| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: |
| 2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD. | 2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, praise the LORD. |
| 3Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise 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. |
| 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. | 4 LORD, when You came from Seir, when You marched from the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured rain, and the clouds poured water. |
| 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. | 5The mountains melted before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways. | 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the main ways were deserted because travelers kept to the side roads. |
| 7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. | 7Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother 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. | 8Israel chose new gods, then war was in the gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel. |
| 9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the volunteers of the people. Praise the LORD! |
| 10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder | 10You who ride on white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and who travel on the road, give praise! |
| 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: | 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 gates." |
| 12‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’ | 12Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take hold of your captives, son of Abinoam!" |
| 13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. | 13The survivors came down to the nobles; the LORD's people came down to me with the warriors. |
| 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. | 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 were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Issachar was with Barak. They set out at his heels in the valley. There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. | 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds listening to the playing of pipes for the flocks? There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors. | 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger at the ships? Asher remained at the seashore and stayed in his harbors. |
| 18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield. | 18Zebulun was a people risking their lives, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 19Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver. | 19Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no spoil of silver. |
| 20From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera. | 20The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their courses. |
| 21The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength! | 21The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength! |
| 22Then the hooves of horses thundered—the mad galloping of his stallions. | 22The horses' hooves then hammered-- the galloping, galloping of his stallions." |
| 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.’ | 23Curse 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 warriors." |
| 24Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. | 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. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds. | 25He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him curdled milk in a majestic bowl. |
| 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. | 26She reached for a tent peg, her right hand, for a workman's mallet. Then she hammered Sisera-- she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. |
| 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. | 27He collapsed, he fell, he lay down at her feet; he collapsed, he fell at her feet; where he collapsed, there he fell--dead. |
| 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?’ | 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 ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself, | 29Her wisest princesses answer her; she even answers herself:" |
| 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?’ | 30Are 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?" |
| 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. | 31 LORD, 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 was peaceful 40 years. |
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