The Book of Judges

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

(Exodus 15:1–21)

Then sang Deborah, and Barak the sonne of Abinoam the same day, saying,

Praise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel, and for the people that offred themselues willingly.

Heare, ye Kings, hearken ye princes: I, euen I will sing vnto the Lord: I will sing praise vnto the Lord God of Israel.

Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rained, the cloudes also dropped water.

The mountaines melted before the Lord, as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel.

In the dayes of Shamgar the sonne of Anath, in the dayes of Iael the hie wayes were vnoccupied, and the trauelers walked through by wayes.

The townes were not inhabited: they decayed, I say, in Israel, vntill I Deborah came vp, which rose vp a mother in Israel.

They chose new gods: then was warre in the gates. Was there a shielde or speare seene among fourtie thousand of Israel?

Mine heart is set on the gouernours of Israel, and on them that are willing among the people: praise ye the Lord.

Speake ye that ride on white asses, yee that dwel by Middin, and that walke by the way.

For the noyse of the archers appaised among the drawers of water: there shall they rehearse the righteousnesse of the Lord, his righteousnesse of his townes in Israel: then did the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates.

Vp Deborah, vp, arise, and sing a song: arise Barak, and leade thy captiuitie captiue, thou sonne of Abinoam.

For they that remaine, haue dominio ouer the mightie of the people: the Lord hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong.

Of Ephraim their roote arose against Amalek: and after thee, Beniamin shall fight against thy people, O Amalek: of Machir came rulers, and of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar, and also Barak: he was set on his feete in the valley: for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.

Why abodest thou among the sheepefolds, to heare the bleatings of the flockes? for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.

Gilead abode beyonde Iorden: and why doeth Dan remayne in shippes? Asher sate on the sea shoare, and taryed in his decayed places.

But the people of Zebulun and Naphtali haue ieopard their liues vnto the death in the hie places of the field.

The Kings came and fought: then fought the Kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: they receiued no gaine of money.

They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera.

The Riuer Kishon swepe them away, that ancient riuer the riuer Kishon. O my soule, thou hast marched valiantly.

Then were the horsehooues broken with the oft beating together of their mightie men.

Curse ye Meroz: (sayd the Angel of the Lord) curse the inhabitantes thereof, because they came not to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord against the mighty.

Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women: blessed shall she be aboue women dwelling in tentes.

He asked water, and shee gaue him milke: she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

She put her hand to the naile, and her right hand to the workemans hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera: she smote off his head, after she had wounded, and pearsed his temples.

He bowed him downe at her feete, he fell downe, and lay still: at her feete hee bowed him downe, and fell: and when he had sunke downe, he lay there dead.

The mother of Sisera looked out at a windowe, and cryed thorowe the lattesse, Why is his charet so long a comming? why tary the wheeles of his charets?

Her wise ladies answered her, Yea. Shee answered her selfe with her owne wordes,

Haue they not gotten, and they deuide the spoyle? euery man hath a mayde or two. Sisera hath a praye of diuers coloured garmentes, a pray of sundry colours made of needle worke: of diuers colours of needle worke on both sides, for the chiefe of the spoyle.

So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but they that loue him, shall be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might, and the lande had rest fourtie yeres.

(Exodus 15:1–21)

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

“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, LORD!

“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

“LORD, when you went 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 LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

“In the days of Shamgar the son 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 mother 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 the LORD!

“Speak, 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 LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.

‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’

“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD 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 princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his 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 his creeks.

Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

“The kings came and fought, then the kings 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 prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.

‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’

“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’

Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,

‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’

“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.