| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song: |
| 2“That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD! | 2"When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war--Praise 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. | 3Hear, O kings! Pay attention, O rulers! I will sing to the LORD! I will sing 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. | 4O LORD, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom's plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain. |
| 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel. | 5The mountains trembled before the LORD, the God of Sinai; before the LORD 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 caravans disappeared; travelers had to go on winding side roads. |
| 7The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. | 7Warriors were scarce, they were scarce in Israel, until you arose, Deborah, until you arose as a motherly protector 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? | 8God chose new leaders, then fighters appeared in the city gates; but, I swear, not a shield or spear could be found, among forty military units in Israel. |
| 9My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD. | 9My heart went out to Israel's leaders, to the people who answered the call to war. Praise 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 light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, you who walk on the road, pay attention! |
| 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. | 11Hear the sound of those who divide the sheep among the watering places; there they tell of the Lord's victorious deeds, the victorious deeds of his warriors in Israel. 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. | 12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners of war, 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 mighty ones; the LORD's people came down to me as 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; | 14They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, they follow after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers. From Makir leaders came down, from Zebulun came the ones who march carrying an officer's staff. |
| 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. | 15Issachar's leaders were with Deborah, the men of Issachar supported Barak; into the valley they were sent under Barak's command. Among the clans of Reuben there was intense heart searching. |
| 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 do you remain among the sheepfolds, listening to the shepherds playing their pipes for their flocks? As for the clans of Reuben--there was intense searching of heart. |
| 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 stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan--why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast, he stayed by his harbors. |
| 18Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. | 18The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; Naphtali charged on to the battlefields. |
| 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, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought, at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no silver as plunder. |
| 20From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. | 20From the sky the stars fought, from their paths in the heavens they fought against Sisera. |
| 21The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! | 21The Kishon River carried them off; the river confronted them--the Kishon River. Step on the necks of the strong! |
| 22“Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. | 22The horses' hooves pounded the ground; the stallions galloped madly. |
| 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. | 23Call judgment down on Meroz,' says the LORD's angelic messenger; 'Be sure to call judgment down on those who live there, because they did not come to help in the LORD's battle, to help in the LORD's battle against the warriors.' |
| 24“Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. | 24The most rewarded of women should be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite! She should be the most rewarded of women who live in tents. |
| 25He asked for water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl. | 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for a king, she served him curds. |
| 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. | 26Her left hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workmen's hammer. She "hammered" Sisera, she shattered his skull, she smashed his head, she drove the tent peg through 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. | 27Between her feet he collapsed, he fell limp and was lifeless; between her feet he collapsed and fell limp, in the spot where he collapsed, there he fell limp--violently murdered! |
| 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?’ | 28Through the window she looked; Sisera's mother cried out through the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so slow to return? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot-horses delayed?' |
| 29Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, | 29The wisest of her ladies answer; indeed she even thinks to 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?’ | 30No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder--a girl or two for each man to rape! Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth, for the neck of the plunderer!' |
| 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. | 31May all your enemies perish like this, O LORD! But may those who love you shine like the rising sun at its brightest!" And the land had rest for forty years. |
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