English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

1Later that day, Deborah and Abinoam's son Barak celebrated by singing this song:

2“That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!

2"When hair grows long in Israel, when the people give themselves willingly, bless the LORD!

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.

3Listen, you kings! Turn your ears to me, you rulers! As for me, to the LORD I will sing! I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

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.

4LORD, when you left Seir, when you marched out from the grain field of Edom, the earth quaked and the heavens poured out rain; indeed, the clouds poured out water.

5The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.

5Mountains tremble at the presence of the LORD — even Sinai!—at the presence of the LORD God of Israel.

6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.

6During the lifetime of Anath's son Shamgar and during the lifetime of Jael highways remained deserted, while travelers kept to back roads.

7The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.

7Rural populations plummeted in Israel; until I, Deborah, arose; until I—an Israeli mother—arose.

8When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?

8New gods were chosen, then war came to the city gates, but there wasn't a shield or spear to be seen among 40,000 soldiers of Israel.

9My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.

9My heart is for the commanders of Israel, to those who work willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!

10“Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way.

10"Speak up, you who ride white donkeys, sitting on cloth saddles while you travel on your way!

11To 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.

11From the sound of those who divide their work loads at the watering troughs, there they will retell the righteous deeds of the LORD, the righteous victories for his rural people in Israel." Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates.

12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.

12"Wake up! Wake up, Deborah! Wake up! Wake up, Deborah! Get up, Barak, and dispose of your captives, you son of Abinoam!

13Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.

13Then the survivors approached the nobles; the people of the LORD approached me in battle array.

14From 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;

14Some came from Ephraim who had been harassed by Amalek, followed by Benjamin with your people. Some commanders came from Machir, along with some from Zebulun who carry a badge of office.

15the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

15The officials of Issachar were with Deborah, as was the tribe of Issachar and Barak. They rushed out into the valley at his heels along with divisions from Reuben's army. Great was their resolve of heart!

16Why 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.

16Why did you sit down among the sheepfolds? To hear the bleating of the flocks? Among the divisions of the army of Reuben there was great searching of heart.

17Gilead 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.

17The tribe of Gilead remained on the other side of the Jordan River. As for the tribe of Dan, why did they stay on board their ships? The tribe of Asher sat by the seashore and remained near its harbors.

18Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.

18The tribe of Zebulun did not worry about their lives at the price of death; neither did the tribe of Naphtali also on high places of the field.

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.

19"Kings came to fight, then battled the kings of Canaan at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They took no silver as the spoils of war.

20From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

20The stars fought from heaven; they fought against Sisera from their orbits.

21The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might!

21The current of the Kishon River swept them downstream, that ancient current, the Kishon's current! March on strongly, my soul!

22“Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

22Then loud was the beat of the horses' hooves— from the galloping, galloping war steeds!

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.

23"'Meroz is cursed!' declared the angel of the LORD. 'Utterly and totally cursed are its inhabitants, because they never came to the aid of the LORD, to the aid of the LORD against the valiant warriors!'"

24“Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed.

24"Blessed above all women is Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite; most blessed is she among women who live in tents!

25He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl.

25Sisera asked for water— she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him yogurt!

26She 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.

26She reached out one hand for the tent peg, and her other for the workman's mallet. Then she struck Sisera, smashing his head, shattering and piercing 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.

27He crumpled to the ground between her feet, where he fell down and collapsed. Between her feet he crumpled, Fallen dead!

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?’

28"Back at home, out the window Sisera's mother peered, lamenting through the lattice. 'Why is his chariot delayed in returning? 'Why do the hoof beats of his chariots wait?'

29Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself,

29Her wise attendants find an answer for her; in fact, she tells the same words to 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?’

30They're busy finding and dividing the war booty, aren't they? A girl or two for each valiant warrior, and some dyed materials for Sisera— perhaps dyed, embroidered war booty— or some detailed embroidery for my neck as the booty of war!

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.

31"May all of your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may those who love him be like the ascending sun in its strength!" Then the land enjoyed quiet for 40 years.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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