Judges 5

וַתָּ֣שַׁר דְּבוֹרָ֔ה וּבָרָ֖ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֑עַם        בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹֽר׃         On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang:

בִּפְרֹ֤עַ פְּרָעוֹת֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל        בְּהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב עָ֑ם בָּֽרְכ֖וּ יְהֹוָֽה׃         ^aIn many parts of this poem the meaning is uncertain. When locks go untrimmed^blocks go untrimmed Apparently an expression of dedication; cf. Num. 6.5. in Israel,
When people dedicate themselves—
Bless GOD!

שִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים        אָנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה        אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃         Hear, O kings! Give ear, O potentates!
I will sing, will sing to GOD,
Will hymn the ETERNAL, the God of Israel.

יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּצֵאתְךָ֤ מִשֵּׂעִיר֙        בְּצַעְדְּךָ֙ מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֱד֔וֹם        אֶ֣רֶץ רָעָ֔שָׁה גַּם־שָׁמַ֖יִם נָטָ֑פוּ        גַּם־עָבִ֖ים נָ֥טְפוּ מָֽיִם׃         O GOD, when You came forth from Seir,
Advanced from the country of Edom,
The earth trembled;
The heavens dripped,
Yea, the clouds dripped water,

הָרִ֥ים נָזְל֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה        זֶ֣ה סִינַ֔י מִפְּנֵ֕י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃         The mountains quaked^cquaked Taking nazelu as a by-form of nazollu; cf. Targum because of GOD,
Yon Sinai, because of GOD—the God of Israel.

בִּימֵ֞י שַׁמְגַּ֤ר בֶּן־עֲנָת֙        בִּימֵ֣י יָעֵ֔ל חָֽדְל֖וּ אֳרָח֑וֹת        וְהֹלְכֵ֣י נְתִיב֔וֹת יֵלְכ֕וּ אֳרָח֖וֹת עֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת׃         In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,^dson of Anath Or “the Beth-anathite.”
In the days of Jael, caravans^ecaravans Or “roads.” ceased,
And wayfarers went
By roundabout paths.

חָדְל֧וּ פְרָז֛וֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חָדֵ֑לּוּ        עַ֤ד שַׁקַּ֙מְתִּי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה שַׁקַּ֥מְתִּי אֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃         Deliverance ceased,
Ceased in Israel,
Till you^fyou Heb. qamti, archaic second-person singular feminine. arose, O Deborah,
Arose, O mother, in Israel!

יִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים        מָגֵ֤ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח        בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃         When they chose new gods,
Was there a fighter then in the gates?^gWas there a fighter then in the gates? Meaning of Heb. uncertain; in contrast to others “then was war in the gates.”
No shield or spear was seen
Among forty thousand in Israel!

לִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל        הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרְכ֖וּ יְהֹוָֽה׃         My heart is with Israel’s leaders,
With the dedicated of the people—
Bless GOD!

רֹכְבֵי֩ אֲתֹנ֨וֹת צְחֹר֜וֹת        יֹשְׁבֵ֧י עַל־מִדִּ֛ין וְהֹלְכֵ֥י עַל־דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִֽׂיחוּ׃         You riders on tawny jennies,
You who sit on saddle rugs,
And you wayfarers, declare it!

מִקּ֣וֹל מְחַֽצְצִ֗ים בֵּ֚ין מַשְׁאַבִּ֔ים        שָׁ֤ם יְתַנּוּ֙ צִדְק֣וֹת יְהֹוָ֔ה        צִדְקֹ֥ת פִּרְזוֹנ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל        אָ֛ז יָֽרְד֥וּ לַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים עַם־יְהֹוָֽה׃         Louder than the sound of archers,^hsound of archers Or “thunder peals”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
There among the watering places
Let them chant GOD’s gracious acts—
The gracious deliverance of Israel.
Then did GOD’s people
March down to the gates!

עוּרִ֤י עוּרִי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה        ע֥וּרִי ע֖וּרִי דַּבְּרִי־שִׁ֑יר        ק֥וּם בָּרָ֛ק וּֽשְׁבֵ֥ה שֶׁבְיְךָ֖ בֶּן־אֲבִינֹֽעַם׃         Awake, awake, O Deborah!
Awake, awake, strike up the chant!
Arise, O Barak;
Take your captives, O son of Abinoam!

אָ֚ז יְרַ֣ד שָׂרִ֔יד לְאַדִּירִ֖ים עָ֑ם        יְהֹוָ֕ה יְרַד־לִ֖י בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃         Then was the remnant made victor over the mighty,
GOD ’s peopleⁱpeople Reading ʻam (with pathaḥ) Adonai; so many Heb. mss. won my victory over the warriors.

מִנִּ֣י אֶפְרַ֗יִם שׇׁרְשָׁם֙ בַּעֲמָלֵ֔ק        אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ בִנְיָמִ֖ין בַּעֲמָמֶ֑יךָ        מִנִּ֣י מָכִ֗יר יָֽרְדוּ֙ מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים        וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ן מֹשְׁכִ֖ים בְּשֵׁ֥בֶט סֹפֵֽר׃         From Ephraim came they whose roots are in Amalek;
After you, your kin Benjamin;
From Machir came down leaders,
From Zebulun such as hold the marshal’s staff.

וְשָׂרַ֤י בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙ עִם־דְּבֹרָ֔ה        וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙ כֵּ֣ן בָּרָ֔ק בָּעֵ֖מֶק שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרַגְלָ֑יו        בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדֹלִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־לֵֽב׃         And Issachar’s chiefs were with Deborah;
As Barak, so was Issachar—
Rushing after him into the valley.
Among the clans of Reuben
Were great decisions of heart.

לָ֣מָּה יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ בֵּ֚ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם        לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ שְׁרִק֣וֹת עֲדָרִ֑ים        לִפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדוֹלִ֖ים חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב׃         Why then did you stay among the sheepfolds
And listen as they pipe for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
Were great searchings of heart!

גִּלְעָ֗ד בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ שָׁכֵ֔ן        וְדָ֕ן לָ֥מָּה יָג֖וּר אֳנִיּ֑וֹת        אָשֵׁ֗ר יָשַׁב֙ לְח֣וֹף יַמִּ֔ים        וְעַ֥ל מִפְרָצָ֖יו יִשְׁכּֽוֹן׃         Gilead tarried beyond the Jordan;
And Dan—why did he linger by the ships?^jby the ships Or “at Onioth,” a presumed designation of Dan’s region.
Asher remained at the seacoast
And tarried at his landings.

זְבֻל֗וּן עַ֣ם חֵרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֛וֹ        לָמ֖וּת וְנַפְתָּלִ֑י עַ֖ל מְרוֹמֵ֥י שָׂדֶֽה׃         Zebulun is a people that mocked at death,^kthat mocked at death Lit. “belittled its life to die.”
Naphtali—on the open heights.

בָּ֤אוּ מְלָכִים֙ נִלְחָ֔מוּ        אָ֤ז נִלְחֲמוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י כְנַ֔עַן        בְּתַעְנַ֖ךְ עַל־מֵ֣י מְגִדּ֑וֹ        בֶּ֥צַע כֶּ֖סֶף לֹ֥א לָקָֽחוּ׃         Then the kings came, they fought:
The kings of Canaan fought
At Taanach, by Megiddo’s waters—
They got no spoil of silver.

מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם נִלְחָ֑מוּ        הַכּֽוֹכָבִים֙ מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־סִֽיסְרָֽא׃         The stars fought from heaven,
From their courses they fought against Sisera.

נַ֤חַל קִישׁוֹן֙ גְּרָפָ֔ם        נַ֥חַל קְדוּמִ֖ים נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֑וֹן        תִּדְרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י עֹֽז׃         The torrent Kishon swept them^lthem I.e., the kings of Canaan (v. 19). away,
The raging torrent, the torrent Kishon.
March on, my soul, with courage!

אָ֥ז הָלְמ֖וּ עִקְּבֵי־ס֑וּס        מִֽדַּהֲר֖וֹת דַּהֲר֥וֹת אַבִּירָֽיו׃         Then the horses’ hoofs pounded
As headlong galloped the steeds.^mAs headlong galloped the steeds Lit. “From the gallopings, the gallopings of his steeds.”

א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ        כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה        לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃         “Curse Meroz!” said the angelⁿthe angel Lit. “the messenger.” of GOD.
“Bitterly curse its inhabitants,
Because they came not to GOD’s aid
To GOD’s aid among^oamong Or “against.” the warriors.”

תְּבֹרַךְ֙ מִנָּשִׁ֔ים יָעֵ֕ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י        מִנָּשִׁ֥ים בָּאֹ֖הֶל תְּבֹרָֽךְ׃         Most blessed of women be Jael,
Wife of Heber the Kenite,
Most blessed of women in tents.

מַ֥יִם שָׁאַ֖ל חָלָ֣ב נָתָ֑נָה        בְּסֵ֥פֶל אַדִּירִ֖ים הִקְרִ֥יבָה חֶמְאָֽה׃         He asked for water, she offered milk;
In a princely bowl she brought him curds.

יָדָהּ֙ לַיָּתֵ֣ד תִּשְׁלַ֔חְנָה        וִימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים        וְהָלְמָ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ מָחֲקָ֣ה רֹאשׁ֔וֹ        וּמָחֲצָ֥ה וְחָלְפָ֖ה רַקָּתֽוֹ׃         Her [left] hand reached for the tent pin,
Her right for the workmen’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, crushed his head,
Smashed and pierced his temple.

בֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֔יהָ כָּרַ֥ע נָפַ֖ל שָׁכָ֑ב        בֵּ֤ין רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ כָּרַ֣ע נָפָ֔ל        בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ע שָׁ֖ם נָפַ֥ל שָׁדֽוּד׃         At her feet he sank, lay outstretched,
At her feet he sank, lay still;
Where he sank, there he lay—destroyed.

בְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָאֶשְׁנָ֑ב        מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ לָב֔וֹא        מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו׃         Through the window peered Sisera’s mother,
Behind the lattice she whined:^pwhined Or “gazed”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
“Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”

חַכְמ֥וֹת שָׂרוֹתֶ֖יהָ תַּעֲנֶ֑ינָּה        אַף־הִ֕יא תָּשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרֶ֖יהָ לָֽהּ׃         The wisest of her ladies give answer;
She, too, replies to herself:

הֲלֹ֨א יִמְצְא֜וּ יְחַלְּק֣וּ שָׁלָ֗ל        רַ֤חַם רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גֶּ֔בֶר        שְׁלַ֤ל צְבָעִים֙ לְסִ֣יסְרָ֔א        שְׁלַ֥ל צְבָעִ֖ים רִקְמָ֑ה        צֶ֥בַע רִקְמָתַ֖יִם לְצַוְּארֵ֥י שָׁלָֽל׃         “They must be dividing the spoil they have found:
A woman or two for each man,
Spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera,
Spoil of embroidered cloths,
A couple of embroidered cloths
Round every neck as spoil.”

כֵּ֠ן יֹאבְד֤וּ כׇל־אוֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֹ֣הֲבָ֔יו כְּצֵ֥את הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָת֑וֹ        וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ {פ}
So may all Your enemies perish, O GOD!
But may Your^qYour Heb. 3rd person. friends be as the sun rising in might!
And the land was tranquil forty years.