The Song of Deborah and Barak
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"That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that 2the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!
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"Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.
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"LORD, 3when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, 4the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.
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"In the days of 7Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of 8Jael, 9the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.
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The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
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10When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. 11Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?
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My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who 12offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.
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"Tell of it, 13you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpetsa and you who walk by the way.
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To the sound of musiciansb at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel."Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.
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14"Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, 15lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
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Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.
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From 16Ephraim their root 17they marched down into the valley,c following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from 18Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant'sd staff;
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the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to 19Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
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Why did you sit still 20among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
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21Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; 22and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? 23Asher sat still 24at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings.
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25Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; 26Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
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"The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at 27Taanach, by the waters of 28Megiddo; 29they got no spoils of silver.
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31The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might!
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"Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.
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"Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, 32because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
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"Most blessed of women be 33Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
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35She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen's mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.
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Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell--dead.
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36"Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through 37the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?'
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Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself,
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)