted in such very different ways. After that victory the people of the Lord went down again to their gates, from the mountains and hiding-places in which they had taken refuge from their foes (Jdg_5:6, Jdg_5:7), returning again to the plains of the land, and the towns that were now delivered from the foe.
Jdg 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Lead thy captivity captive - Make those captives who have formerly captivated us. Deborah incites Barak to carry off as his prey the captive Canaanites and their sheep and cattle (their “captivity”).
Awake, awake, Deborah - Stir up thyself and all that is within thee, to admire and praise the Lord. This work needs and well deserves the utmost liveliness and vigour of soul. Jdg_5:12 forms the introduction to the second part, the description of the conflict and the victory. Throwing herself into the great event which she is about to commemorate, Deborah calls upon herself to strike up a song, and upon Barak to lead off his prisoners: Praising God is a work we should awake to, and awake ourselves unto.
Jdg 5:13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
Make him that remaineth - This verse is otherwise rendered: “then a remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the Lord came down for me against the mighty.” The following verses mention in detail who this “remnant” were.
Jdg 5:13 Then He made me tread on the remnant of the nobles among the people. Jehovah made me have dominion over the mighty. (MKJV)
Jdg 5:13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty. (ESV)
Jdg 5:13 Then He caused me to tread on the remnant of the noble ones of the people; Jehovah trod for me among the warriors. (LITV)
Jdg 5:13 "Then survivors came down to the nobles; The people of the LORD came down to me as warriors. (NASB)
Then he made him that remaineth - The people of Israel that remained, who had been under the yoke of Jabin king of Canaan , under which many of the Israelites very probably died. Thus God did not only preserve the poor and despised remnant of his people, from the fury of the oppressor, and from the destruction which Sisera designed, but also gave them the victory, and thereby the dominion over the nobles of Canaan, who were combined against them.
Jdg 5:14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
Out of Ephraim there was a root of them - By root she seems to mean a branch, as that word is sometimes used. By which also she may note the fewness of those that came out of Ephraim, yielding but one branch or an handful of men to this service.
after thee, Benjamin, among thy people - it is to be understood of the tribe of Benjamin, which at this time went out against Amalek, to prevent their giving any assistance to Jabin king of Canaan, and who were followed in it by a party of the Ephraimites; so that Benjamin has the greatest honor given it, partly as it was first in this affair, and partly as it was general, the whole tribe engaged, whereas only a few in Ephraim, and those stimulated by the example of Benjamin:
Machir - That is, out of the tribe of Manasseh, which are elsewhere called by the name of Machir, namely, out of the half tribe which was within Jordan ; for of the other she speaks, Jdg_5:17.
out of Machir came down governors - Machir was the only son of Manasseh, and therefore this must respect that tribe, half of which was settled on the other side Jordan; it is clearly suggested in Jdg_5:17 that they abode beyond Jordan, and gave no assistance at all; it therefore must be understood of the half tribe of Manasseh, within Jordan, from whence came great personages, with a number of men no doubt along with them, to lend an helping hand against the Canaanites, or to be employed as assistants under Barak in this expedition:
Amalek - The constant enemy of the Israelites, who were confederate with their last oppressors the Moabites, Jdg_3:13, and in all probability took their advantage now against the Israelites in the southern or middle parts of Canaan , while their main force was drawn northward against Jabin and Sisera. Against these therefore Ephraim sent forth a party, and so did Benjamin.
out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer - That is, even the Scribes, who gave themselves to study and writing, whereby they were exempted from military service, did voluntarily enter into this service.
Jdg 5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
Even Issachar - and, as well as Issachar, Barak also with the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, rushed down on foot from Mount Tabor into the valley to attack the iron chariots of Sisera.”
and also Barak, he was sent on foot into the valley - which was at the bottom of Mount Tabor, from whence he was sent down by Deborah, when Sisera's army was come thither; and where he went cheerfully on foot at the head of his 10,000 men, to engage Sisera with his horse and chariots; and which latter were capable of doing great execution in the valley, by running among the foot, and cutting them in pieces with the scythes at the side of them; but Barak, fearless of danger, readily obeyed the command of the judge and prophetess, believing it was of God.
For the divisions - Reuben ought to have followed in this catalogue of patriots, but with that abruptness for which this poem is so conspicuous, Deborah adverts to his absence instead. Either the Reubenites were divided among themselves into factions, which prevented their co-operation with their brethren, or they were divided in their judgment concerning the measures now to be pursued, which prevented them from joining with the other tribes till the business was entirely settled. The thoughts of heart, and searchings of heart, might refer to the doubts and uneasiness felt by the other tribes, when they found the Reubenites did not join them; for they might have conjectured that they were either unconcerned about their liberty, or were meditating a coalition with the Canaanites.
for the division of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart - either for their divisions among themselves in their own councils, some being for going over Jordan to assist their brethren the Israelites against Jabin, and free them from his yoke, pitying their distressed state and condition; and others were for keeping at home, and taking care of their flocks, and not intermeddle in the quarrel; judging it to be most for their worldly peace and profit to observe a neutrality: by reason of which divisions no assistance was given. Or for their divisions and separations from their brethren the Israelites, from whom they were not only separated by the river Jordan, but in their affections to them, and regards for them; keeping at a distance from them, when their help was required: and this conduct of theirs caused many thoughts of heart in Deborah and Barak, in the princes and people of Israel, who could not well understand the reason of it; and which caused much grief and uneasiness of mind, that so powerful a tribe, and who had been assisting to them in the conquest of the land, and lay convenient to help them, yet should be so very indifferent to them.
Jdg 5:16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks - This tribe abounded with flocks and herds, and therefore chose the country on the other side Jordan, as suitable for them; and now, at this critical juncture, they judged it wisest, and their best policy, to abide by them, and the care of them; lest by intermeddling, should Jabin prevail, he might be provoked to fall upon them, and take them from them; wherefore the bleatings of their flocks, and the whistlings of the shepherds that kept them, sounded louder in their ears, and more engrossed their attention, than the groans and cries of Israel under oppression; or than the soundings of the trumpet, the alarm of war, or the loud calls of Deborah and Barak; being under the influence of a carnal worldly spirit, and wanting affection and sympathy towards their brethren, about which Deborah here expostulates with them:
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks - Why wast thou so unworthy and cowardly, that thou wouldest not engage thyself in so just, so necessary, and so noble a cause, but didst prefer the care of this sheep, and thy own ease and safety, before this generous undertaking? Reuben thought neutrality their wisest course; being very rich in cattle, Num_32:1. They were loath to run the hazard of so great a loss, by taking up arms against so potent an enemy as Jabin: and the bleatings of their sheep were so loud in their ears, that they could not hear the call of Deborah and Barak.
for the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart - this is repeated to show how much the prophetess, the general of the army, the princes and people, were affected with this conduct of the tribe of Reuben; it gave them much pain and uneasiness, occasioned many inquiries, caused much discourse and conversation, and put them upon thinking, and greatly exercised their minds, what should be the meaning of their behaving after this manner.
Jdg 5:17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan - The land of Gilead , on the east of Jordan , was divided between Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, who are both comprehended here.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan - A country which lay on the other side Jordan, and was given by Moses, half of it to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the other half to the half tribe of Manasseh, Deu_3:12 and being here distinguished from Reuben, it seems that not only that tribe, but also the tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, on that side Jordan, came not to the help of Israel; but abode where they were, attending their flocks and herds, and preferring their own private profit to the public good; yet as Gilead was given to Machir, Deu_3:15 and some are said to come out from thence to serve in this expedition, Jdg_5:14 some read the words with an interrogation, "did Gilead abide beyond Jordan?" no, he did not; though his situation was beyond it, as well as Reuben's, yet he did not continue there, but came over to help his brethren; and so this is introduced to upbraid Reuben, and leave him without excuse, since he could as well have left his flocks as Gilead did, and come over to help.
Dan remain in ships - Joppa was in the territory of Dan Jos_19 :46, and was in later times the sea-port for Jerusalem . The words of Deborah imply a criminal neglect on the part of the Danites; they were intent upon their traffic, and trusted in their ships.
His breaches - Rather havens; the creeks and bays and river-months by which their coast was broken. Jos_19:29.
Asher continued on the seashore - The lot of Asher extended along the Mediterranean Sea ; and being contiguous to Zebulun and Naphtali, they might have easily succoured their brethren; but they had the pretense that their posts were unguarded, and they abode in their breaches, attending traffic and business.
Jdg 5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
In contrast with the selfishness of the tribes just named, Deborah reverts with enthusiasm to the heroic prowess of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives - The original Hebrew is very emphatic, they desolated their lives to death; they were determined to conquer or die, and therefore plunged into the thickest of the battle.
that jeoparded themselves - exposed them to the utmost danger, fearless of death itself: The word jeoparded is a silly French term, and comes from the exclamation of a disappointed gamester: Jeu perdu! The game is lost; or J’ai perdue! I have lost.
In the high places of the field - That is, upon that large and eminent plain in the top of mount Tabor, where they put themselves in battle array, and expected the enemy; though when they saw they did not come up to them, they marched down to meet them.
Zebulun and Naphtali - Zebulun showed itself as a people that despised its life even to death, that sacrificed its life for the deliverance of its fatherland. Naphtali did the same in its mountain home. The two tribes had raised 10,000 fighting men at Barak's call (Jdg_4:10), who constituted at any rate the kernel of the Israelitish army. If we run over the tribes mentioned, it seems strange that the tribes of Judah and Simeon are not listed either among those who joined in the battle, or among those who stayed away. Perhaps these two tribes were never summoned by Barak, either because they were so involved in conflict with the Philistines, that they were unable to render any assistance to the northern tribes against their Canaanite oppressors, as we might infer from Jdg_3:31, or because of some inward disagreement between these tribes and the rest. But even apart from Judah and Simeon, the want of sympathy on the part of the tribes that are reproved is a sufficient proof that the enthusiasm for the cause of the Lord had greatly diminished in the nation.
Jdg 5:19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
They took no gain of money - They expected much booty in the total rout of the Israelites; but they were defeated, and got no prey. The Hebrew word generally signifies booty or gain.
The kings came and fought - It is conjectured that Jabin and his confederates had invaded Manasseh, as both Taanach and Megiddo were in that tribe: and that they were discomfited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali at Taanach and Megiddo; while Barak defeated Sisera at Mount Tabor.
the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo - the other kings of Canaan , which came into the assistance of Jabin.
Taanah and Megiddo - two eminent cities, not far from mount Tabor , nor from the river Kishon. Taanach and Megiddo were not quite five miles apart, and beside and between them there were several brooks which ran into the southern arm of the Kishon, that flowed through the plain to the north of both these towns.
Jdg 5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
They fought from heaven - God fought on the side of Israel , and gave them the victory. Josephus relates that, just as the battle began, a violent tempest came on with a great downfall of rain; and a hailstorm, which, driving full in the faces of the Canaanites, so blinded and benumbed them with cold, that they could neither use their bows with effect nor even hold their swords.
Jdg 5:21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
That ancient river - The word translated ancient occurs only here. It is called ancient, either because it was from the beginning of the creation, or because it was spoken of by poets and historians in ancient times; or because of famous exploits done here of old; The phrase probably means that Kishon was celebrated from ancient times on account of the battles fought on its banks.
The river of Kishon swept them away - This gives plausibility to the conjecture, that there was a storm at this time which produced an inundation in the river Kishon, which the routed Canaanites attempting to ford were swept away.
thou hast trodden down strength - Thou, O Deborah, though but a weak woman, hast by God's assistance subdued a potent enemy. Such abrupt speeches are frequent in poetical scriptures.
Jdg 5:22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
Then were the horsehoofs broken - In very ancient times horses were not shod. Sisera had iron chariots when his hosts were routed; the horses that drew these, being strongly urged on by those who drove them, had their hoofs broken by the roughness of the roads, through the swift haste they made to run away, striking the earth so quick, and with such force and vehemence; in consequence of which they became lame, and could not carry off their riders. This is marked as one cause of their disaster.
the pransings of the mighty ones - horses strong and mighty, being such as were selected for this purpose, and trained to war. The term mighty ones applied to bulls Psa_22:12 Many bulls have circled around Me; strong bulls Of Bashan have surrounded Me and horses Jer_47:3 At the noise of the stamping of the hooves of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their sons because of feebleness of hands. Elsewhere it has also applied to people.
the mighty ones – These are not the horses, but the warriors in the war-chariots. The mighty ones on horses are not, however, merely the Canaanite princes, such as Sisera, but the warriors generally who hunted away upon their war-chariots.
the pransings, the pransings - The repetition of the word expresses the continuance or incessant duration of the same thing. The horses stamped the ground with the continuous hunting or galloping away of the warriors.
Jdg 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
Curse ye Meroz - The inhabitants of Meroz hung back, and gave no help in the day of battle, although it was Yahweh who called them. Hence, the curse pronounced by the Angel of the Lord. This city of Meroz seems to have been, at this time, a place of considerable importance, since something great was expected from it; but probably, after the angel of the Lord had pronounced this curse, it dwindled and like the fig-tree which Christ cursed, withered away; so that we never read of it after this in Scripture.
Curse ye bitterly – In Hebrew, curse with cursing, use the most awful execrations.
Said the angel of the Lord - Deborah herself said this under a spirit of prophecy, not from her own spirit in a revengeful way, but from the Spirit of God; or this was suggested to her by an angel, not a created, but the uncreated one, the Angel of the covenant, by whom she was inspired, and an impulse made by him on her to denounce a curse on Meroz;
To the help of the Lord - That is, to the help of the people of the Lord, whose cause was the Lord's.
Against the mighty - “with the heroes;” that is, Barak and his men, together with Zebulun and Naphtali: these were the mighty men, or heroes, with whom the inhabitants of Meroz would not join.
Jdg 5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Blessed above women shall Jael - She shall be highly celebrated as a most heroic woman; all the Israelitish women shall glory in her. The blessing here pronounced is in strong contrast with the curse of Meroz. Under the same influence that Meroz was cursed, Jael is blessed, the one for not helping Israel in a public way, the other for doing it in a private manner. The word bless, both in Hebrew and Greek, often signifies to praise, to speak well of, to celebrate.
above the women in the tent - above all women that dwell in tents: this being a proper description of a woman, whose character it is to abide in her tent, dwell at home, and mind the business of her family; and may have respect to the action she performed in her tent, equal, if not superior, to what was done in the field.
Jdg 5:25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
Brought forth butter - Rather curdled milk, probably a fermented and intoxicating drink. As the word chemah, here translated butter, signifies disturbed, agitated, it is probable that buttermilk is intended. All these marks of respect and friendship would lull Sisera into security.
Jdg 5:26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
She smote off his head - The original does not warrant this translation; nor is it supported by fact. She smote his head, and transfixed him through the temples. It was his head that received the death wound, and the place where this wound was inflicted was the temples.
Jdg 5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
Jdg 5:28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
Why is his chariot so long in coming? - Literally, Why is his chariot ashamed to come? This is a striking image of maternal solicitude, and of a mind divided between hope and fear.
and cried through the lattice - which is but another word for a window, which was not of glass, that being of a later invention, but made in lattice form, in a sort of network, full of little holes to let in air and light, and look out at.
Jdg 5:29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
Her wise ladies answered her - Every one in their turn endeavoring to comfort her and make her easy.
yea, she returned answer to herself - before they could well give theirs, she soon recollected herself what might be, and must be, the occasion of this delay, she made in her wisdom, what her great wisdom quickly suggested to her was certainly the case, and with which she comforted and quieted herself.
Jdg 5:30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
to every man a damsel or two - "a womb or two", using both unchaste and contemptuous language, and pleasing themselves with the virgins of Israel being abused by the common soldiers.
to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides - suits of clothes of different colors, such as were the works of the women of Sidon, and those curiously interwoven or wrought with a needle, and that on both sides of the silk or material of which they were made; such was the expectation his mother had that Sisera would bring this back with him.
Have they not sped - That is, it is certain they have got the prey, only they tarry to distribute it, according to every man's quality and merit.
Jdg 5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
A most striking conclusion, in which the spiritual truth, which the whole narrative is intended to convey, comes out. The enemies of the Lord will perish like the host of Sisera, and all their hopes will end, like those of Sisera’s mother, in bitter disappointment and shame; but all that love our Lord Jesus Christ shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Compare Mat_13:43 Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear; Dan_12:3 And those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the sky; and those who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord - As Sisera and his army did, and be disappointed as his mother and her ladies were.
and the land had rest forty years - these are not the words of Deborah, whose song ends with the last clause, but of the writer of this book. The land had rest forty years, that is, so long it was from this victory to the raising up of Gideon. And well would it have been for the Israelites, if while the tribes had rest, they had taken advantage of the cessation from war, and had walked in the fear of the Lord. Jdg_3:11, Jdg_3:30.
