Deborah

4She was the wife of Lapidoth. At that time she led Israel and settled their arguments.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

NoteA prophetess is a woman who tells people what God says. A judge in this book was a leader God chose. Judges helped their people and led them in battle. Deborah was a prophetess, someone who told people what God said.

5She sat under a palm tree called the Palm of Deborah. It stood between Ramah and Bethel, in the hills of Ephraim. The people of Israel came there to have her settle their problems.

And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

NotePeople came to Deborah when they argued with each other. She listened and said who was right. There were no courts or police then.

6Deborah sent for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, has given you an order. Go and march to Mount Tabor. Take ten thousand men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun.

And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Naphtali and Zebulun were two of them. Mount Tabor is a tall, round hill. You can see it from far away.

7"God says, 'I will bring Sisera to you at the Kishon River. He is the leader of Jabin's army. I will bring his chariots and all his soldiers there too. And I will hand him over to you.'"

And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

NoteThe Kishon is a river in a wide, flat valley. When heavy rain came, the ground there turned to thick mud.

8Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go. If you will not go with me, I will not go."

And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

NoteBarak wanted Deborah to come because she told him God's words. Having her along meant he would know what God said next.

9Deborah said, "I will surely go with you. But you will get no honor from this trip. The LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

NoteHonor means the praise people give to the winner. Barak would win the fight, but someone else would get the praise.

10At Kedesh, Barak called for the men of Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah went with him.

And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

11Now a man named Heber the Kenite had moved away from the other Kenites. They were the family of Hobab, whose daughter married Moses. Heber had set up his tent by the big tree at Zaanaim, near Kedesh.

Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

NoteThe Kenites moved from place to place and lived in tents. They were relatives of Moses' wife. They had been friends to Israel for a long time.

12Someone told Sisera that Barak, the son of Abinoam, had gone up Mount Tabor.

And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13So Sisera called out all nine hundred of his iron chariots. He also called all the men who were with him. They came from Harosheth to the Kishon River.

And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14Deborah said to Barak, "Get up! Today the LORD is handing Sisera over to you. The LORD has already gone out ahead of you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men behind him.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

Note"Gone out ahead of you" was a way of saying God leads. A leader marched in front of his soldiers.

15The LORD threw Sisera and his chariots and his whole army into panic. They fell before Barak and his swords. Sisera jumped down from his chariot and ran away on foot.

And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

NoteThe old words say the LORD "discomfited" them. That means he made them scared and mixed up. Frightened soldiers run away instead of fighting.

16Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth. Sisera's whole army was killed by the sword. Not one man was left.

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

1That day Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang this song.

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

NoteThis song tells about a battle from the story just before. Deborah was a leader who told people what God said. Barak was the man who led Israel's army.

2Praise the LORD! He paid back Israel's enemies. The people gladly offered to fight.

Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

NoteLORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. Israel had no paid army. Men chose on their own to come and fight.

3Listen, kings! Listen, princes! I will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

NotePrinces here means the leaders of big families and towns. The song calls out to rulers everywhere to listen.

4LORD, you came out from Seir. You marched out from the land of Edom. The earth shook. Rain poured down from the sky.

LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

NoteSeir and Edom are dry hill lands south of Israel. The song pictures God marching out from there like a big storm.

5The mountains shook when the LORD came near. Even Sinai shook before the LORD, the God of Israel.

The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

NoteSinai is the mountain where God gave Israel his rules long before this.

6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, the main roads sat empty. Travelers used small side paths instead.

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

NoteShamgar and Jael were people alive at that time. The roads were empty because robbers waited there. People took small hidden paths to stay safe.

7Life in the villages stopped all over Israel. Then I, Deborah, stood up. I stood up like a mother for Israel.

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

NoteA mother in Israel means she cared for the people and kept them safe.

8The people chose new gods, and war came to their town gates. Among forty thousand men in Israel, no shield or spear could be seen.

They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

NoteNew gods means statues of gods that other lands prayed to. The town gate was the door in the wall around a town. Enemies attacked there first, so war at the gates means real danger. Israel's people had almost no weapons left.

9My heart goes out to Israel's leaders. They offered themselves along with the people. Praise the LORD!

My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

10You who ride white donkeys, think about this. You who sit as judges, and you who walk the road, think about it too.

Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

NoteWhite donkeys were ridden by rich and important people. Judges were leaders who listened to arguments and decided who was right.

11At the wells, safe from the noise of enemy archers, people tell the story. They tell about the right things the LORD did. They tell what he did for his villages in Israel. Then the LORD's people marched down to the town gates.

They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

NoteWells were the deep holes where villages got their water. People met there and told each other news. Archers are soldiers who shoot arrows.

12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up and sing a song! Get up, Barak, son of Abinoam, and take your prisoners away.

Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

NotePrisoners are people caught and taken away after a battle.

13Then the ones still left came down to join the leaders. The LORD's people came down to me to face the strong enemy.

Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

14Men came from Ephraim, whose roots reach back into Amalek. Benjamin came along with your people. Leaders came down from Machir. From Zebulun came men who carry the officer's staff.

Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

NoteEphraim, Benjamin, Machir and Zebulun are family groups in Israel. Each one was named after a grandfather from long ago. An officer's staff is a stick an army leader carried. It showed everyone that he was in charge.

15The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah. Issachar stayed close to Barak and rushed into the valley behind him. But the families of Reuben could not make up their minds.

And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

NoteIssachar and Reuben are two more of these family groups.

16Why did you stay by the sheep pens, Reuben? Was it to hear the shepherds whistle for the flocks? Your families could not make up their minds.

Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

NoteSheep pens are walls of stone where sheep sleep safely. Reuben's families stayed home with their sheep instead of helping.

17Gilead stayed on the far side of the Jordan River. Dan, why did you stay with the ships? Asher stayed by the sea, at his harbors.

Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

NoteGilead, Dan and Asher are more family groups of Israel. The Jordan is the river running down the middle of the land. Dan and Asher lived near the sea and worked with ships.

18But Zebulun and Naphtali risked their lives. They fought on the high ground of the battlefield.

Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

NoteZebulun and Naphtali are two more family groups of Israel.

19Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo. But they carried away no silver.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

NoteCanaan was the land where Israel lived. It had many small cities, and each one had its own king. Taanach and Megiddo were towns on a wide flat plain. Winners usually carried treasure home. These kings went home with nothing.

20The stars fought from the sky. From their paths they fought against Sisera.

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

NoteThis is picture language. The song says even the sky joined the fight.

21The Kishon River swept the enemy away. That old, old river, the Kishon. March on, my soul! Be strong.

The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

NoteThe Kishon is a small river that floods fast in a storm. Mud and water swallowed the enemy's horses and carts.

22Then the horses' hooves pounded the ground. The strong horses galloped wildly.

Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

NoteThe enemy fought from carts pulled by fast horses.

23"Curse Meroz," said the angel of the LORD. "Curse the people who live there. They did not come to help the LORD fight the strong enemy."

Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

NoteMeroz was a town near the fighting that sent no help. To curse someone is to wish bad things on them. It is the opposite of blessing them. An angel is a messenger sent by God.

24May Jael be blessed more than other women. She is the wife of Heber the Kenite. Bless her above all the women who live in tents.

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

NoteThe Kenites were a small group who moved around and lived in tents. To bless someone is to say good things about them. It means wishing them good.

25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. She brought him thick, soured milk in a fine bowl.

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

NoteThick soured milk is a little like yogurt. It was a kind thing to give a tired guest. The fine bowl was the best dish she owned.

26She reached out her hand for a tent peg. Her right hand took the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his head. She drove the peg through the side of his head.

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

NoteA tent peg is a sharp stake hammered into the ground. It holds the ropes that keep a tent standing. Jael lived in a tent, so she used pegs and a hammer often.

27He sank down at her feet. He fell and lay still. He sank down at her feet and fell. Where he sank down, there he fell dead.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28Sisera's mother looked out of her window. She called through the wooden screen, "Why is his chariot so late? Why do I not hear his wheels?"

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

NoteA chariot is a light cart pulled by horses in battle. Sisera's mother is waiting at home for her son. The wooden screen is a window cover with small holes. She could look out without being seen.

29Her wisest women answered her. And she kept saying the same thing to herself:

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30"They must be sharing out what they took. A girl or two for each soldier. Fine dyed cloth for Sisera. Beautiful cloth with sewn designs, for the neck of the winner."

Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

NoteAfter a battle, soldiers divided up everything they took. That included cloth, gold and even captured people. Cloth with color and sewn designs cost a lot back then.

31May all your enemies end like this, LORD. But may those who love you shine like the sun at its brightest. Then the land was at peace for forty years.

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

NoteForty years of peace means no war for a very long time.