| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: |
| 2"When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war--Praise the LORD! | 2“Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. Praise the LORD! |
| 3Hear, O kings! Pay attention, O rulers! I will sing to the LORD! I will sing to the LORD God of Israel! | 3“Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you mighty rulers! For I will sing to the LORD. I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 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. | 4“LORD, when you set out from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain. |
| 5The mountains trembled before the LORD, the God of Sinai; before the LORD God of Israel. | 5The mountains quaked in the presence of the LORD, the God of Mount Sinai— in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael caravans disappeared; travelers had to go on winding side roads. | 6“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travelers stayed on winding pathways. |
| 7Warriors were scarce, they were scarce in Israel, until you arose, Deborah, until you arose as a motherly protector in Israel. | 7There were few people left in the villages of Israel — until Deborah arose as a mother for 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. | 8When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel! |
| 9My heart went out to Israel's leaders, to the people who answered the call to war. Praise the LORD! | 9My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD! |
| 10You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, you who walk on the road, pay attention! | 10“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. |
| 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-- | 11Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched down to the city gates. |
| 12Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners of war, son of Abinoam! | 12“Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam! |
| 13Then the survivors came down to the mighty ones; the LORD's people came down to me as warriors. | 13“Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors. |
| 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. | 14They came down from Ephraim— a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff. |
| 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. | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 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. | 16Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds— to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. |
| 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. | 17Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors. |
| 18The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; Naphtali charged on to the battlefields. | 18But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 19Kings came, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought, at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no silver as plunder. | 19“The kings of Canaan came and fought, at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs, but they carried off no silver treasures. |
| 20From the sky the stars fought, from their paths in the heavens they fought against Sisera. | 20The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera. |
| 21The Kishon River carried them off; the river confronted them--the Kishon River. Step on the necks of the strong! | 21The Kishon River swept them away— that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my soul! |
| 22The horses' hooves pounded the ground; the stallions galloped madly. | 22Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds. |
| 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.' | 23‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the LORD. ‘Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the LORD— to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.’ |
| 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. | 24“Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. |
| 25He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for a king, she served him curds. | 25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt. |
| 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. | 26Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. |
| 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! | 27He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died. |
| 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?' | 28“From the window Sisera’s mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’ |
| 29The wisest of her ladies answer; indeed she even thinks to herself, | 29“Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself: |
| 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!' | 30‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’ |
| 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. | 31“LORD, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years. |
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