1.
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Then sang. No singing till after victory. Compare Exodus 15:1 . Only weeping before. Compare Judges 2:4 with Exodus 2:23 , Exodus 2:24 . See note on Exodus 15:1 for the ten songs.
2.
Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
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.
I, even I. Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
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.
when. Compare Exodus 19:18 .
dropped = dripped.
5.
The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
The mountains melted = from the mountains flowed down streams.
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.
Shamgar. Compare Judges 3:31 .
the highways, &c. = the highways were closed.
7.
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
The inhabitants. Why not supply the Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ) by the words "the women", considering the objects of Jabin's oppression? see notes on Judges 4:4 , Judges 4:17 ; Judges 5:7 , Judges 5:11 , Judges 5:24 , Judges 5:30 .
ceased = ceased [to be]. Same word as "unoccupied" in Judges 5:6 .
I arose. Figure of speech Epizeuxis.
8.
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
new gods. Compare Deuteronomy 32:16 .
Was there . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
9.
My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
is toward. Supply "saith to", instead of "is". The next clause gives the words spoken.
10.
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
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.
the places of drawing water: i.e. where the women were to be found. See notes on Judges 4:4 , Judges 4:17 ; Judges 5:7 , Judges 5:30 . Compare Genesis 24:11 .Exodus 2:15-19 .
12.
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Awake, awake. Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 .
lead thy captivity captive = lead thy captives captive; "captivity" put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject) for the persons made captive = lead captive thy captive train.
13.
Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
Some codices and Septuagint divide the two lines thus: Then came down a remnant of the nobles, And the People of Jehovah [came down] with me against the mighty ones.
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.
was there. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis thus: "came down", from Judges 5:13 and Judges 5:15 .
a root, &c. = whose root was in Amalek. Compare Judges 12:15 . Or, according to Septuagint, "they who rooted them out in Amalek. "
handle = draw, in the sense of numbering, enrolling, or mustering, as in Judges 4:6 .
pen = rod (used in numbering). Leviticus 27:32 .Ezekiel 20:37 . Nowhere else rendered pen.
writer = numberer. Hebrew. saphar, translated scribe. Compare 2 Kings 25:19 . 2 Chronicles 26:11 .
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.
And = But.
Even = Yea.
He was sent, &c. = into the valley they rushed at his feet.
For = among.
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 . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
17.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
breaches = creeks or bays.
18.
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
lives = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-18 .
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.
gain = plunder.
20.
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
fought. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. App-6 . Compare Joshua 10:11 .
21.
The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
rive r = torrent.
Kishon. Rising in Mount Tabor and running into the Mediterranean near Mount Carmel.
swept. Swollen by the heavy rains (Judges 5:4 ).
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
22.
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
the pransings. Figure of speech Epizeuxis.
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.
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. Compare Luke 1:28 "among". See notes on Judges 4:4 , Judges 4:17 ; Judges 5:7 , Judges 5:11 , Judges 5:30 .
25.
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
butter. See note on Judges 4:19 .
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.
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.
At her feet. Note the Figure of speech Asyndeton. App-6 .
he bowed, he fell. Figure of speech Epibole.
dead = destroyed.
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?
The mother. A woman active on each side, with other women involved (Judges 5:30 ).
a = the.
29.
Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
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?
Have . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
sped = found; i.e. the damsels they were fighting for: and while doing so they were defeated by a woman.
To every man = to every head of a man; "head" put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for the whole person.
man. Hebrew. geber ( App-14 . IV) = a strong man.
damsel. Hebrew womb. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part) for the whole person, to emphasize the motive underneath. This was the one object of Jabin's oppression. See notes on Judges 4:4 , Judges 4:17 ; Judges 5:7 , Judges 5:11 , Judges 5:24 .
spoil. Figure of speech Aposiopesis. App-6 .
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.
So. Figure of speech Epiphonema.
had rest. See note on Judges 3:11 .