The Song of Deborah and Barak
(Exodus 15:1–21)

1And Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

2“When leaders lead in Israel,

when the people willingly offer themselves,

bless YHWH.

3Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;

I to YHWH, I will sing.

I will sing to YHWH,

God of Israel.

4O YHWH, when You went out from Seir,

when You marched from the field of Edom,

the earth trembled and the heavens poured down;

also the clouds poured down water.

5The mountains flowed before YHWH,

this one—Sinai—

before the face of YHWH,

God of Israel.

6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael,

the highways were deserted,

and the travelers walked the crooked ways.

7Village life ceased,

in Israel it ceased,

until I arose—Deborah Arose—

a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods;

then there was war in the gates.

A shield was not seen, or a spear,

among forty thousand in Israel.

9My heart is with the rulers of Israel,

who offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless YHWH!

10You who ride on white donkeys,

who sit in judges’ attire,

and who walk along the road,

ponder 11from the voice of the singers†

between the watering places.

There they shall recount the righteous acts of YHWH,

the righteous acts for His villagers† in Israel.

Then shall go down to the gates

the people of YHWH.

12‘Awake, awake, O Deborah;

Awake, awake, sing a song!

Arise, O Barak,

and lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.’

13Then came down the survivors to the nobles;

the people of YHWH came down for me against the mighty.

14From Ephraim their root is in Amalek,

after you Benjamin, with your peoples.

From Machir came down commanders,

and from Zebulun those drawing with the staff of a scribe.

15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah,

and as Issachar, so was Barak;

into the valley he was sent on his feet.

Among the divisions of Reuben

were great decrees of the heart.

16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds,

to hear the pipings for the flocks?

For the divisions of Reuben

great were the searchings of heart.

17Gilead dwelt beyond the Jordan,

and Dan, why does he sojourn on ships?

Asher continued at the seashore,

and by his inlets he dwelt.

18Zebulun is a people who exposed its soul to death,

and Naphtali, on the heights of the field.

19The kings came—they fought;

then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach

by the waters of Megiddo;

spoils of silver they did not take.

20From the heavens the stars fought;

from their courses they fought against Sisera.

21The torrent of Kishon swept them away,

the ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon.

March on in strength, O my soul.

22Then pounded the hooves of horses,

from the galloping—the galloping of its mighty ones.

23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of YHWH.

‘Bitterly curse its dwellers,

because they did not come to the aid of YHWH,

to the aid of YHWH against the mighty.’

24Most blessed above women is Jael

the wife of Heber the Kenite;

above women in the tent she is blessed.

25Water he requested, milk she gave;

in a Magnificent bowl she brought out curds.

26Her hand to the tent peg she stretched,

and her right hand to the hammer of workmen,

and she pounded Sisera, she pierced his head,

and she shattered and pierced through his temple.

27Between her feet he sank, he fell,

he lay still;

between her feet he sank, he fell;

where he sank, there he fell dead.

28Through the window looked and cried out the mother of Sisera,

through the lattice,

‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why do tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’

29The wisest of her princesses answered her;

indeed, she returns her words herself:

30‘Do not they find and divide the loot—

a womb or two wombs for every man;

loot of dyed garments for Sisera,

loot of embroidered dyed garments, two pieces of dyed embroidery

for the neck of the looter?’

31So may all Your enemies perish,

O YHWH;

and let those who love Him be like the sun

when it rises in full strength.”

And the land had rest forty years.