English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang:

2“That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!

2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, blessed be the LORD.

3“Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the LORD I will sing; I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.

3Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

4“ LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.

4LORD, when you came from Seir, when you marched from the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, the skies poured rain, and the clouds poured water.

5The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.

5The mountains melted before the LORD, even Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.

6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.

6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the main roads were deserted because travelers kept to the side roads.

7The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.

7Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.

8When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?

8Israel chose new gods, then there was war in the city gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

9My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD.

9My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the volunteers of the people. Blessed be the LORD!

10“Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way.

10You who ride on white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and who travel on the road, give praise!

11To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. “Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.

11Let them tell the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of his warriors in Israel, with the voices of the singers at the watering places. Then the LORD's people went down to the city gates.

12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.

12"Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take your prisoners, son of Abinoam!"

13Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.

13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the LORD's people came down to me with the warriors.

14From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff;

14Those with their roots in Amalek came from Ephraim; Benjamin came with your people after you. The leaders came down from Machir, and those who carry a marshal's staff came from Zebulun.

15the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Issachar was with Barak; they were under his leadership in the valley. There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben.

16Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

16Why did you sit among the sheep pens listening to the playing of pipes for the flocks? There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben.

17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings.

17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger at the ships? Asher remained at the seashore and stayed in his harbors.

18Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.

18The people of Zebulun defied death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

19“The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver.

19Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the Waters of Megiddo, but they did not plunder the silver.

20From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

20The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.

21The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might!

21The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength!

22“Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

22The horses' hooves then hammered--the galloping, galloping of his stallions.

23“Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

23"Curse Meroz," says the angel of the LORD, "Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD with the warriors."

24“Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed.

24Jael is most blessed of women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women.

25He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl.

25He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him cream in a majestic bowl.

26She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.

26She reached for a tent peg, her right hand, for a workman's hammer. Then she hammered Sisera--she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.

27Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.

27He collapsed, he fell, he lay down between her feet; he collapsed, he fell between her feet; where he collapsed, there he fell--dead.

28“Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’

28Sisera's mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice, crying out: "Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't I hear the hoofbeats of his horses?"

29Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself,

29Her wisest princesses answer her; she even answers herself:

30‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’

30"Are they not finding and dividing the spoil--a girl or two for each warrior, the spoil of colored garments for Sisera, the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?"

31“So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” And the land had rest for forty years.

31LORD, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love him be like the rising of the sun in its strength. And the land had peace for forty years.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.