Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Ver. 1. _Then sang Deborah and Barak._] Like as before had done Moses
and Miriam in Exodus 15:1,21, which chapter and this are by one called
monumental Chapter s. Deborah was a poetess as well as a prophetess,
learned, eloquent, in... [ Continue Reading ]
Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people
willingly offered themselves.
Ver. 2. _When the people willingly offered themselves._] As Judges
4:10. Barak had no power to press them, but did only persuade with
them, as the word Mashar there importeth. He gave goodly words, as
being... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, [even] I, will sing unto
the LORD; I will sing [praise] to the LORD God of Israel.
Ver. 3. _Hear, O ye kings._] Hear and give ear, be not proud, cast
down your crowns, and give glory to God. The altar of incense was
compassed about with a crown of pure g... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the
field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds
also dropped water.
Ver. 4. _Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir._] When thou marchedst
before thy people through the wilderness. Thus this good woman
recognise... [ Continue Reading ]
The mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sinai from
before the LORD God of Israel.
Ver. 5. _The mountains melted from before the Lord._] Heb., Flowed.
“ _Ruunt de montibus amnes._ ”
There was a general concussion, and the nations were all affrighted.
See Psa 68:15-16 Joshua 5:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the
highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
Ver. 6. _In the days of Shamgar._] From the death of Ehud until this
conflict with Jabin: for though Shamgur did worthily, - especially if
without help of others he... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 5:7 [The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in
Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
Ver. 7. _The inhabitants of the villages ceased._] As now they do in
Hungary, where the Turk wasteth at pleasure. They want but another
Hunniades at the heels of... [ Continue Reading ]
They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was there a shield
or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
Ver. 8. _They chose new gods._] τα καινα κενα: _Nihil mihi
antiquius, id est potius:_ We should set a jealous eye upon novelties,
and say, The old is better. Idolatry is ancient, but n... [ Continue Reading ]
My heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves
willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
Ver. 9. _My heart is toward the governors of Israel._] Heb., Those in
whom was the legislative power, that they should lay by their
parliament robes and gird on their swords to fight... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk
by the way.
Ver. 10. _Speak, ye that ride on white asses._] Ye nobles and circuit
judges; ye merchants and marketmen, that while durst not be seen
abroad for Tories and cut throats, speak out God's worthy praises for
the re-enjoy... [ Continue Reading ]
__
Judges 5:11 _[They that are delivered] from the noise of archers in
the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous
acts of the LORD, [even] the righteous acts [toward the inhabitants]
of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down
to the gates._
Ver.... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and
lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
Ver. 12. Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake.] As the cock clapping
first his own sides awakeneth himself, and then calleth up others; so
doth Deborah here, and finding haply some i... [ Continue Reading ]
Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among
the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
Ver. 13. _Then he made him that remaineth,_] i.e., Once he made the
relics of the Canaanites to rule over the nobles of Israel; but now
the Lord hath made me or my people... [ Continue Reading ]
Out of Ephraim [was there] a root of them against Amalek; after thee,
Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out
of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
Ver. 14. Out of Ephraim was there a root _a_ of them.] Deborah, an
Ephraimite, was the root and rise of thi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; even Issachar, and
also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of
Reuben [there were] great thoughts of heart.
Ver. 15. _For the divisions of Reuben._] Who deserted their brethren
in this war, there were great thoughts of heart... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the
flocks? For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great searchings of
heart._
Ver. 16. _Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds?_] Minding only thine
own wealth and ease. Of the Portuguese it is said, that they are ready
to obey any,... [ Continue Reading ]
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher
continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
Ver. 17. _Gilead abode beyond Jordan,_] _i.e., _ Gad and the other
half tribe of Manasseh, the degenerate offspring of valiant Machir.
_ And why did Dan remain in ships? &c._]... [ Continue Reading ]
Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto
the death in the high places of the field.
Ver. 18. _That jeoparded their lives._] Or, Devoted, exposed; and are
therefore worthily renowned and never enough commended. They that "do
worthily in Ephrata," shall be "famous in Bet... [ Continue Reading ]
The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in
Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
Ver. 19. _The kings came and fought._] They could combine, but so
could not the Israelites. What a shame is it that the great Turk
should be heard to say, that he sooner exp... [ Continue Reading ]
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against
Sisera.
Ver. 20. _They fought from heaven._] Where the Lord of hosts hath his
_Magnleh cheloth,_ his upper forces, say the Rabbins, as on earth he
hath his _Matteh cheloth,_ his lower forces ready prest. And sins
unpardoned can soon... [ Continue Reading ]
The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river
Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
Ver. 21. _The river of Kishon swept them away._] For fear they ran
into this river and there perished; which yet I, a weak woman, have
manfully passed over on foot, without such da... [ Continue Reading ]
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the
pransings of their mighty ones.
Ver. 22. _Then were the horse hoofs broken,_] viz., With hasty flight;
as afterwards it fell out at the battle of Spurs - so the battle of
Terwin was called, where Henry VIII routed the French. _a_
a... [ Continue Reading ]
Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the
inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to
the help of the LORD against the mighty.
Ver. 23. _Curse ye Meroz._] So effectual was this curse, that, as the
fig tree cursed by our Saviour withered immediately... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Ver. 24. _Above women in the tent._] A fit place for women to be found
in, but not for the men of Meroz; they should have been active in the
field against the Church's enemies, as she was i... [ Continue Reading ]
He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth butter in
a lordly dish.
Ver. 25. _She gave him milk._] See Judges 4:19 .
_ Butter in a lordly dish._] Butter to eat, as well as milk to drink.
Such are the murdering morsels of sin, εχθρων αδωρα
δωρα και ιυκ ονησιμα : the giftless gifts... [ Continue Reading ]
She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's
hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head,
when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
Ver. 26. _She smote off his head._] Sept., She bored through, or
pierced his head; as Ulysses perforated Pol... [ Continue Reading ]
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he
fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
Ver. 27. _At her feet he bowed, he fell._] He was soon despatched, and
could never tell who hurt him. There now lies the greatness of Sisera:
he that had vaunted of his iron chariots,... [ Continue Reading ]
The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the
lattice, Why is his chariot [so] long in coming? why tarry the wheels
of his chariots?
Ver. 28. _The mother of Sisera._] _Per hypotyposin, Mulierum hostilium
iactationes cum sarcasmo traducit._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,_
Ver. 29. _Her wise ladies._] The wicked's hopes fail them when at
highest, and prove to be "as the giving up of the ghost." Job 11:20... [ Continue Reading ]
Have they not sped? have they [not] divided the prey; to every man a
damsel [or] two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers
colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides,
[meet] for the necks of [them that take] the spoil?
Ver. 30. _Have they not sped?_] Yes, t... [ Continue Reading ]
So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but [let] them that love him
[be] as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had
rest forty years.
Ver. 31. _So let all thine enemies perish, &c._] "Let them be as dung
for the earth"; Psa 83:10 yes, do thou dung thy vineyard with their
dead c... [ Continue Reading ]