V. The song of Deborah is one of the grandest outbursts of impassioned poetry in the Bible. It is a song of victory, or what the Greeks would have called an Epinician ode. Attempts have been made to show that it cannot have been the work of Deborah, but must belong to a later age, because it contain... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SANG DEBORAH. — She was a prophetess, I and the word for “prophet,” like the Latin _vates,_ involved gifts which were closely allied to those of the poet. AND BARAK. — Doubtless Deborah was the sole author of the song, as is implied by the singular verb (Judges 5:3); but no doubt Barak joined... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE AVENGING OF ISRAEL. — The Hebrew word _peraoth_ cannot have this meaning, though it is found in the Syriac and implied by the Chaldee. The word only occurs in Deuteronomy 32:42, and there, as here, implies the notion of _leading;_ so that the LXX. are doubtless right in rendering it, “In the... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR, O YE KINGS. — There were no kings or princes in Israel, but the appeal is to the “kings of the earth,” as in Psalms 2:10; for which reason the LXX. render “princes” by _satraps._ The Chaldee refers it to the kings allied with Jabin.... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, WHEN THOU WENTEST OUT OF SEIR. — See Psalms 68:7; Habakkuk 3:3. The majority of commentators, both ancient and modern, suppose that the reference is to the promulgation of the law on Sinai, as described in Exodus 19:16; Deuteronomy 33:3. But the mention of Seir and Edom seems to show that this... [ Continue Reading ]
MELTED. — Literally, _flowed away_ — a powerful poetic image. (Comp. Isaiah 63:19; Isaiah 64:3; Psalms 97:5 — “melted like wax.”) EVEN THAT SINAI. — Rather, _even this Sinai,_ as though Deborah actually saw the sacred mountain before her. The boldness of the expression leaves no difficulty in suppo... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAYS OF SHAMGAR. — In this and the two next verses is described the misery and dejection of Israel; and the names of Shamgar and Jael are mentioned to enhance the glory of Deborah, by showing that even the presence among the Israelites of two such heroic souls as Shamgar and Jael was unavaili... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INHABITANTS OF THE VILLAGES CEASED. — The one Hebrew word for “the inhabitants of the villages” is _perâzôn._ The rendering of our version is supported by the Chaldee, and by the meaning of the analogous words in Deuteronomy 3:5.1 Samuel 6:18, &c. But this cannot be the meaning in Judges 5:11; a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CHOSE NEW GODS. — The Chaldee and the LXX. agree in this interpretation, which is strongly supported by Deuteronomy 32:16. The Syriac and Vulgate render it “God chose new things,” or “wars” (_nova bella elegit Dominus,_ Vulg.); but this gives a poorer sense, and is open to the objection that _J... [ Continue Reading ]
MY HEART IS TOWARD THE GOVERNORS OF ISRAEL. — The fact that even in this extremity Israel had men (literally, _law-givers_) who were willing to brave any danger to rescue their people fills Deborah with gratitude to them and _to_ God. AMONG THE PEOPLE. — When the leaders moved, the people moved wit... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK. — Rather, _Think of it._ or, perhaps, “Meditate _the_ song.” It is placed in the original in far more forcible position at the end of the verse. YE THAT RIDE ON WHITE ASSES. — That is, nobles and wealthy (Judges 10:4; Judges 12:14). The word can hardly mean “white,” because there are no such... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT ARE DELIVERED FROM THE NOISE OF ARCHERS IN THE PLACES OF DRAWING WATER. — This is usually explained to mean that in the time of oppression the shepherds and the women could not go to the wells to draw water without being disturbed by the enemy’s archers; and the construction in that case i... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE, AWAKE, DEBORAH. — The prophetess rouses herself in this verse — which forms an introduction to the second section of the song — to describe the loyalty of the tribes and the grandeur of the victory. LEAD THY CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE. — Lead in triumph thy long train of captives. For the expression,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE MADE HIM THAT REMAINETH HAVE DOMINION. — The translation, reading, and punctuation of this verse is uncertain. The MSS. of the LXX. vary, and the Vulgate merely gives a paraphrase. The Alexandrine MS. of the LXX. may be correct: “Then descended a remnant against the mighty.” Ewald renders it... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF EPHRAIM WAS THERE A ROOT OF THEM AGAINST AMALEK. — The LXX. and Vulgate render it, “Ephraim uprooted them in Amalek.” But the meaning seems to be, “Out of Ephraim (came down to the battle) those whose root is in Amalek,” or, “among the Amalekites.” Ephraim had firmly rooted himself (comp. Isa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRINCES OF ISSACHAR. — The ordinary reading of the Hebrew gives the meaning, “And _my_ princes in Issachar (came down to battle) with Deborah.” If this be the right reading, Deborah calls them “my princes” with a touch of pride, and hence some have assumed that she belonged to the tribe of I... [ Continue Reading ]
SHEEPFOLDS. — Literally, _hurdles_ (_mishpethaim_)_,_ the dual form being due to some method of their construction. Hence the Vulgate renders, _inter duos terminos._ THE BLEATINGS OF THE FLOCKS. — Rather, _the sounds of shepherds’ flutes_ or _pastoral pipings_ (“Shepherds delighting in syrinx-pipes... [ Continue Reading ]
GILEAD ABODE BEYOND JORDAN. — Gilead was the son of Machir, and grandson of Manasseh. The name is here probably meant to include Gad, as well as the half-tribe of Manasseh. The word “abode” means “stayed quietly” (Psalms 16:9), and is rendered _qniesce-bat_ in the Vulgate. WHY DID DAN REMAIN IN SHIP... [ Continue Reading ]
JEOPARDED THEIR LIVES. — Comp. Judges 9:7; Isaiah 53:12. The courage of Zebulon and Naphtali is contrasted with the empty debates of Reuben, the sloth of Gilead, the cowardly selfishness of Dan and Asher. IN THE HIGH PLACES OF THE FIELD. — That is, on Mount Tabor. The Hebrew word is _the Meroms;_ h... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGS. — Comp. Joshua 11:1. Jabin did not stand alone. IN TAANACH. — See Judges 1:27. The word means “sandy soil.” BY THE WATERS OF MEGIDDO. — The affluents of the Kishon, or the swollen waves of the river itself. There is a copious spring at _Lejjûn,_ the ancient Megiddo, which in rainy seaso... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY FOUGHT FROM HEAVEN. — THE “THEY” IS IMPERSONAL — the powers above. (Comp. Luke 12:20, Greek, and for the fact, Judges 4:22.) THE STARS IN THEIR COURSES. — This is probably a general reference to the providential storms which had secured the victory to Israel. To understand the “stars” as meani... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIVER OF KISHON. — Judges 4:7; Psalms 83:9. Either from this massacre, or that of the Baal priests of Elijah, the Kishon is now called the _Nahr Mukatta,_ or “river of slaughter” (1 Kings 18:40). THAT ANCIENT RIVER. — The Vulgate renders this, “the torrent Kedumim,” and the LXX. (Cod. Vat.), “th... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE MEANS OF THE PRANSINGS. — Rather, _the stampings._ In crossing the Kishon after moderate rains, I had an opportunity of observing by personal experience how easily a horse might be hopelessly disabled in the muddy morass formed by the river. The word is forcibly repeated by the figure known a... [ Continue Reading ]
CURSE YE MEROZ. — The guilt of Meroz was worse than that of the tribes which held aloof, because, whatever may have been its exact site, it was evidently in the very heart of the country which had been thus inspired to strike a blow for freedom. Possibly it would have been in the power of the inhabi... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. — Jael would be regarded as a patriotic heroine, whose daring had secured to Israel the fruits of their victory. The morals of that early age were not sufficiently enlightened to understand that treachery and assassination are _never_ justifiable, however good may be the end in... [ Continue Reading ]
BUTTER. — Rather, _curdled milk._ In a lordly dish. — Rather, _in a dish of the nobles: sephel,_ a splendid bowl, reserved for great occasions. All this was done to lull his suspicions into a false security.... [ Continue Reading ]
NAIL.... WORKMEN’S HAMMER. — See on Judges 4:21. SMOTE. — _Hammered._ SMOTE OFF HIS HEAD. — Rather, _shattered his head._ The Hebrew is onomatopoetic, i.e., the sound echoes the sense, recalling the smashing and crashing blows of the hammer. The repetition of these terrible alliterative verbs, “ham... [ Continue Reading ]
AT HER FEET. — Literally, _between her feet,_ as though the dauntless woman had stridden over him as he lay in the dead sleep of weariness. HE BOWED. — The word means that he suddenly curled up his knees in one contortion of agony. HE FELL. — Rolling, perhaps, off the divan on which he was resting... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOTHER OF SISERA. — With a bold poetic impetuosity the scene is changed, and the prophetess, with a few broad touches, sets before us the last scene of the strange eventful history. The mother of Sisera and her attendant princesses had looked for the triumph and return of the host as confidently... [ Continue Reading ]
HER WISE LADIES. — Literally, _the wise of her princesses._ There is unconcealed scorn in this, showing that the wisest were most utterly mistaken. Their “wisdom” is the seductive flattery of delusive hopes. ANSWERED HER. — The verb is in the singular, implying that one spoke after another. The Vul... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE THEY NOT SPED? HAVE THEY NOT DIVIDED THE PREY? — Literally, _Are they not finding? are they not dividing the spoil? Is not the wealth of their booty the cause of their delay?_ (Comp. Exodus 15:9 : “The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil.”) TO EVERY MAN. — Liter... [ Continue Reading ]
SO LET ALL THINE ENEMIES PERISH, O LORD. — The abrupt burst in which the song rushes, as it were, to its conclusion, is very grand. The total frustration of the hopes of the princesses is all the more forcibly implied by the scorn with which it is left unexpressed. The one word “so” sums up the stor... [ Continue Reading ]