Focused Passage

Judges 5:6-11

Deborah and Barak's Song: The LORD's Victory and Israel's Covenant Response

Judges 5 moves from a summons to praise the LORD for willing leaders and volunteers, through remembrance of His Sinai-like coming and Israel's covenant collapse, into tribal accountability, divine victory at Kishon, Jael's decisive blow, the humiliation of Sisera's household, and a closing prayer that the LORD's enemies perish while those who love Him rise like the sun.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.

7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.

8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.

9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!

10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder

11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates:

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Cross-references

Judges 3:31Classic cross-references Isaiah 33:8Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 15:5Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:22Classic cross-references Ezekiel 35:7Classic cross-references

Original words

In the daysבִּימֵ֞יH3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof Shamgarשַׁמְגַּ֤רH8044Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Anathעֲנָת֙H6067Noun - proper - masculine singularin the daysבִּימֵ֣יH3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural constructof Jaelיָעֵ֔לH3278Noun - proper - feminine singularthe highwaysאֳרָח֑וֹתH734Noun - common pluralwere desertedחָדְל֖וּH2308Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraland the travelersוְהֹלְכֵ֣יH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .נְתִיב֔וֹתH5410Noun - feminine pluraltookיֵלְכ֕וּH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralvvvאֳרָח֖וֹתH734Noun - common pluralthe bywaysעֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת׃H6128Adjective - feminine plural

Verse 7

Cross-references

2 Samuel 20:19Classic cross-references Isaiah 49:23Classic cross-references

Original words

Life in the villagesפְרָז֛וֹןH6520Noun - masculine singularceasedחָדְל֧וּH2308Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralit endedחָדֵ֑לּוּH2308Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularuntilעַ֤דH5704PrepositionI, Deborahדְּבוֹרָ֔הH1683Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .שַׁקַּ֥מְתִּיH6965Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulararoseשַׁקַּ֙מְתִּי֙H6965Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulara motherאֵ֖םH517Noun - feminine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 8

Cross-references

Judges 5:11Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 13:22Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:17Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 13:19Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:16Classic cross-references

Original words

When they choseיִבְחַר֙H977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularnewחֲדָשִׁ֔יםH2319Adjective - masculine pluralgodsאֱלֹהִ֣יםH430Noun - masculine pluralthenאָ֖זH227Adverbwarלָחֶ֣םH3901Noun - masculine singularcame to their gatesשְׁעָרִ֑יםH8179Noun - masculine pluralNotאִם־H518Conjunctiona shieldמָגֵ֤ןH4043Noun - common singularor spearוָרֹ֔מַחH7420Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwas foundיֵֽרָאֶה֙H7200Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularamong fortyבְּאַרְבָּעִ֥יםH705Preposition-b | Number - common pluralthousandאֶ֖לֶףH505Number - masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Jeremiah 15:1Classic cross-references Nehemiah 11:2Classic cross-references Judges 5:2Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 17:16Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 29:9Classic cross-references

Original words

My heartלִבִּי֙H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularis with the princesלְחוֹקְקֵ֣יH2710Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwith the volunteersהַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖יםH5068Article | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine pluralamong the peopleבָּעָ֑םH5971Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularBlessבָּרֲכ֖וּH1288Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine pluralthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Judges 12:14Classic cross-references Judges 10:4Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 8:1Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 9:3Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 16:2Classic cross-references

Original words

You who rideרֹכְבֵי֩H7392Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructwhiteצְחֹר֜וֹתH6715Adjective - feminine pluraldonkeysאֲתֹנ֨וֹתH860Noun - feminine pluralwho sitיֹשְׁבֵ֧יH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructonעַל־H5921Prepositionsaddle blanketsמִדִּ֛יןH4055Noun - masculine pluraland you who travelוְהֹלְכֵ֥יH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .עַל־H5921Prepositionthe roadדֶּ֖רֶךְH1870Noun - common singularponderשִֽׂיחוּ׃H7878Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural

Verse 11

Cross-references

Micah 6:5Classic cross-references Judges 5:8Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 12:7Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 22:24Classic cross-references Jeremiah 7:2Classic cross-references

Original words

the voicesמִקּ֣וֹלH6963Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the singersמְחַֽצְצִ֗יםH2686Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralatבֵּ֚יןH996Prepositionthe watering placesמַשְׁאַבִּ֔יםH4857Noun - masculine pluralThereשָׁ֤םH8033Adverbthey shall recountיְתַנּוּ֙H8567Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe righteous actsצִדְק֣וֹתH6666Noun - feminine plural constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe righteous deedsצִדְקֹ֥תH6666Noun - feminine plural constructof His villagersפִּרְזֹנ֖וֹH6520Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularThenאָ֛זH227Adverbthe peopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwent downיָרְד֥וּH3381Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralto the gatesלַשְּׁעָרִ֖יםH8179Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

Or archers or those who divide the sheep
Or warriors

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