Judges 5:1

Celebrating the Victory in Song

5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song:¹

Judges 4:4

4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess,² wife of Lappidoth, was³ leading⁴ Israel at that time.

Judges 5:7

5:7 Warriors⁵ were scarce,⁶

they were scarce in Israel,

until you⁷ arose, Deborah,

until you arose as a motherly protector⁸ in Israel.

Judges 4:5

4:5 She would sit⁹ under the Date Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel¹⁰ in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites would come up to her to have their disputes settled.¹¹

Judges 4:10

4:10 Barak summoned men from Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him;¹² Deborah went up with him as well.

Judges 5:12

5:12 Wake up, wake up, Deborah!

Wake up, wake up, sing a song!

Get up, Barak!

Capture your prisoners of war,¹³ son of Abinoam!

Judges 5:15

5:15 Issachar’s leaders were with Deborah,

the men of Issachar¹⁴ supported¹⁵ Barak;

into the valley they were sent under Barak’s command.¹⁶

Among the clans of Reuben there was intense¹⁷ heart searching.¹⁸

Judges 4:9

4:9 She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame¹⁹ on the expedition you are undertaking,²⁰ for the Lord will turn Sisera over to a woman.”²¹ Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:14

4:14 Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action,²² for this is the day the Lord is handing Sisera over to you!²³ Has the Lord not taken the lead?”²⁴ Barak quickly went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

¹tn The words “this victory song” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

²tn Heb “ a woman, a prophetess.” In Hebrew idiom the generic “woman” sometimes precedes the more specific designation. See GKC 437-38 §135.b.

³tn Heb “she was.” The pronoun refers back to the nominative absolute “Deborah.” Hebrew style sometimes employs such resumptive pronouns when lengthy qualifiers separate the subject from the verb.

⁴tn Or “judging.”

³tn The meaning of the Hebrew noun פְרָזוֹן (fÿrazon) is uncertain. Some understand the meaning as “leaders” or “those living in rural areas.” The singular noun appears to be collective (note the accompanying plural verb). For various options see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 237-38.

⁴tn Or “ceased.”

⁵tn The translation assumes that the verb is an archaic second feminine singular form. Though Deborah is named as one of the composers of the song (v. 1), she is also addressed within it (v. 12). Many take the verb as first person singular, “I arose” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV).

⁶tn Heb “mother.” The translation assumes that the image portrays Deborah as a protector of the people. It is possible that the metaphor points to her prophetic role. Just as a male prophet could be called “father,” so Deborah, a prophetess, is called “mother” (B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 239).

⁴tn That is, “consider legal disputes.”

⁵map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.

⁶tn Heb “for judgment.”

⁵tn Heb “went up at his feet.”

⁶tn Heb “take captive your captives.” (The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative here.)

⁷tn Heb “Issachar.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁸tn Or “was true to.”

⁹tn Heb “at his feet.”

¹⁰tn Heb “great was.”

¹¹tc The great majority of Hebrew mss have “resolves of heart,” but a few mss read “searchings of heart,” which is preferable in light of v. 16.

⁸tn Or “honor.”

⁹tn Heb “on [account of (?)] the way which you are walking.” Another option is to translate, “due to the way you are going about this.” In this case direct reference is made to Barak’s hesitancy as the reason for his loss of glory.

¹⁰tn Heb “for into the hands of a woman the Lord will sell Sisera.”

⁹tn Heb “Arise!”

¹⁰tn The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”

¹¹tn Heb “Has the Lord not gone out before you?”