Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 5

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Introduction

1  The Song of Deborah and Barak.
Verse 1

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Sang Deborah
This verse briefly recites the subject of this inspired song, which consists of eight stanzas: The first opens with a devout thanksgiving. The second describes the magnificent scenes at Mount Sinai, etc. The third states the apostasy and consequent punishment of the Israelites. The fourth contrasts their present happy state. The fifth censures the recreant tribes of Reuben, Gad, etc. The sixth records the defeat of the confederate kings of Canaan. The seventh contains a panegyric on Jael. And the eight describes the fond anticipations and disappointment of the mother of Sisera.
Exodus 15:1,21, Numbers 21:17, 1 Samuel 2:1, 2 Chronicles 20:21,27, Job 38:7, Psalms 18:1; *title; Isaiah 12:1-6, 25:1, 26:1, Luke 1:46,67,68, Revelation 15:3,4, 19:1-3
Verse 2

Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
for the avenging
Deuteronomy 32:43, 2 Samuel 22:47,48, Psalms 18:47, 48:11, 94:1, 97:8, 136:15,19,20, Psalms 149:6-9, Revelation 16:5,6, 18:20, 19:2
when
9, 2 Chronicles 17:16, Nehemiah 11:2, Psalms 110:3, 1 Corinthians 9:17, 2 Corinthians 8:12, 9:7, Philippians 2:13, Philemon 1:14
Verse 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.
O ye kings
Deuteronomy 32:1,3, Psalms 2:10-12, 49:1,2, 119:46, 138:4,5
I, even I
7, Genesis 6:17, 9:9, Exodus 31:6, Leviticus 26:28, 1 Kings 18:22, 19:10,14, Ezra 7:21
Verse 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.
Lord
Deuteronomy 33:2, Psalms 68:7,8, Habakkuk 3:3-6
the earth
2 Samuel 22:8, Job 9:6, Psalms 18:7-15
dropped
Psalms 77:17
Verse 5

The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
mountains
Deuteronomy 4:11, Psalms 97:5, 114:4, Isaiah 64:1-3, Nahum 1:5, Habakkuk 3:10
melted
Heb. flowed. that Sinai.
Exodus 19:18, 20:18, Deuteronomy 4:11,12, 5:22-25, Hebrews 12:18
Verse 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
3:31
Jael
4:17,18
the highways
Leviticus 26:22, 2 Chronicles 15:5, Isaiah 33:8, Lamentations 1:4, 4:18, Micah 3:12
travellers
Heb. walkers of paths. by-ways. Heb. crooked ways.
Psalms 125:5
Verse 7

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
the villages
Esther 9:19
a mother
4:4-6, 2 Samuel 20:19, Isaiah 49:23, Romans 16:13
Verse 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
2:12,17, Deuteronomy 32:16,17
was there
4:3, 1 Samuel 13:19-22
Verse 9

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
offered
2, 1 Chronicles 29:9, 2 Corinthians 8:3,4,12,17, 9:5
Verse 10

Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
Speak
or, Meditate.
Psalms 105:2, 145:5,11
ride
10:4, 12:14
ye that sit
Psalms 107:32, Isaiah 28:6, Joel 3:12
Verse 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 noise
Lamentations 5:4,9
in the places
Dr. Shaw mentions a beautiful rill of water in Barbary, which runs into a large bason, called shrub we krub, "drink and be off," because of the danger of meeting with robbers and assassins in this place, who fall upon those who come to drink.
Genesis 26:20-22, Exodus 2:17-19, Isaiah 12:3
righteous acts
Heb. righteousnesses.
1 Samuel 12:7, Psalms 145:7, Micah 6:5
villages
go down
Deuteronomy 22:24, Job 29:7, Isaiah 28:6, Jeremiah 7:2
Verse 12

Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
awake, Deborah
Psalms 57:8, 103:1,2, 108:2, Isaiah 51:9,17, 52:1,2, 60:1, Jeremiah 31:26, 1 Corinthians 15:34, Ephesians 5:14
lead
Psalms 68:18, Isaiah 14:2, 33:1, 49:24-26, Ephesians 4:8, 2 Timothy 2:26
Verse 13

Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
he made
Psalms 49:14, Isaiah 41:15,16, Ezekiel 17:24, Daniel 7:18-27, Romans 8:37, Revelation 2:26,27, Revelation 3:9
the Lord
Psalms 75:7
Verse 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.
of Ephraim
3:27, 4:5,6
Amalek
3:13, Exodus 17:8-16
after
4:10,14
Machir
Numbers 32:39,40
handle the pen
Heb. draw with the pen.
Verse 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.
the princes
1 Chronicles 12:32
Barak
4:6,14
foot
Heb. his feet. Beraglaiv, rather, "with his footmen:" so LXX. Alex. [pkzous autou] and Luther, mit feinem Fubvolt.
Acts 20:13
For the
or, In the divisions, etc.
Acts 15:39
thoughts
Heb. impressions.
Proverbs 22:13, 2 Corinthians 11:2
Verse 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.
sheepfolds
Numbers 32:1-5,24, Philippians 2:21, 3:19
For
or, In.
15; *marg:
great
Psalms 4:4, 77:6, Lamentations 3:40,41
Verse 17

Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
Gilead
Joshua 13:25,31
Asher
Joshua 19:24-31
sea shore
or, sea-port. breaches. or, creeks.
Verse 18

Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
Zebulun
4:10
jeoparded
Heb. exposed to reproach. their lives.
Esther 4:16, Acts 20:24, 1 John 3:16, Revelation 12:11
in the high
4:6,10,14
Verse 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.
kings
Joshua 10:22-27, 11:1-15, Psalms 48:4-6, 68:12-14, 118:8-12, Revelation 17:12-14, Revelation 19:19
Taanach
1:27, 1 Kings 4:12
they took
30, Genesis 14:22, 4:16, Psalms 44:12
Verse 20

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
fought
Joshua 10:11, 1 Samuel 7:10, Psalms 77:17,18
the stars
4:15
courses
Heb. paths.
Verse 21

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
Kishon
4:7,13, 1 Kings 18:40, Psalms 83:9,10
O my soul
Genesis 49:18, Psalms 44:5, Isaiah 25:10, Micah 7:10
Verse 22

Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
horsehoofs
Anciently, horses were not shod; nor are they at the present day in some parts of the East. The flight was so rapid that the hoofs of their horses were splintered and broken by the roughness of the roads; in consequence of which they became lame, and could not carry off their riders.
Psalms 20:7, 33:17, 147:10,11, Isaiah 5:28, Jeremiah 47:4, Micah 4:13
pransings
or, tramplings, or, plungings. mighty ones. Or, as Dr. Waterland renders, "mighty horses," or "strong steeds," as Dr. Kennicott, i.e., their war-horses, which gives great energy to the text, and renders it perfectly intelligible.
Verse 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.
Curse ye
1 Samuel 26:19, Jeremiah 48:10, 1 Corinthians 16:22
Meroz
This city of Meroz seems to have been, at this time, a place of considerable importance, since something great was expected from it; but probably, after the angel of the Lord had pronounced this curse, it dwindled and like the fig-tree which Christ cursed, withered away; so that we never read of it after this in Scripture.
the angel
2:1, 4:6, 6:11, 13:3, Matthew 25:41
they came
21:9,10, Nehemiah 3:5
to the help
1 Samuel 17:47, 18:17, 25:28, Romans 15:18, 1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:1
Verse 24

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
4:17, Genesis 14:19, Proverbs 31:31, Luke 1:28,42
Verse 25

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
asked
4:19-21
butter
Chemah, may signify buttermilk, which is made by the Arabs by agitating the milk in a leathern bag; and is highly esteemed because of its refreshing and cooling qualities.
Verse 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.
with the
Heb. She hammered. she smote off. Or rather, "she smote his head, then she struck through and pierced his temples:" which is more consonant to the original, and to fact, as it does not appear that she smote off his head.
1 Samuel 17:49-51, 2 Samuel 20:22
Verse 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
Heb. Between. where.
Psalms 52:7, Matthew 7:2, James 2:13
dead
Heb. destroyed.
Verse 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?
through
2 Kings 1:2, Song of Solomon 2:9
Why is
4:15, Song of Solomon 8:14, James 5:7
Verse 29

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
answer
Heb. her words.
Verse 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 they not sped
Exodus 15:9, Job 20:5
every man
Heb. the head of a man. of divers.
Genesis 37:3, 2 Samuel 13:18, Psalms 45:14
Verse 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 let
Psalms 48:4,5, 58:10,11, 68:1-3, 83:9-18, 92:9, 97:8, Revelation 6:10, 18:20, Revelation 19:2,3
them that
Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 6:5, Psalms 91:14, 97:10, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 8:3, Ephesians 6:24, James 1:12, 2:5, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 John 4:19-21, 5:2,3
the sun
2 Samuel 23:4, Psalms 19:4,5, 37:6, Proverbs 4:18, Daniel 12:3, Hosea 6:3, Matthew 13:43
And the land
The victory here celebrated in this song, was of such happy consequence to Israel, that for the principal part of one age, they enjoyed the peace to which it had been the means of opening the way. The land had rest forty years, that is, so long it was from this victory to the raising up of Gideon. And well would it have been for the Israelites, if while the tribes had rest, they had taken advantage of the cessation from war, and had walked in the fear of the Lord.
3:11,30

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