Judges 5 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

The Song of Deborah

5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:

2 ‘When locks are long in Israel,
when the people offer themselves willingly—
bless[a] the Lord!

3 ‘Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;
to the Lord I will sing,
I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4 Lord, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched from the region of Edom,
the earth trembled,
and the heavens poured,
the clouds indeed poured water.
5 The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai,
before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 ‘In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, caravans ceased
and travellers kept to the byways.
7 The peasantry prospered in Israel,
they grew fat on plunder,
because you arose, Deborah,
arose as a mother in Israel.
8 When new gods were chosen,
then war was in the gates.
Was shield or spear to be seen
among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel
who offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless the Lord.

10 ‘Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,
you who sit on rich carpets,[b]
and you who walk by the way.
11 To the sound of musicians[c] at the watering-places,
there they repeat the triumphs of the Lord,
the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel.

‘Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.

12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,
O son of Abinoam.
13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble;
the people of the Lord marched down for him[d] against the mighty.
14 From Ephraim they set out[e] into the valley,[f]
following you, Benjamin, with your kin;
from Machir marched down the commanders,
and from Zebulun those who bear the marshal’s staff;
15 the chiefs of Issachar came with Deborah,
and Issachar faithful to Barak;
into the valley they rushed out at his heels.
Among the clans of Reuben
there were great searchings of heart.
16 Why did you tarry among the sheepfolds,
to hear the piping for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;
and Dan, why did he abide with the ships?
Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,
settling down by his landings.
18 Zebulun is a people that scorned death;
Naphtali too, on the heights of the field.

19 ‘The kings came, they fought;
then fought the kings of Canaan,
at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;
they got no spoils of silver.
20 The stars fought from heaven,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The torrent Kishon swept them away,
the onrushing torrent, the torrent Kishon.
March on, my soul, with might!

22 ‘Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs
with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

23 ‘Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord,
curse bitterly its inhabitants,
because they did not come to the help of the Lord,
to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

24 ‘Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
25 He asked water and she gave him milk,
she brought him curds in a lordly bowl.
26 She put her hand to the tent-peg
and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet;
she struck Sisera a blow,
she crushed his head,
she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 He sank, he fell,
he lay still at her feet;
at her feet he sank, he fell;
where he sank, there he fell dead.

28 ‘Out of the window she peered,
the mother of Sisera gazed[g] through the lattice:
“Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?”
29 Her wisest ladies make answer,
indeed, she answers the question herself:
30 “Are they not finding and dividing the spoil?—
A girl or two for every man;
spoil of dyed stuffs for Sisera,
spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered,
two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?”

31 ‘So perish all your enemies, O Lord!
But may your friends be like the sun as it rises in its might.’

And the land had rest for forty years.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:2 Or You who offer yourselves willingly among the people, bless
  2. Judges 5:10 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. Judges 5:11 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. Judges 5:13 Gk: Heb me
  5. Judges 5:14 Cn: Heb From Ephraim their root
  6. Judges 5:14 Gk: Heb in Amalek
  7. Judges 5:28 Gk Compare Tg: Heb exclaimed

You Might Also Like:

Judges 5 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

5 And Deborah singeth -- also Barak son of Abinoam -- on that day, saying: -- 2 `For freeing freemen in Israel, For a people willingly offering themselves Bless ye Jehovah. 3 Hear, ye kings; give ear, ye princes, I, to Jehovah, I -- I do sing, I sing praise to Jehovah, God of Israel. 4 Jehovah, in T...
Read More

Judges 5 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

5 And Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang in that day, and said, 2 Ye men of Israel, that have willfully offered your lives to peril (who have willingly offered your lives to peril), bless ye the Lord. 3 Ye kings, hear; ye princes, perceive with ears (ye princes, listen!); I am, I am the wom...
Read More

Judges 5 - World English Bible (WEB)

5 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, 2 “Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly,be blessed, Yahweh! 3 “Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes!I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of...
Read More

Judges 5 - The Voice (VOICE)

Known as the Song of Deborah, this victory song is one of the oldest passages in the Bible; it is beautiful and powerful, as well as filled with information. In addition to praising and chastising certain tribes for their role—or lack thereof—in battle, it also celebrates a victory God has given His...
Read More

Judges 5 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Deborah’s Song5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day saying: 2 “When leaders take the lead in Israel,when people freely offer themselves, bless Adonai!3 Listen, O kings! Give ear, O rulers!I, to Adonai I will sing,I will sing praise to Adonai, the God of Israel.4 Adonai, when You c...
Read More

Judges 5 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Song of Deborah5 Then sang Deb′orah and Barak the son of Abin′o-am on that day:[a] 2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless[b] the Lord! 3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing, I will make melody to the Lord, the God...
Read More

Judges 5 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Song of Deborah5 Then sang Deb′orah and Barak the son of Abin′o-am on that day: 2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless[a] the Lord! 3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing, I will make melody to the Lord, the God of...
Read More

Judges 5 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Song of Deborah5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: 2 “When locks are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly— bless[a] the Lord! 3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing, I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. 4 “...
Read More

Judges 5 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Song of Deborah5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: 2 ‘When locks are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly— bless[a] the Lord! 3 ‘Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing, I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. 4 ‘...
Read More

Judges 5 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Song of Deborah5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day,(A)2 “When locks are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly[a]— bless the Lord!(B)3 Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.(C)4 Lord...
Read More

Judges 5 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Song of Deborah5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 “Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed.Praise the Lord! 3 “Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you mighty rulers!For I will sing to the Lord. I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel. 4 “...
Read More

Judges 5 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Song of Deborah5 That day Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 “The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to the Lord! 3 Hear, O kings! Listen, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel....
Read More

Judges 5 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Song of Deborah5 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam (A)sang on that day, saying: 2 “When[a] leaders (B)lead in Israel,(C)When the people [b]willingly offer themselves,Bless the Lord! 3 “Hear,(D) O kings! Give ear, O princes!I, even (E)I, will sing to the Lord;I will sing praise to the Lor...
Read More

Judges 5 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The song of Deborah5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 ‘When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves – praise the Lord! 3 ‘Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to[a] the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the G...
Read More

Judges 5 - New International Version (NIV)

The Song of Deborah5 On that day Deborah(A) and Barak son of Abinoam(B) sang this song:(C) 2 “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer(D) themselves— praise the Lord!(E) 3 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to[a] the Lord;(F) I will prais...
Read More

Judges 5 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Song of Deborah5 On that day Deborah and Barak sang a song. Barak was the son of Abinoam. Here is what Deborah and Barak sang. 2 “The princes in Israel lead the way. The people follow them just because they want to. When this happens, praise the Lord! 3 “Kings, hear this! Rulers, listen! I will ...
Read More

Judges 5 - New English Translation (NET)

Celebrating the Victory in Song5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song:[a] 2 “When the leaders took the lead[b] in Israel,When the people answered the call to war—Praise the Lord!3 Hear, O kings!Pay attention, O rulers!I will sing to the Lord![c]I will sing[d] to the Lo...
Read More