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The Song of Deborah and Barak
Judges 5 is a song sung by Deborah and Barak after conflict. It praises Yahweh, remembers Israel’s trouble, names those who came to help or stayed back, and closes with a final word about Yahweh’s enemies and those who love him.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
The passage introduces itself as a song sung “on that day” by Deborah and Barak. As poetry, it uses repetition, questions, vivid images, and named places and groups. The song looks back on danger in Israel, the battle against Canaan’s kings, Jael’s action against Sisera, and rest in the land.
Judges 5:1–31Main takeaway
This song remembers Yahweh’s righteous acts and highlights the difference between willing help and failing to come when help was needed.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The song begins with praiseThe opening blesses Yahweh because leaders led and people offered themselves willingly. Deborah calls kings and princes to listen while she sings to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Explanation
The opening blesses Yahweh because leaders led and people offered themselves willingly. Deborah calls kings and princes to listen while she sings to Yahweh, the God of Israel. The next lines describe Yahweh’s presence with trembling earth, rain from the clouds, and quaking mountains, including Sinai.
02Israel’s trouble and Yahweh’s righteous actsThe song recalls dangerous days when highways were empty and travellers used byways, suggesting normal public travel had broken down.
Explanation
The song recalls dangerous days when highways were empty and travellers used byways, suggesting normal public travel had broken down. Rule had ceased, war reached the gates, and weapons were not seen. Yet people are told to rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, which the song links with his rule in Israel.
03Some came willingly and some did notDeborah is told to awake and sing, and Barak to arise. A remnant came down, and several groups are named among those who answered.
Explanation
Deborah is told to awake and sing, and Barak to arise. A remnant came down, and several groups are named among those who answered. Reuben is shown as divided, while Gilead, Dan, and Asher are questioned for remaining where they were. Zebulun and Naphtali are especially commended for risking their lives.
04The battle and the rebuke of MerozThe song says the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, yet took no silver plunder.
Explanation
The song says the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, yet took no silver plunder. It describes the stars fighting and the river Kishon sweeping the enemy away. Meroz is then cursed because its inhabitants did not come to help Yahweh against the mighty.
05Jael, Sisera, and the final contrastJael is called blessed above women. The song recounts her giving Sisera milk, then striking him with a tent peg and hammer until he fell dead.
Explanation
Jael is called blessed above women. The song recounts her giving Sisera milk, then striking him with a tent peg and hammer until he fell dead. It then shows Sisera’s mother waiting and hearing talk of plunder, including women and embroidered garments. The song ends by asking that Yahweh’s enemies perish and those who love him shine like the sun, followed by forty years of rest.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What two reasons for blessing Yahweh are named at the start of the song?
Look for the paired ideas about leaders and the people’s willing response.
02How does the song describe Israel’s danger before praise breaks out again?
Notice the empty highways, travellers using byways, war at the gates, and then the call to rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts.
03How does the ending contrast Yahweh’s side with Sisera’s side?
Notice Jael’s blessing, Sisera’s fall, his mother’s waiting, the talk of plunder, and the final prayer-like line.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Judges 5:1–31
1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
2“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
3“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
4“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
5The mountains quaked at Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
6“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.
7The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.
8They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!
10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
12‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’
13“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.
14Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.
16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.
17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.
18Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
20From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
21The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
22Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.
23‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
29Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,
30‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
31“So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.