Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Judges 5:9-11
Deborah Praises Those Who Responded to the Call to Arms (Judges 5:9).
“My heart is towards the governors of Israel,
Who offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless you Yahweh.”
Deborah expresses her gratitude to those leaders who willingly offered themselves to fight for Yahweh, for whom Yahweh should be praised. Some see this as referring to those who in the times of trouble were willing to act as leaders and guides to the people, for it was a dangerous position to be in. The leaders were always the scapegoats when anything went wrong. But the end of Judges 5:11 would point to the first interpretation.
“Tell of it,
You who ride on white asses,
You who sit on rich carpets,
And you who walk by the way.”
To ride on an ass was a position of prestige (Judges 10:4), and a white ass was seen as even more prestigious, the ride of princes. But they rode on asses when riding in peace. Thus those who ride on white asses are those who are important and distinguished, yet live in peace. They know nothing of war. The carpet was used for sitting on, and rich carpets were lush and comfortable. Thus those who sit on rich carpets are those who are wealthy and loll around at ease.
“You who walk by the way.” These are the ordinary people, the wayfarers, who can use the ordinary paths openly, unlike the previous furtiveness of captive Israel (Judges 5:6). They should be grateful for their freedom.
The idea of all three descriptions is that Deborah is declaring that those who are at ease, far away and untroubled by war, will see what Yahweh will do for Israel, miserable in its captivity, revealing His rule over them, and it will be the talking point among them. All the world is called on to notice what God is doing.
“Far from the noise of archers,
In the place of drawing water,
There will they rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh.
Even the righteous acts towards those who live in the open places in Israel.
Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.”
Those who gather at the wells and springs, well away from war and the twang of the deadly bow (‘archers' - literally ‘those who divide' - some refer this to ‘those who divide the strings on stringed instruments'), will speak with awe of what Yahweh has done for Israel. The wells were the places where news was passed on and discussed, where the latest gossip could be gathered as everyone came to draw water. That is why in the Bible people so often go to a well when they want to make contact with the people of the land.
“There will they rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh, even the righteous acts towards those who live in the open places in Israel.” All will talk of what Yahweh has done as they draw their water and discuss the latest news, all will recognise the rightness of His actions which have resulted once more in the people of Israel being able to live again in the open places. (The word translated ‘those who live in the open places' is found only here and in Judges 5:7 and nowhere else).
“Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.” The gates are the gates where there is war (Judges 5:8). Having described how all the world will know of what Yahweh has done, the crunch time has come. Yahweh's people went down to the gates of war. They were ready to face the enemy.