| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: |
| 2“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD! | 2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD. |
| 3“Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. | 3Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 4“LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water; | 4O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water. |
| 5The mountains gushed before the LORD, This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel. | 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of 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 deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways. | 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways. |
| 7Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel. | 7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. |
| 8They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. | 8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel. |
| 9My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD! |
| 10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges’ attire, And who walk along the road. | 10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder |
| 11Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the LORD shall go down to the gates. | 11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates: |
| 12“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam! | 12‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’ |
| 13“Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The LORD came down for me against the mighty. | 13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. |
| 14From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff. | 14Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun. |
| 15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart. | 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 17Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets. | 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors. |
| 18Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield. | 18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 19“The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver. | 19Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver. |
| 20They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. | 20From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. |
| 21The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength! | 21The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength! |
| 22Then the horses’ hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds. | 22Then the hooves of horses thundered—the mad galloping of his stallions. |
| 23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, 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 against the mighty.’ |
| 24“Most blessed among women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed is she among women in tents. | 24Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. |
| 25He asked for water, she gave milk; She brought out cream in a lordly bowl. | 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds. |
| 26She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple. | 26She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple. |
| 27At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; At her feet he sank, he fell; Where he sank, there he fell dead. | 27At her feet he collapsed, he fell, there he lay still; at her feet he collapsed, he fell; where he collapsed, there he fell dead. |
| 28“The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’ | 28Sisera’s mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice and lamented: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? What has delayed the clatter of his chariots?’ |
| 29Her wisest ladies answered her, Yes, she answered herself, | 29Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself, |
| 30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’ | 30‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’ |
| 31“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years. | 31So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years. |
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