1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to
1:2 Listen, all you nations!
Pay attention, all inhabitants of earth!
The sovereign Lord will testify
the Lord will accuse you
1:3 Look,
He will descend and march on the earth’s mountaintops!
1:4 The mountains will disintegrate
and the valleys will be split in two.
The mountains will melt
the rocks will slide down like water cascading down a steep slope.
1:5 All this is because of Jacob’s rebellion
and
How has Jacob rebelled, you ask?
Samaria epitomizes their rebellion!
Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask?
They are right in Jerusalem!
1:6 “I will turn Samaria
vineyards will be planted there!
I will tumble
and tear down her fortifications to their foundations.
1:7 All her carved idols will be smashed to pieces;
all her metal cult statues will be destroyed by fire.
I will make a waste heap
Since
the idols will become a prostitute’s wages again.”
1:8 For this reason I
I will walk around barefoot
I will howl
and screech
1:9 For Samaria’s
It has infected
it has spread to
and has even contaminated Jerusalem!
1:10 Don’t spread the news in Gath!
Don’t shed even a single tear!
In Beth Leaphrah sit in the dust!
1:11 Residents
The residents of Zaanan can’t leave their city.
Beth Ezel
“He takes from you what he desires.”
1:12 Indeed, the residents of Maroth
though the Lord has sent disaster against the city of Jerusalem.
1:13 Residents of Lachish,
You
for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back
1:14 Therefore you
The residents
as a dried up well
1:15 Residents of Mareshah,
the leaders of Israel shall flee to Adullam.
1:16 Shave your heads bald as you mourn for the children you love;
shave your foreheads as bald
for they are taken from you into exile.
5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song:
5:2 “When the leaders took the lead
When the people answered the call to war –
Praise the Lord!
5:3 Hear, O kings!
Pay attention, O rulers!
I will sing to the Lord!
I will sing
5:4 O Lord, when you departed
when you marched from Edom’s plains,
the earth shook, the heavens poured down,
the clouds poured down rain.
5:5 The mountains trembled
before the Lord God of Israel.
5:6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael caravans
travelers
5:7 Warriors
they were scarce in Israel,
until you
until you arose as a motherly protector
5:8 God chose new leaders,
then fighters appeared in the city gates;
but, I swear, not a shield or spear could be found,
among forty military units
5:9 My heart went out
to the people who answered the call to war.
Praise the Lord!
5:10 You who ride on light-colored female donkeys,
who sit on saddle blankets,
you who walk on the road, pay attention!
5:11 Hear
there they tell of
the victorious deeds of his warriors
Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates –
5:12 Wake up, wake up, Deborah!
Wake up, wake up, sing a song!
Get up, Barak!
Capture your prisoners of war,
5:13 Then the survivors
the Lord’s people came down to me
5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek,
they follow
From Makir leaders came down,
from Zebulun came
5:15 Issachar’s leaders were with Deborah,
the men of Issachar
into the valley they were sent under Barak’s command.
Among the clans of Reuben there was intense
5:16 Why do you remain among the sheepfolds,
listening to the shepherds playing their pipes
As for the clans of Reuben – there was intense searching of heart.
5:17 Gilead stayed put
As for Dan – why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards?
Asher remained
he stayed
5:18 The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives;
Naphtali charged on to the battlefields.
5:19 Kings came, they fought;
the kings of Canaan fought,
at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo,
but
5:20 From the sky
from their paths in the heavens
5:21 The Kishon River carried them off;
the river confronted them
Step on the necks of the strong!
5:22 The horses’
the stallions galloped madly.
5:23 ‘Call judgment down on
‘Be sure
because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle,
to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’
5:24 The most rewarded
the wife of Heber the Kenite!
She should be the most rewarded of women who live in tents.
5:25 He asked for water,
and she gave him milk;
in a bowl fit for a king,
she served him curds.
5:26 Her left
her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.
She “hammered”
she shattered his skull,
she smashed his head,
she drove the tent peg through his temple.
5:27 Between her feet he collapsed,
he fell limp
between her feet he collapsed and fell limp,
in the spot where he collapsed,
there he fell limp – violently murdered!
5:28 Through the window she looked;
Sisera’s mother cried out through the lattice:
‘Why is his chariot so slow to return?
Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot-horses
5:29 The wisest of her ladies
indeed she even thinks to herself,
5:30 ‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder
a girl or two for each man to rape!
Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth,
he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth,
two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth,
for the neck of the plunderer!’
5:31 May all your enemies perish like this, O Lord!
But may those who love you shine
like the rising sun at its brightest!”
And the land had rest for forty years.