Judges 5

The Stars Fought from Their Courses

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The Song of Deborah and Barak

5:1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang and said:

5:2“When chiefs began to lead in Israel, when the people chose willingly, bless the Lord!

5:3Hear, kings;

give ear, mighty satraps! I will sing to the Lord;

I will make music to the God of Israel.

5:4Lord, when You went out from Seir, when You departed from Edom’s field, the earth shook;

heaven was astonished, and the clouds dripped water.

5:5Mountains were shaken before the Lord—this Sinai, before the Lord, the God of Israel.

5:6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, kings ceased, and they traveled paths;

they traveled twisted roads.

5:7Phrazōn ceased in Israel;

it ceased until Deborah arose, because a mother arose in Israel.

5:8They chose new gods like barley bread.

Would I see a covering of lances among forty thousand?

5:9My heart is with the things appointed for Israel.

You powerful ones of the people, bless the Lord!

5:10You who ride on beasts of burden, you who sit in covered carriages—

5:11utter the sound of musicians among those rejoicing.

There they will ascribe righteousness to the Lord.

Righteous people grew strong in Israel;

then the Lord’s people went down to His cities.

5:12Awake, awake, Deborah!

Rouse myriads with the people!

Awake, awake, speak with song!

Arise in strength, Barak, and strengthen Barak, Deborah!

Take your captives, son of Abinoam!

5:13When was his strength magnified?

Lord, humble for me those stronger than I am.

5:14The people of Ephraim punished them in the valley of your brother Benjamin, among your peoples.

From me, Machir, investigators came down;

and from Zebulun the Lord fought for me among mighty ones from there, with a scepter of one strengthening leadership.

5:15In Issachar, with Deborah, he sent his foot soldiers into the valley.

Why do you dwell between lips?

He stretched out at his feet.

Among Reuben’s divisions were great scrutinies of heart.

5:16Why do you sit for me between the mosphathaim, listening to the whistling of those who rouse?

To pass into Reuben’s territory were great searchings of heart.

5:17Gilead camped beyond the Jordan;

and Dan—why does he stay with ships? Asher stayed by the seashore and camped by its breaches.

5:18Zebulun was a people that scorned its life to the point of death, and Naphtali on the heights of the field.

5:19Kings came and drew up in battle;

then Canaan’s kings fought at Taanach by Megiddo’s water. They took no greedy gain of silver.

5:20From heaven the stars fought;

from their appointed order they fought against Sisera.

5:21The Kishon torrent cast them out—the torrent Kadēmim, the Kishon torrent.

My mighty soul will trample them.

5:22Then the horse’s heels were cut off—Amadarōth of his mighty ones.

5:23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the Lord’s messenger, ‘utterly curse its inhabitants, because they did not come to the Lord’s help.

The Lord is our helper, mighty among warriors.’

5:24Blessed among women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite;

among women in a tent may she be blessed.

5:25He asked her for water, and she gave him milk.

In a bowl of mighty ones she brought butter.

5:26She stretched her left hand toward a peg, her right toward the cuttings of the exhausted;

she cut down Sisera, crushed his head, shattered and pierced his jaw.

5:27Between her feet he bent down and fell;

he lay between her feet. Where he bent down, there he fell, wretched.

5:28Through the window Sisera’s mother leaned out, looking through the lattice toward those returning with Sisera: ‘Why is his chariot last to arrive?

Why have the tracks of his chariots been delayed?’

5:29The wise among her noble ladies answered her, and she herself answered in her own words:

5:30‘Will they not find him dividing spoils, befriending friends for the head of a mighty man?

Spoils of dyed cloth for Sisera, spoils of dyed cloth, embroidery;

a dyed embroidered piece around his neck as spoil.’

5:31So may all Your enemies perish, Lord!

And may those who love Him be like the sun’s rising in its might.” And the land was quiet for forty years.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V2 · working draft awaiting specialist review.