Chapter 5
The Song of Deborah and Barak
5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:
Both Deborah and Barak sang this song, but it appears to have been written by Deborah (see verses 7 and 12).
5:2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!
When leaders are willing to lead and the people are willing to follow that lead, God is blessed! This axiom can only apply when people are willing to listen and follow God and His Word.
5:3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.
Since Israel had no kings or princes, this call is for the kings and princes of the Gentiles to hear this song of praise to YHWH. Note the first person use of “I,” Deborah is recognizing and praising God, the real hero of the events recorded in chapter four.
5:4 “LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. 5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.
Even though we will read about the Kishon River becoming a torrent in verse twenty-one, this stanza is likely not a reference to any rainfall or earthquakes that occurred during the events recorded in the previous chapter as many believe. This song of Deborah’s begins similar to most Hebrew songs and poetry with an acknowledgment of God’s greatness, power, and supremacy. For example we see similar wording in Psalm 68, “O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, (Selah) the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished.” (Psalm 68:7-10, ESV, parentheses added, see also Habakkuk 3:3-13).
5:6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.
Prior to the battle people didn’t travel in the open, safety was a concern. When a person did travel they stayed off the main roads and stayed on the byways (Hebrew ‘ō’·rǎḥ ‘ǎqǎl·qǎl, meaning path or highway detour). Deborah refers to the days of Shamgar (see Judges 3:31) and Jael being concurrent. Some rabbis believe since Jael is listed here and potentially a Hebrew name, that she may have been a judge as well, but there is no further reference to support that idea. There are some that suggest that Ehud was given the “knightly surname” of Jael in the same manner Gideon will be called Jerubbaal for his heroism (see Judges 6:32).
5:7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
Deborah notes how desolate Israel became with little interaction between the people, until she arose as a mother in Israel. The Hebrew word translated here as ‘villagers’ is p̄erā·zôn whose meaning is often debated and remains unknown, which is why translations vary, including rulers, warriors, villages, peasantry, inhabitants, a spokesman, mighty ones, open country, etc.
5:8 When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?
Deborah identifies the source of all of the problems in Israel at that time, by pointing to when the people chose new gods, a violation of their covenant with God. At that time God raised the Canaanites to oppress the Israelites, war was in the gates. As was the way of most conquerers of the time, anything that could be used of forged into a weapon was confiscated.
5:9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.
She recognizes the bravery of the commanders of Israel and commends them as they were willing and able to fight despite severe disadvantages. With this verse immediately following the question, “Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?” (Judges 5:8b, ESV), these commanders (and their men) were probably not well armed. Deborah then praises YHWH as He is responsible for both the men’s fortitude and their victory.
5:10 “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way.
Deborah calls out to those who ride on white donkeys and sit on carpets (Hebrew mid·dîn’, unknown exact meaning, typically understood to refer to an outer garment, in context could mean a saddle blanket) referring to the affluent, and to those who walk on the road. Both being from Israel, in contrast to verse three which invited the Gentiles to hear, this was a call for all of Israel to participate and join the song.
5:11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. “Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.
Musicians were to make music at the watering places, the locations that were once silent and somber could now be full of song and music celebrating the righteous triumphs of YHWH. Plus, the people could once again enjoy life at the gates (typically the town center and marketplace) of the cities. This is the first time in the book of Judges that the Israelites are called the people of YHWH, the second and final time is in verse thirteen.
5:12 “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
The call for Deborah to awake introduces us to the second part of the song which will provide greater detail of the events. Deborah is calling upon herself to wake up and sing and for Barak to lead the prisoners of war away.
5:13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.
This verse is another one that is widely interpreted, raising more questions than answers. Here are some of the issues: First, the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘remnant’ is śā·rîḏ’ meaning ’survivor’, which raises the question, “Who are the survivors?” Second, the Hebrew word for ‘noble’ is actually plural, so, “Who are the nobles?” Third, based on the answers to those two questions would dictate what event is being referenced. Some interpret this as leading up to the people of YHWH gathering together before the battle begun, while others say it’s about the attack itself. As this verse is before Deborah’s review of the Israel’s response to her call to war, before the battle (verses 14-18), that it is likely referring to the Israelites that responded to her call. If so, then perhaps the verse can best be rendered as, “Then those mighty men who were left came down. The LORD’s people went into battle for me against the mighty soldiers.”[1] (Judges 5:13, GW)
5:14 From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff; 15a the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels.
Deborah apparently sent word out to the northern tribes and now she puts into song their response both favorable and not so favorable. The tribe of Ephraim came, but it is interesting to note that the ESV ignores a reference in the Hebrew text stating that they came from the land that once belonged to the Amalekites. The tribe of Benjamin with their people responded. Machir responded with their leaders (they were the largest clan of the tribe of Manasseh). The tribe of Zebulun came with some carrying the staff of a commander. The leaders of the tribe of Issachar came with Deborah and the men of Issachar followed Barak into battle. Bringing the total number of tribes that responded favorably to Deborah’s call to be five (the tribe of Naphtali will be recognized favorably in verse eighteen).
5:15b Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling 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 stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings.
Next we read about those that were either willing and not able to help or just unwilling. The tribe of Reuben couldn’t make up their minds, to help or not to help. Deborah asks them, why did they stay home, to listen to someone whistling? Gilead is a city and the name of a region in the tribe of Gad’s territory, apparently none of the Gadites showed up. The people of Dan stayed home too, being on the coast the tribe of Dan would have many ships. And the tribe of Asher was accused of the same.
5:18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
The song returns to the tribe of Zebulun with the glowing praise that they and the men from Naphtali risked their lives to the point of death on the heights of the battlefield. The only tribes not mentioned in Deborah’s song are Judah and Simeon, who, due to their distance, may not have been called.
5:19 “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 From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 21 The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might!
The entire battle scene is summarized in these three verses. Deborah tells us that kings came, but since there were no kings on either side listed in the prose of chapter four, this reference probably should be interpreted figuratively. Sisera was only a commander, and Israel had no kings at that time. The two forces, Sisera and his men with 900 chariots, first met Balak and his men coming down from Mount Tabor to the Jezreel Valley where the Kishon River flows at Taanach near the what is referred to as the waters of Megiddo (exact location unknown as the Kishon does not flow that close to Megiddo). Sisera may have been waiting to engage Balak near Megiddo as the high ground would provide a military advantage, especially with chariots. The meaning of the statement “they got no spoils of silver” can be viewed as a quick summary of the battle, there certainly was no financial gain for the Canaanites from this conflict. What the Canaanites didn’t expect was God’s participation. “The stars fought from heaven. They fought against Sisera from their heavenly paths.”[2] (Judges 5:20, GW) As one could guess this is another widely interpreted verse. But regardless if interpreted literally or allegorically, God intervened. Stars often relate to angels in the Bible (see Job 38:7; Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 1:20; 9:1; 12:4). The reference to heaven could also represent weather conditions as we read in the following verse the Kishon River became a torrent, that when full, creates a violent force, which would quickly neutralize the chariots. Deborah pauses the story to interject an enthusiastic call to march on with might!
5:22 “Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.
Normally one would interpret a verse like this one as being a description of a powerful scene of horses going into war, but with it following a verse about a river being a torrent washing the enemy away, it may be an account of what confused and panicking horses sound like. Especially as they attempt to escape the water.
5:23 “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
Little is known about Meroz, which is only mentioned this one time in Scripture. It is often thought of being Maresheth or perhaps Murussus, as the actual location is unknown, however, it is believed to have been near this battle scene, but due to lack of faith, apathy, fright, or some other issue, the inhabitants chose not to participate. As a result of that decision, Deborah notes that the Angel of YHWH proclaimed a curse on the city and its residents. This curse is not mentioned in chapter four, nor do we have any additional information.
5:24 “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. 25 He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl. 26 She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.
Deborah begins to celebrate Jael, the woman who killed Sisera. She notes that she was married to Heber a Kenite (see commentary for Judges 1:16 regarding the Kenites) and that she was a tent-dwelling woman, but yet most blessed. When Sisera approached the location where Jael had pitched her tent, he asked her for some water. Instead of water she gave him some curds in a bowl, which may have contributed to his sleepiness and willingness to lay down (see Judges 4:21). Deborah then graphically describes Sisera’s demise, Jael grabbed a tent peg and a heavy mallet and then struck him. She crushed his head, shattered and pierced the temple of his head, and he sank lifeless between her feet. Using a rarely used literary device known as a climatic parallelism, Deborah repeats three times that he sank and he fell. The commander of Jabin’s army was now dead.
5:28 “Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’ 29 Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, 30 ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’
Deborah now shifts off the battlefield and Jael’s tent to a fictitious ending by going to Sisera’s mother’s home and imagines her thoughts. She proclaims that while looking out the window the mother cries out, “why the delay, why can’t we hear the horses coming?” She is answered that perhaps they are still dividing the spoil, and then fantasizes, a woman or two for every man! And colorful robes for Sisera and me!
5:31 “So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” And the land had rest for forty years.
Deborah concludes with a two proclamations, the first being, “May all your enemies die like Sisera, O YHWH!” The second, “may those who love YHWH rise like the sun in His strength!” The Biblical account of Deborah and Barak ends with a brief statement that Israel had rest for forty years. There is no mention of the demise of the king. See below for an extra-Biblical account of this event by the historian Josephus.
Considerations
Whether or not the Weather (God) Played a Role in this War
The historian Josephus wrote in his Antiquities of the Jews that weather did indeed play a major role in this battle. Plus, he briefly notes how Jabin, the Canaanite king, was defeated.
From Book 5, Chapter 5, Paragraph 4: (205) So the battle began; and when they were come to a close fight, there came down from heaven a great storm, with a vast quantity of rain and hail, and the wind blew the rain in the face of the Canaanites, and so darkened their eyes, that their arrows and slings were of no advantage to them, nor would the coldness of the air permit the soldiers to make use of their swords; (206) while this storm did not so much incommode the Israelites, because it came in their backs. They also took such courage, upon the apprehension that God was assisting them, that they fell upon the very midst of their enemies, and slew a great number of them; so that some of them fell by the Israelites, some fell by their own horses, which were put into disorder, and not a few were killed by their own chariots. (207) At last Sisera, as soon as he saw himself beaten, fled away, and came to a woman whose name was Jael, a Kenite, who received him, when he desired to be concealed; and when he asked for somewhat to drink, she gave him sour milk, (208) of which he drank so unmeasurably that he fell asleep; but when he was asleep, Jael took an iron nail, and with a hammer drove it through his temples into the floor; and when Barak came a little afterward, she showed Sisera nailed to the ground; (209) and thus was this victory gained by a woman, as Deborah had foretold. Barak also fought with Jabin at Hazor; and when he met with him, he slew him; and when the general was fallen, Barak overthrew the city to the foundation, and was the commander of the Israelites for forty years.[3]
Who Was Josephus?
Flavius Josephus (37 A.D.-unk) is the author of several extra-biblical writings of the first century. His works have become the principal source for much of the history of the Jews from the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (175–163 B.C.) to the fall of Masada in A.D. 73. His first work, The Wars of the Jews, was written to give a general history of the wars from the time of the Maccabees to the Great War with Rome which resulted in the final demise of the nation of Israel. Josephus’ other major work, and his longest, the Antiquities of the Jews, is a history of the Jewish nation from earliest times (he begins with an account of the Biblical creation narrative) to Josephus’ own time. The work draws heavily from the Septuagint and extra-biblical traditions as well as the writings of Greek and Roman historians.[4]
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[1] GOD’S WORD Translation (Jdg 5:13). (1995). Baker Publishing Group.
[2] GOD’S WORD Translation (Jdg 5:20). (1995). Baker Publishing Group.
[3] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (pp. 140–141). Hendrickson.
[4] Adapted from Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. ix). Hendrickson.