Judges 5:1
Deborah — The composer of this song.... [ Continue Reading ]
Deborah — The composer of this song.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord — Give him the praise who hath done the work. The people — Chiefly Zebulun and Naphtali. Offered themselves — When neither Deborah nor Barak had any power to compel them.... [ Continue Reading ]
The princes — You especially that live near, and have evil designs against Israel, know this for your caution, and terror too, if you presume to molest them. God of Israel — Who, as you see by this plain instance, is both able and resolved to defend them from all their enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Edom — Seir and Edom are the same place; and these two expressions note the same thing, even God's marching in the head of his people, from Seir or Edom, towards the land of Canaan: while the Israelites were encompassing mount Seir, there were none of the following effects; but when once they had do... [ Continue Reading ]
Melted — Or, flowed, with floods of water powered out of the clouds upon them, and from them flowing down in a mighty stream upon the lower grounds, and carrying down part of the mountains with it. Sinai — She slides into the mention of a more ancient appearance of God for his people in Sinai; it be... [ Continue Reading ]
Jael — Jael, though an illustrious woman, effected nothing for the deliverance of God's people, 'till God raised me up. By — ways — Because of the Philistines and Canaanites, who, besides the public burdens which they laid upon them, waited for all opportunities to do them mischief secretly; their s... [ Continue Reading ]
Ceased — The people forsook all their unfortified towns, not being able to protect them from military insolence. A mother — That is, to be to them as a mother, to instruct, and rule, and protect them, which duties a mother owes to her children.... [ Continue Reading ]
Chose — They did not only submit to idolatry when they were forced to it by tyrants, but they freely chose it. New gods — New to them, and unknown to their fathers, and new in comparison of the true and everlasting God of Israel, being but of yesterday. The gates — That is, in their walled cities, w... [ Continue Reading ]
My heart is toward — I honour and love those, who being the chief of the people in wealth and dignity, did not withdraw themselves from the work, as such usually do; but exposed themselves to the same hazards, and joined with their brethren in this noble but dangerous attempt. The Lord — Who incline... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak — Celebrate the praise of our mighty God. That ride on white asses — That is, magistrates and nobles, who used to do so, Judges 10:4, Judges 12:14. That walk — That is, you that can safely travel in those high ways, which before you durst neither ride nor walk in: so great and mean persons are... [ Continue Reading ]
From the noise — From the triumphant noise and shout of archers, rejoicing when they meet with their prey. Of drawing water — At those pits or springs of water, which were precious in those hot countries, to which the people's necessities forced them to resort, and nigh unto which the archers usuall... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake — Stir up thyself and all that is within thee, to admire and praise the Lord. This work needs and well deserves the utmost liveliness and vigour of soul. Lead captivity captive — How could this be done, when there was none of them left? Judges 4:16. None were left to make head against them. No... [ Continue Reading ]
He made him, &c. — Thus God did not only preserve the poor and despised remnant of his people, from the fury of the oppressor, and from the destruction which Sisera designed, but also gave them the victory, and thereby the dominion over the nobles of Canaan, who were combined against them. Me — Tho'... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim — Now she relates the carriage of the several tribes in the expedition; and she begins with Ephraim. A root — Of the Ephraimites. By root she seems to mean a branch, as that word is sometimes used. By which also she may note the fewness of those that came out of Ephraim, yielding but one bra... [ Continue Reading ]
With Deborah — Ready to assist her. Issachar — Heb. and Issachar, that is, the tribe or people of Issachar, following the counsel and example of their princes. Barak — That is, they were as hearty and valiant as Barak their general; and as he marched on foot against their enemies horses and chariots... [ Continue Reading ]
Why abodest — Why wast thou so unworthy and cowardly, that thou wouldest not engage thyself in so just, so necessary, and so noble a cause, but didst prefer the care of this sheep, and thy own ease and safety, before this generous undertaking? Reuben thought neutrality their wisest course; being ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Gilead — Sometimes taken strictly for that part of the land beyond Jordan which fell to the half — tribe of Manasseh, and sometimes both for that part of Manasseh's, and for Gad's portion, as Joshua 13:24, Joshua 13:29, and so it seems to be understood here; and the land Gilead is here put for the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeoparded — Heb. despised, comparatively; they chose rather to venture upon a generous and honourable death, than to enjoy a shameful and servile life. High — places — That is, upon that large and eminent plain in the top of mount Tabor, where they put themselves in battle array, and expected the en... [ Continue Reading ]
The kings — There were divers petty kings in those parts who were subject to Jabin. Megiddo — Taanah and Megiddo were two eminent cities, not far from mount Tabor, nor from the river Kishon. No gain — They fought without pay, whether from mere hatred of the Israelites, and a desire to be revenged up... [ Continue Reading ]
From heaven — Or, they from heaven, or the heavenly host fought, by thunder, and lightning, and hail — stones, possibly mingled with fire. The stars — Raising these storms by their influences, which they do naturally. Courses — Or, from their paths, or stations. As soldiers fight in their ranks and... [ Continue Reading ]
River of Kishon — Which, though not great in itself, was now much swelled by the foregoing storm and rain, and therefore drowned those who being pursued by the hand of God, and by the Israelites, were forced into it, and thought to pass over it, as they did before. Ancient river — So called, either,... [ Continue Reading ]
Horses hoofs — Their horses, in which they put most confidence, had their hoofs, which are their support and strength, broken, either by dreadful hail — stones, or rather, by their swift and violent running over the stony grounds, when they fled with all possible speed from God and from Israel. Pran... [ Continue Reading ]
Meroz — A place then, no doubt, eminent and considerable, tho' now there be no remembrance of it left, which possibly might be the effect of this bitter curse; as God curseth Amalek in this manner, that he would utterly blot out their remembrance. And this place above all others may be thus severely... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed — Celebrated, and endowed with all sorts of blessings more than they. In the tent — In her tent or habitation, in her house and family, and all her affairs: for she and hers dwelt in tents. The tent is here mentioned as an allusion to the place where the fact was done.... [ Continue Reading ]
Butter — Or, cream, that is, the choicest of her milk: so the same thing is repeated in different words. Lordly dish — Which you are not to understand of such a costly dish as the luxury of after ages brought in, which is not agreeable to the simplicity either of this family, or of those ancient tim... [ Continue Reading ]
Looked out — Expecting to see him returning: for she concluded, that he went forth not so much to fight, as to take the spoil.... [ Continue Reading ]
Have they not, &e. — That is, it is certain they have got the prey, only they tarry to distribute it, according to every man's quality and merit.... [ Continue Reading ]
So let — That is, so suddenly, so surely, so effectual and irrecoverably. Deborah was a prophetess and this prayer was a prediction, that in due time all God's enemies shall perish. In his might — When he first riseth, and so goeth on in his course, which he doth with great might, even as a strong m... [ Continue Reading ]