| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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“Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. 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“Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you mighty rulers! For I will sing to the LORD. I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 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“LORD, when you set out from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain. |
| 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. | 5The mountains quaked in the presence of the LORD, the God of Mount Sinai— in the presence of 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, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travelers stayed on winding pathways. |
| 7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. | 7There were few people left in the villages of Israel — until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel. |
| 8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel. | 8When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel! |
| 9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD! |
| 10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder | 10“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. |
| 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: | 11Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched 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!’ | 12“Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam! |
| 13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. | 13“Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors. |
| 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. | 14They came down from Ephraim— a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry 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 and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 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 sit at home among the sheepfolds— to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors. | 17Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors. |
| 18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield. | 18But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 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“The kings of Canaan came and fought, at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs, but they carried off no silver treasures. |
| 20From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. | 20The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera. |
| 21The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength! | 21The Kishon River swept them away— that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my soul! |
| 22Then the hooves of horses thundered—the mad galloping of his stallions. | 22Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s 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.’ | 23‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the LORD. ‘Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the LORD— to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.’ |
| 24Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. | 24“Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. |
| 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds. | 25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt. |
| 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. | 26Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. |
| 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. | 27He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died. |
| 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“From the window Sisera’s mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’ |
| 29Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself, | 29“Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words 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?’ | 30‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’ |
| 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“LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years. |
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