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I. THESE WORDS MAKE INTELLIGIBLE WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE SAVAGE ACT OF JAEL IN KILLING SISERA, AND THE FIERCE WORDS WITH WHICH DEBORAH PRAISES THE ACT. We see the place of drawing water — the well belonging to some little town or village. Thither in the still summer evening come the women and children. The men are absent at the wars. The women come to draw water for household and flock. As they wait their turn, the elder women talk together of their common cares and interests. The fair young maidens group together apart for the merry jest or confidential intercourse. Amongst them, moving in and out, are the laughing, bright-eyed children. What a pretty picture it makes — pretty, peaceful, glad! And then suddenly the whole is changed. The cruel, hated Canaanite is at hand. "The noise of archers" is heard. The mothers fly to guard the little ones, some of whom are laid low by the arrows. In the confusion the band sweeps down upon the group of fair maidens. The brightest and youngest and most beautiful are taken to be the slaves of the tyrant conquerors. Oh, who wonders now at Jael's cruelty and Deborah's vindictive triumph? It was not because the fair gardens were laid waste, the homes burned, the cattle and household treasures carried off, that these women so hated the oppressors; but because in the division of the spoil there would always fall "to every man a damsel or two," each the bright, sweet flower of some home, to be degraded, spoiled, trampled down, and brought to shame. We from our lofty standpoint, in the very midst of the full light of Christ's gospel — we who have learned to be patient, long-suffering, forgiving, tender-hearted — may be able to condemn them. They lived in a darker age; they had not our advantages. And yet I sometimes think that if we fully realised what that twenty years of mighty oppression must have been, how the hearts of the people will have burned with indignation at the cruelties and abominations they had to witness, we should be forced to acknowledge that Jael and Deborah would have been either more or less than women if they had acted otherwise. Deborah's song is a thanksgiving to God for deliverance. The one point she wishes to be ever remembered is that the victory was of God alone.

II. THERE IS EVER GOING ON AROUND US THE GREAT BATTLE OF GOOD AGAINST EVIL, IN WHICH EACH OF US IS CALLED TO TAKE OUR PART. He who does not hate the evil with earnest hatred, who rests in selfish indolence like Asher, who lets his searchings of heart and all his religious purpose end in talk like Reuben, who is indifferent and lukewarm like Meroz, he must needs fall under the scathing curse of those who come not to the help of the Lord against the mighty. We are all bound to range ourselves on the side of the good; to fight bravely for it; if need be, to suffer or to die for it. Again, as Sisera fell at last, so will all God's enemies fall for ever one day.

III. "The noise of archers in the places of drawing water" — that is to say, THE ATTACK OF THE ENEMY UPON THOSE WHO ONLY SEEK FOR PEACE, AS THEY GO ABOUT THE INNOCENT EMPLOYMENT OF DAILY LIFE. How this makes us think of one great mystery of temptation. How depressing and terrifying to many a poor soul! "I began the day with prayer not to be led into temptation; I resolved to be so careful. I was careful, and then all at once in my work it came. I was not thinking of it, till I found myself wounded with the poisoned arrows of temper, lust, selfishness, sloth, avarice, or pride." More mysterious still, even amid our religious duties, the enemy can make his deadly onslaught — the distraction, the vain thought, the cruel doubt, even the blasphemous suggestion, come whistling like the deadly arrow, striking us back and wounding us, and marking us, as we think, for death. Well, all this is at least no difficulty to us who believe. The arrows do not come by chance. An enemy has done this. Whilst the war lasts, he is to be hated, avoided with watchful care. But there is deliverance. Even now the victory has been won, and protection assured, and none need fear the arrows who are willing to dwell under the defence of the Most High. And there shall be a hereafter, when the noise of archers shall be no longer heard; when we shall have our noble work assigned to us, such work as God has for His saints to do; when we shall go about the work in perfect security; when we shall rehearse one to another the righteous acts of the Lord who has wrought mightily for the deliverance of His people.

(R. H. Parr, M. A.)

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

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