| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: |
| 2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD. | 2"When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves-- praise the LORD! |
| 3Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel. | 3"Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will praise the LORD, the God of Israel, in song. |
| 4O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water. | 4"When you, LORD, went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water. |
| 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. | 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways. | 6"In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. |
| 7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. | 7Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel. |
| 8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel. | 8God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. |
| 9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the LORD! |
| 10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder | 10"You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider |
| 11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates: | 11the voice of the singers at the watering places. They recite the victories of the LORD, the victories of his villagers in Israel. "Then the people of the LORD went down to the city gates. |
| 12‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’ | 12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.' |
| 13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. | 13"The remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. |
| 14Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun. | 14Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander's staff. |
| 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, sent under his command into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. |
| 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. | 16Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. |
| 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors. | 17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves. |
| 18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield. | 18The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields. |
| 19Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver. | 19"Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver. |
| 20From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. | 20From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. |
| 21The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength! | 21The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong! |
| 22Then the hooves of horses thundered—the mad galloping of his stallions. | 22Then thundered the horses' hooves-- galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds. |
| 23‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’ | 23Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the LORD. 'Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.' |
| 24Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. | 24"Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. |
| 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds. | 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk. |
| 26She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple. | 26Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple. |
| 27At her feet he collapsed, he fell, there he lay still; at her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell dead. | 27At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell--dead. |
| 28Sisera’s mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice and lamented: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? What has delayed the clatter of his chariots?’ | 28"Through the window peered Sisera's mother; behind the lattice she cried out, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?' |
| 29Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself, | 29The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself, |
| 30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’ | 30Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck-- all this as plunder?' |
| 31So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years. | 31"So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength." Then the land had peace forty years. |
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