The Song of Deborah and Barak
(Exodus 15:1–21)

1Then sang Deborah, and Barak the sonne of Abinoam the same day, saying,

2Praise ye the Lord for the auenging of Israel, and for the people that offred themselues willingly.

3Heare, ye Kings, hearken ye princes: I, euen I will sing vnto the Lord: I will sing praise vnto the Lord God of Israel.

4Lorde, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heauens rained, the cloudes also dropped water.

5The mountaines melted before the Lord, as did that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel.

6In the dayes of Shamgar the sonne of Anath, in the dayes of Iael the hie wayes were vnoccupied, and the trauelers walked through by wayes.

7The townes were not inhabited: they decayed, I say, in Israel, vntill I Deborah came vp, which rose vp a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods: then was warre in the gates. Was there a shielde or speare seene among fourtie thousand of Israel?

9Mine heart is set on the gouernours of Israel, and on them that are willing among the people: praise ye the Lord.

10Speake ye that ride on white asses, yee that dwel by Middin, & that walke by the way.

11For the noyse of the archers appaised among the drawers of water: there shal they rehearse the righteousnesse of the Lorde, his righteousnesse of his townes in Israel: then did the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates.

12Vp Deborah, vp, arise, and sing a song: arise Barak, and leade thy captiuitie captiue, thou sonne of Abinoam.

13For they that remaine, haue dominio ouer the mightie of the people: the Lorde hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong.

14Of Ephraim their roote arose against Amalek: & after thee, Beniamin shall fight against thy people, O Amalek: of Machir came rulers, & of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar, and also Barak: he was set on his feete in the valley: for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.

16Why abodest thou among the sheepefolds, to heare the bleatings of the flockes? for the diuisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart.

17Gilead abode beyonde Iorden: and why doeth Dan remayne in shippes? Asher sate on the sea shoare, and taryed in his decayed places.

18But the people of Zebulun and Naphtali haue ieopard their liues vnto the death in the hie places of the field.

19The Kings came and fought: then fought the Kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: they receiued no gaine of money.

20They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera.

21The Riuer Kishon swepe them away, that ancient riuer the riuer Kishon. O my soule, thou hast marched valiantly.

22Then were the horsehooues broken with the oft beating together of their mightie men.

23Curse ye Meroz: (sayd the Angel of the Lorde) curse the inhabitantes thereof, because they came not to helpe the Lorde, to helpe the Lord against the mighty.

24Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women: blessed shall she be aboue women dwelling in tentes.

25He asked water, and shee gaue him milke: she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26She put her hand to the naile, & her right hand to the workemans hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera: she smote off his head, after she had wounded, and pearsed his temples.

27He bowed him downe at her feete, he fell downe, and lay still: at her feete hee bowed him downe, and fell: and when he had sunke downe, he lay there dead.

28The mother of Sisera looked out at a windowe, and cryed thorowe the lattesse, Why is his charet so long a comming? why tary the wheeles of his charets?

29Her wise ladies answered her, Yea. Shee answered her selfe with her owne wordes,

30Haue they not gotten, and they deuide the spoyle? euery man hath a mayde or two. Sisera hath a praye of diuers coloured garmentes, a pray of sundry colours made of needle worke: of diuers colours of needle worke on both sides, for the chiefe of the spoyle.

31So let all thine enemies perish, O Lorde: but they that loue him, shall be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might, and the lande had rest fourtie yeres.