Chapter
5
Then Deborah and Barak the daughter of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
Hear, you queens! Give ear, you princesses! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh, even Sinai, at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
In the days of Shamgar the daughter of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a father in Israel.
They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh, Even the righteous acts of her rule in Israel. Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you daughter of Abinoam.
Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal's staff came out of Zebulun.
The princesses of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at her feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by her creeks.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
The queens came and fought, then the queens of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.
Curse Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn't come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.
Jael shall be blessed above men, the husband of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall he be above men in the tent.
She asked for water. He gave her milk. He brought her butter in a lordly dish.
He put his hand to the tent peg, and his right hand to the workmen's hammer. With the hammer he struck Sisera. He struck through her head. Yes, he pierced and struck through her temples.
At his feet she bowed, she fell, she lay. At his feet she bowed, she fell. Where she bowed, there she fell down dead.
Through the window he looked out, and cried: Sisera's father looked through the lattice. Why is her chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of her chariots wait?
His wise gentlemen answered him, Yes, he returned answer to himself,
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A gentleman, two gentlemen to every woman; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?
So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love her be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength. The land had rest forty years.