New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

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

2“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!

2"That the leaders led in Israel, That the people volunteered, Bless the LORD!

3“Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

3"Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers! I-- to the LORD, I will sing, I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

4“LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water;

4"LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped, Even the clouds dripped water.

5The mountains gushed before the LORD, This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel.

5"The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways.

6"In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, And travelers went by roundabout ways.

7Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel.

7"The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Until I arose, a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

8"New gods were chosen; Then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen Among forty thousand in Israel.

9My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD!

9"My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, The volunteers among the people; Bless the LORD!

10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges’ attire, And who walk along the road.

10"You who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who travel on the road-- sing!

11Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the LORD shall go down to the gates.

11"At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the LORD, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates.

12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!

12"Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take away your captives, O son of Abinoam.

13“Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The LORD came down for me against the mighty.

13"Then survivors came down to the nobles; The people of the LORD came down to me as warriors.

14From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff.

14"From Ephraim those whose root is in Amalek came down, Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples; From Machir commanders came down, And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of office.

15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.

15"And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed at his heels; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.

16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart.

16"Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the piping for the flocks? Among the divisions of Reuben There were great searchings of heart.

17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.

17"Gilead remained across the Jordan; And why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat at the seashore, And remained by its landings.

18Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

18"Zebulun was a people who despised their lives even to death, And Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

19“The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver.

19"The kings came and fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan At Taanach near the waters of Megiddo; They took no plunder in silver.

20They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.

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

21The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength!

21"The torrent of Kishon swept them away, The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength.

22Then the horses’ hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds.

22"Then the horses' hoofs beat From the dashing, the dashing of his valiant steeds.

23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the LORD, To the help of the LORD against the mighty.’

23'Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the LORD, 'Utterly curse its inhabitants; Because they did not come to the help of the LORD, To the help of the LORD against the warriors.'

24“Most blessed among women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed is she among women in tents.

24"Most blessed of women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Most blessed is she of women in the tent.

25He asked for water, she gave milk; She brought out cream in a lordly bowl.

25"He asked for water and she gave him milk; In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.

26She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple.

26"She reached out her hand for the tent peg, And her right hand for the workmen's hammer. Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head; And she shattered and pierced his temple.

27At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; At her feet he sank, he fell; Where he sank, there he fell dead.

27"Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell dead.

28“The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’

28"Out of the window she looked and lamented, The mother of Sisera through the lattice, 'Why does his chariot delay in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?'

29Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself,

29"Her wise princesses would answer her, Indeed she repeats her words to herself,

30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’

30'Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A maiden, two maidens for every warrior; To Sisera a spoil of dyed work, A spoil of dyed work embroidered, Dyed work of double embroidery on the neck of the spoiler?'

31“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.

31"Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might." And the land was undisturbed for forty years.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org