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, was ³  leading ⁴  Israel at that time.

Judges 5:7

5:7 Warriors ⁵  were scarce, ⁶ 

they were scarce in Israel,

until you ⁷  arose, Deborah,

until you arose as a motherly protector ⁸  in Israel.

Judges 4:5

4:5 She would sit ⁹  under the Date Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel ¹⁰  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 Issachar ¹⁴  supported ¹⁵  Barak;

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

Among the clans of Reuben there was intense ¹⁷  heart searching. ¹⁸ 

Judges 4:9

4:9 She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame ¹⁹  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.

[5:1]  ¹ tn The words “this victory song” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[4:4]  ² tn Heb “ a woman, a prophetess.” In Hebrew idiom the generic “woman” sometimes precedes the more specific designation. See GKC 437-38 §135.b.

[4:4]  ³ tn 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.

[4:4]  ⁴ tn Or “judging.”

[5:7]  ³ tn 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.

[5:7]  ⁴ tn Or “ceased.”

[5:7]  ⁵ tn 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).

[5:7]  ⁶ tn 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).

[4:5]  ⁴ tn That is, “consider legal disputes.”

[4:5]  ⁵ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[4:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “for judgment.”

[4:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “went up at his feet.”

[5:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “take captive your captives.” (The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative here.)

[5:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “Issachar.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:15]  ⁸ tn Or “was true to.”

[5:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “at his feet.”

[5:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “great was.”

[5:15]  ¹¹ tc 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.

[4:9]  ⁸ tn Or “honor.”

[4:9]  ⁹ tn 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.

[4:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “for into the hands of a woman the Lord will sell Sisera.”

[4:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “Arise!”

[4:14]  ¹⁰ tn 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.”

[4:14]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Has the Lord not gone out before you?”