The Song of Deborah and Barak
(Exodus 15:1–21)
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: Exo 15:1Isa 12:1-6Psa 18:1Rev 15:3-4Rev 19:1-31Sa 2:12Ch 20:212Ch 20:27
“When the princes take the lead in Israel, Jdg 5:92Ch 17:16Psa 110:3Php 2:131Co 9:172Co 8:122Co 9:72Sa 22:47-48
when the people volunteer,
bless the LORD.
Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! Psa 138:4-5Ezr 7:21Psa 119:46Psa 2:10-12Psa 49:1-21Ki 18:221Ki 19:101Ki 19:14
I will sing to the LORD;
I will sing praise to the LORD,
the God of Israel.
O LORD, when You went out from Seir, Deu 33:2Psa 68:7-8Psa 77:17Psa 18:7-152Sa 22:8Job 9:6Hab 3:3-6
when You marched from the land of Edom,
the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain,
and the clouds poured down water.
The mountains quaked before the LORD, Exo 19:18Psa 97:5Isa 64:1-3Nam 1:5Hab 3:10Heb 12:18Psa 68:8Deu 4:11-12
the One of Sinai,
before the LORD,
the God of Israel.
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, Isa 33:8Jdg 3:31Lam 1:4Lev 26:222Ch 15:5Jdg 4:17-18Lam 4:18Mic 3:12
in the days of Jael,
the highways were deserted
and the travelers took the byways.
Life in the villages ceased; 2Sa 20:19Isa 49:23Est 9:19Jdg 4:4-6Rom 16:13
it ended in Israel,
until I, Deborah, arose,
a mother in Israel.
When they chose new gods, Deu 32:16-17Jdg 2:12Jdg 2:171Sa 13:19-22Jdg 4:3
then war came to their gates.
Not a shield or spear was found
among forty thousand in Israel.
My heart is with the princes of Israel, Jdg 5:21Ch 29:92Co 8:122Co 8:172Co 8:3-42Co 9:5
with the volunteers among the people.
Bless the LORD!
You who ride white donkeys, Jdg 12:14Jdg 10:4Psa 105:2Isa 28:6Jol 3:12Psa 107:32Psa 145:11Psa 145:5
who sit on saddle blankets,
and you who travel the road,
ponder the voices of the singers 1 Mic 6:5Jdg 5:81Sa 12:7Deu 22:24Jer 7:2Lam 5:4Lam 5:9Isa 12:3
at the watering places.
There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD,
the righteous deeds of His villagers 2in Israel.
Then the people of the LORD
went down to the gates:
‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Eph 4:8Psa 68:18Psa 57:82Ti 2:26Eph 5:141Co 15:34Isa 60:1Jer 31:26
Awake, awake, sing a song!
Arise, O Barak,
and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
Then the survivors came down to the nobles; Rev 2:26-27Isa 41:15-16Psa 75:7Rom 8:37Dan 7:18-27Ezk 17:24Psa 49:14Rev 3:9
the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Jdg 12:15Jdg 3:13Jdg 3:27Num 32:39-40Exo 17:8-16Jdg 4:10Jdg 4:14Jdg 4:5-6
Benjamin came with your people after you.
The commanders came down from Machir,
the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, Jdg 4:141Ch 12:322Co 11:2Act 15:39Act 20:13Jdg 4:10Jdg 4:6Pro 22:13
and Issachar was with Barak,
rushing into the valley at his heels.
In the clans of Reuben
there was great indecision. 3
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds Num 32:24Num 32:1-5Jdg 5:15Lam 3:40-41Php 2:21Php 3:19Psa 4:4Psa 77:6
to hear the whistling for the flocks?
In the clans of Reuben
there was great indecision.
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Jos 13:25Jos 13:31Jos 19:24-31
Dan, why did you linger by the ships?
Asher stayed at the coast
and remained in his harbors.
Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Jdg 4:10Jdg 4:61Jn 3:16Act 20:24Est 4:16Jdg 4:14Rev 12:11
Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
Kings came and fought; Jdg 1:27Jdg 5:301Ki 4:12Gen 14:22Gen 4:16Jdg 4:13Jos 10:22-27Jos 11:1-15
then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach
by the waters of Megiddo,
but they took no plunder of silver.
From the heavens the stars fought; Jos 10:111Sa 7:10Jdg 4:15Psa 77:17-18
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
The River Kishon swept them away, Jdg 4:7Mic 7:10Psa 44:51Ki 18:40Gen 49:18Isa 25:10Jdg 4:13Psa 83:9-10
the ancient river, the River Kishon.
March on, O my soul, in strength!
Then the hooves of horses thundered— Isa 5:28Jer 47:4Mic 4:13Psa 147:10-11Psa 20:7Psa 33:17
the mad galloping of his stallions.
‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. 1Co 16:221Co 3:9Jdg 21:9-10Jer 48:101Sa 17:471Sa 18:171Sa 25:281Sa 26:19
‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants;
for they did not come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.’
Most blessed among women is Jael, Luk 1:42Luk 1:28Gen 14:19Jdg 4:17Pro 31:31
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. Jdg 4:19-21
In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
She reached for the tent peg, 1Sa 17:49-512Sa 20:22Jdg 4:21
her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera and crushed his skull;
she shattered and pierced his temple.
At her feet he collapsed, he fell, Jas 2:13Psa 52:7Mat 7:2
there he lay still;
at her feet he collapsed, he fell;
where he collapsed, there he fell dead.
Sisera’s mother looked through the window; 2Ki 1:2Jas 5:7Jdg 4:15Pro 7:6Sng 2:9Sng 8:14
she peered through the lattice and lamented:
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
What has delayed the clatter of his chariots?’
Her wisest ladies answer;
indeed she keeps telling herself,
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil— Exo 15:92Sa 13:18Gen 37:3Job 20:5Psa 45:14
a girl or two for each warrior,
a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera,
the spoil of embroidered garments
for the neck of the looter?’
So may all your enemies perish, Psa 37:62Sa 23:41Co 8:31Pe 1:8Jas 1:12Psa 19:4-5Psa 91:14Dan 12:3
O LORD!
But may those who love You
shine like the sun at its brightest.”
And the land had rest for forty years.