Judges 5:1-13
1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2 “For the leaders leading in Israel,
For the people volunteering,
Bless the Lord!
3 “Hear, you kings; listen, you dignitaries!
I myself—to the Lord, I myself will sing,
I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!
4 “Lord, when You went out from Seir,
When You marched from the field of Edom,
The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped,
The clouds also dripped water.
5 “The mountains flowed with water at the presence of the Lord,
This 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 roads were deserted,
And travelers went by roundabout ways.
7 “The peasantry came to an end, they came to an end in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Until I arose, a mother in Israel.
8 “New gods were chosen;
Then war was in the gates.
Not a shield or a spear was seen
Among forty thousand in Israel.
9 “My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,
The volunteers among the people;
Bless the Lord!
10 “You who ride on white donkeys,
You who sit on rich carpets,
And you who travel on the road—shout in praise!
11 “At the sound of those who distribute water among the watering places,
There they will recount the righteous deeds of the Lord,
The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.
12 “Awake, awake, Deborah;
Awake, awake, sing a song!
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.
13 “Then survivors came down to the nobles;
The people of the Lord came down to me as warriors.
The Song of Deborah (1)
The song of Deborah
In Judges chapter 5, there is the Song of Deborah. In this song, Deborah recites the actual events in a poetic form. The Song of Deborah consists of nine stanzas. Let’s look at the content of this song in two parts. First stanza (v 2-3): There is a call to listen to how the Lord God of Israel has done great things. This call is addressed to the kings and rulers of foreign nations. The Song of Deborah is not a heroic anthem but a hymn of praise to the Lord.
Second stanza (v 4-5): Here, the Lord is depicted as a warrior. When the Lord went out, the earth trembled, the clouds poured down water, and the mountains shook before Him. It was believed that the god Baal, who ruled the weather, could also perform such acts. However, here it is emphasized that the Lord is God, who far surpasses Baal. The same God who performed mighty miracles in the Exodus went out to battle with Israel.
Third stanza (v 6-7): The victory brought by the third judge, Shamgar, was temporary. Soon, the trade routes of the Jezreel Valley were disrupted by the Canaanites, agriculture was ruined, and the Israelites faced hardship. The reason for this was that the Israelites chose new gods and fell into idolatry. To deliver the Israelites from this distress, Deborah arose as the “mother of Israel” (prophetess).
Fourth stanza (v 9-13): Deborah encourages Israel’s leaders, the wealthy (those who ride on white donkeys), as well as the poor (those who walk), to gather in the public assembly and proclaim the righteous deeds of the Lord. While the first stanza addressed the kings of foreign nations, here the call is directed to the Israelites themselves. At the outset of the battle, both Deborah and Barak needed an awakening from the Lord. It is expressed as “Awake, awake!” and “Arise!” As a result, the people of the Lord finally began to gather for the battle. We also need such an awakening. Let us call upon ourselves, saying, “Awake, arise,” and participate in the battle of the Lord.
Today's prayer
Holy God of Israel, may You go before me. Wherever You go, the clouds drop down water. May I behold Your glory today as well. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.