New Living Translation

1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 “Israel’s leaders took charge,<br>and the people gladly followed.<br>Praise the LORD!<br> 3 “Listen, you kings!<br>Pay attention, you mighty rulers!<br>For I will sing to the LORD.<br>I will make music to the LORD, the God (Elohim) of Israel.<br> 4 “LORD, when you set out from Seir<br>and marched across the fields of Edom,<br>the earth trembled,<br>and the cloudy skies poured down rain.<br> 5 The mountains quaked in the presence of the LORD,<br>the God (Elohim) of Mount Sinai —<br>in the presence of the LORD,<br>the God (Elohim) of Israel.<br> 6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,<br>and in the days of Jael,<br>people avoided the main roads,<br>and travelers stayed on winding pathways.<br> 7 There were few people left in the villages of Israel —<br>until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.<br> 8 When Israel chose new gods,<br>war erupted at the city gates.<br>Yet not a shield or spear could be seen<br>among forty thousand warriors in Israel!<br> 9 My heart is with the commanders of Israel,<br>with those who volunteered for war.<br>Praise the LORD!<br> 10 “Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys,<br>you who sit on fancy saddle blankets,<br>and you who walk along the road.<br> 11 Listen to the village musicians<br>gathered at the watering holes.<br>They recount the righteous victories of the LORD<br>and the victories of his villagers in Israel.<br>Then the people of the LORD<br>marched down to the city gates.<br> 12 “Wake up, Deborah, wake up!<br>Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!<br>Arise, Barak!<br>Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!<br> 13 “Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles.<br>The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors.<br> 14 They came down from Ephraim —<br>a land that once belonged to the Amalekites;<br>they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops.<br>From Makir the commanders marched down;<br>from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff.<br> 15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak.<br>They followed Barak, rushing into the valley.<br>But in the tribe of Reuben<br>there was great indecision.<br> 16 Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds —<br>to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks?<br>Yes, in the tribe of Reuben<br>there was great indecision.<br> 17 Gilead remained east of the Jordan.<br>And why did Dan stay home?<br>Asher sat unmoved at the seashore,<br>remaining in his harbors.<br> 18 But Zebulun risked his life,<br>as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield.<br> 19 “The kings of Canaan came and fought,<br>at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs,<br>but they carried off no silver treasures.<br> 20 The stars fought from heaven.<br>The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera.<br> 21 The Kishon River swept them away —<br>that ancient torrent, the Kishon.<br>March on with courage, my soul!<br> 22 Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground,<br>the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds.<br> 23 ‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the LORD.<br>‘Let them be utterly cursed,<br>because they did not come to help the LORD —<br>to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.’<br> 24 “Most blessed among women is Jael,<br>the wife of Heber the Kenite.<br>May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.<br> 25 Sisera asked for water,<br>and she gave him milk.<br>In a bowl fit for nobles,<br>she brought him yogurt.<br> 26 Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg,<br>and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer.<br>She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head.<br>With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples.<br> 27 He sank, he fell,<br>he lay still at her feet.<br>And where he sank,<br>there he died.<br> 28 “From the window Sisera’s mother looked out.<br>Through the window she watched for his return, saying,<br>‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?<br>Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’<br> 29 “Her wise women answer,<br>and she repeats these words to herself:<br> 30 ‘They must be dividing the captured plunder —<br>with a woman or two for every man.<br>There will be colorful robes for Sisera,<br>and colorful, embroidered robes for me.<br>Yes, the plunder will include<br>colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’<br> 31 “LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera!<br>But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!”<br> Then there was peace in the land for forty years.