Barak, whose name appears in eleven biblical passages exclusively tied to military victory and leadership, uniquely participates here in liturgical worship through song.
Judges 5
The Song of Deborah
1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, LORD!
3“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4“LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
6“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!
10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.
12‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
14Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
24“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
31“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
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Theme
Deborah and Barak celebrate their victory over Sisera and the Canaanite coalition with a triumphant song that recounts God's deliverance of Israel. The poetic composition praises tribes that participated in the battle while criticizing those who failed to join the fight, highlighting both divine intervention and human courage. The song particularly honors Jael for her decisive role in killing Sisera, while vividly describing the chaos and defeat of Israel's enemies through God's power manifested in nature.
Context
This victory song immediately follows the prose account of Deborah and Barak's triumph in chapter 4, providing a poetic celebration of the same events.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Opening praise and divine theophany Deborah and Barak begin their victory song by blessing God and describing His powerful presence in nature during the battle.
- 6-11 Israel's oppression and deliverance The song recalls the dark period before Deborah's leadership when Israel was defenseless and oppressed by enemies.
- 12-18 Tribal participation and criticism Various tribes are evaluated for their willingness to join the battle, with praise for the courageous and rebuke for the reluctant.
- 19-23 The battle and divine intervention The cosmic battle is described with stars fighting from heaven and the Kishon River sweeping away enemies.
- 24-31 Jael's heroism and enemy's defeat Jael is blessed for killing Sisera while his mother anxiously awaits his return, contrasting victory with impending grief.
The Song of Deborah
5:1–5:31 poetry song celebratory
Deborah and Barak sing a victory song celebrating God's deliverance of Israel from their enemies. The song praises those who willingly fought and recounts the LORD's mighty acts in battle.
person_contrast
Barak, whose name appears in eleven biblical passages exclusively tied to military victory and leadership, uniquely participates here in liturgical worship through song.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Judges 5:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
Judges 4:12 Lexical
They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.
Judges 4:6 Lexical
She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israe…
Judges 4:9 Lexical
She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honor; for the LORD will…
Judges 4:14 Lexical
Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t the LORD g…
Judges 4:10 Lexical
Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
Judges 5:4 1 reference
Judges 5:6 1 reference
Judges 5:8 2 references
Lexicals 2
Judges 5:12 5 references
Lexicals 5
Judges 4:6 Lexical
She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israe…
Judges 4:12 Lexical
They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor.
Judges 4:10 Lexical
Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
Judges 4:9 Lexical
She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honor; for the LORD will…
Judges 4:14 Lexical
Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t the LORD g…
Judges 5:15 3 references
Lexicals 3
Judges 4:10 Lexical
Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
Judges 4:14 Lexical
Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t the LORD g…
Judges 4:9 Lexical
She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honor; for the LORD will…
Judges 5:17 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 49:13 Lexical
“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
Joshua 9:1 Lexical
When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the grea…
Ezekiel 48:2 Lexical
“By the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion.
Judges 10:8 Lexical
They troubled and oppressed the children of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Isra…
Joshua 17:5 Lexical
Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
Judges 5:19 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Chronicles 7:29 Lexical
and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns,…
Joshua 17:11 Lexical
Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants…
Judges 1:27 Lexical
Manasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of…
Joshua 12:21 Lexical
the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
1 Kings 4:12 Lexical
Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth…
Judges 5:24 3 references
Lexicals 3
Judges 4:17 Lexical
However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin…
Judges 4:21 Lexical
Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into…
Judges 4:11 Lexical
Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and…
Judges 5:26 2 references
Judges 5:28 5 references
Lexicals 5
Proverbs 7:6 Lexical
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
1 Chronicles 15:29 Lexical
As the ark of the LORD’s covenant came to David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw ki…
2 Samuel 6:16 Lexical
As the LORD’s ark came into David’s city, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out through the window and saw King David l…
2 Kings 9:30 Lexical
When Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out at th…
Genesis 26:8 Lexical
When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaa…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
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Lemma
Morphology
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Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter
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