1 T hat day Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang this song:

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

2 “ The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to the Lord!

For the leaders who took the lead in Israel, for the people who offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

3 H ear, O kings! Listen, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4 L ord, You went out from Seir. You walked from the field of Edom. And the earth shook. Water fell from the heavens. Yes, water fell from the clouds.

Lord, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens also dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.

5 T he mountains shook before the Lord. Mount Sinai shook before the Lord, the God of Israel.

The mountains quaked at the presence of the Lord, yes, yonder Sinai at the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 “ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the wide roads were empty. Travelers walked on the side roads.

After the days of Shamgar son of Anath, after the days of Jael the caravans ceased, travelers walked through byways.

7 C ountry towns were empty. They were no more in Israel, until I, Deborah, came. I came as a mother in Israel.

The villages were unoccupied and rulers ceased in Israel until you arose—you, Deborah, arose—a mother in Israel.

8 N ew gods were chosen. Then war was in the gates. No battle-covering or sword was seen among 40, 000 in Israel.

they chose new gods; then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among 40, 000 in Israel?

9 M y heart is with the leaders of Israel, who were willing to help among the people. Thanks be to the Lord!

My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord!

10 T ell of it, you who ride on white donkeys and you who sit on rich floor coverings. Tell of it, you who travel on the road.

Tell of it—you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.

11 T hey will tell of the right and good acts of the Lord at the sound of music beside the wells of water. They will tell of His right and good acts toward His towns people in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.

Far 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 His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.

12 “ Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Lead away the people you took in war, O son of Abinoam.

Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.

13 T hose who were left came down to the rulers. The people of the Lord came down to me as soldiers.

Then down marched the remnant of the nobles, the people of the Lord marched down for Me against the mighty.

14 T he children of Amalek came down from Ephraim. They followed you, Benjamin, with your people. Leaders came down from Machir. Leaders came from Zebulun.

Out of Ephraim they came down whose root is in Amalek, after you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen. Out of Machir came down commanders and lawgivers, and out of Zebulun those who handle the pen or stylus of the writer.

15 T he rulers of Issachar came with Deborah. Issachar was faithful to Barak. They ran behind him into the valley. There was much thinking done among the families of Reuben.

And the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar was faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed forth at his heels. among the clans of Reuben were great searchings of heart.

16 W hy did you sit among the sheep, to hear the horns blow for the flocks? There was much thought among the families of Reuben.

Why did you linger among the sheepfolds listening to the piping for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 G ilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan. Why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat beside the sea. He stayed by its rivers.

Gilead remained beyond the Jordan, and why did Dan stay with the ships? Asher sat still on the seacoast and remained by his creeks.

18 Z ebulun is a people who put their lives in danger even to death. Naphtali did this also, on the high places of the field.

But Zebulun was a people who endangered their lives to the death; Naphtali did also on the heights of the field.

19 “ The kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They did not get any silver.

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. Gain of booty they did not obtain.

20 T he stars fought from heaven. From their paths they fought against Sisera.

From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

21 T he fast river of Kishon took them away, the rushing river, the river Kishon. O my soul, walk on with strength.

The torrent Kishon swept away, the onrushing torrent, the torrent Kishon. O my soul, march on with strength!

22 T he beating of the feet of horses was loud, because the strong horses went fast.

Then the horses’ hoofs beat loudly because of the galloping of valiant riders.

23 ’ Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people, because they did not come to the help of the Lord. They did not help the Lord against the powerful soldiers.’

Curse Meroz, said the messenger of the Lord. Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty!

24 “ The most respected of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. She is the most respected of women in the tent.

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

25 S isera asked for water and she gave him milk. She brought him milk in a fine pot.

asked for water, and she gave milk; she brought him curds in a lordly dish.

26 S he put out her hand to the big tent nail. And she put out her right hand for the servant’s heavy object. Then she hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She broke and cut through the side of his head.

She put her hand to the tent pin, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. And with the wooden hammer she smote Sisera, she smote his head, yes, she struck and pierced his temple.

27 H e went down. He fell and lay without moving at her feet. He fell dead where he went down.

He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead!

28 “ The mother of Sisera looked out of the window. She looked through the window and cried in sorrow, ‘Why is his war-wagon so long in coming? Why do the steps of his horses wait?’

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

29 H er wise ladies answered her. But she asked herself again and again,

Her wise ladies answered her, yet she repeated her words to herself,

30 ’ Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?’

Have they not found and been dividing the spoil? A maiden or two for every man, a spoil of dyed garments for Sisera, a spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?

31 S o let all those who hate You die, O Lord. But let those who love Him be like the sun as he rises in his power.” And the land had peace for forty years.

So let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it rises in its might. And the land had peace and rest for forty years.