THE SONG OF DEBORAH

Translated by

Thomas F. McDaniel, Ph.D.

©

 I. Prose prologue: 4:23–24

God subdued in that day Jabin, King of Canaan, before the Israelites.

Yea, the hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on Jabin, King of Canaan,

 until they finally destroyed Jabin, King of Canaan.

II. Poetic prologue: 3:31; 5:6–7, 5:1–2b

3:31 Then later Shamgar ben-Anat appeared on the scene!

He smote with a mattock two marauding bands;*

he plundered hundreds of men with a(n) (ox)goad.

He was appointed overseer, and gained victories

by himself for Israel!

5:6 From the days of Shamgar ben-Anat,

from the days he used to attack (covertly), caravans ceased

and caravaneers had to travel roundabout routes.

Warriors deserted, in Israel they failed to assist,

until the arising of Deborah, the arising of a Mother in Israel!

5:1 Then Deborah made Barak ben-Abinoam

march forth on that day

when the heroine called for heroism in Israel,

when the militia was summoned,

(by her) saying:

III. Deborah’s exhortation: 5:2c–4, 5:8–9

  5:2c “PRAISE YAHWEH!

Hear, O kings! Listen, O princes! I am for Yahweh!

I, yes I, I will attack, I will fight for Yahweh, the God of Israel.

5:4 O Yahweh, when you went out from Seir,

when you marched from the plain of Edom,

the earth trembled noisily, the heavens dropped open,

the clouds dropped torrentially.

The waters of the mountains flowed from the presence of Yahweh,

the One of Sinai,

from the presence of Yahweh, my God.

God will provide strength.

5:8 God will muster the recruits. When the brave ones battle,

shield, moreover, and spear

will appear among the forty thousand in Israel.

Respond to the call, O leaders of Israel!

O you who are summoned for the militia!

5:9c PRAISE YAHWEH!”

IV. Mustering the troops: 5:10–13

  5:10 Riders on young donkeys,

those sitting on mules,

and those walking along the way

5:11 hastened on mountain-roads,

hurrying between the mountain-passes,

 where the victories of Yahweh would be given—

the victories of his two warriors in Israel,

when the very storms would descend from Yahweh.

5:12 The troops of Deborah roused themselves

to rout the troops of the pursuer.

Barak marched forth to attack,

ben-Abinoam to take prisoners.

5:13 When the caravan-leader went forth against the nobles,

(when) the militia of Yahweh descended,

they were accompanied by (heavenly) warriors.

V. Strategy of the forces: 5:14–16

5:14 Some from Ephraim, hastening through Amalek,

would strike at the rear;

Benjamin from concealment would attack.

5:15 From Machir commanders would go down.

Yea, from Zebulon, (those) brandishing the marshal’s mace,

and officers from Issachar along with Deborah.

That he might inflict defeat, Barak was concealed in the plain.

Dispatched with his footmen along the tributaries was Reuben.

Gad had joined them.

5:16 Those of true courage circled about

to wait between the ravines,

to listen, to look for stragglers along the tributaries,

to triumph over the cowardly chieftains.

  VI. Israelite attack: 5:17–18

5:17 Gilead in Trans-Jordan went on alert.

then Dan boldly attacked ships;

Asher assailed along the water’s edge

and struck against its harbors.

5:18 Zebulon swam (underwater), risking his life;

Naphtali attacked Merom.  

VII. Canaanite counterattack: 5:19

5:19 The kings were forced to come. They fought.

(But) when the kings of Canaan fought,

from Taanach along the waters of Megiddo,

silver spoils they did not take.  

VIII. The defeat of the Canaanites: 5:20–23

5:20 From the heavens fought the stars,

from their stations they fought against Sisera.

5:21 The Wadi Kishon swept them [the chariots] away,

the Wadi surged seaward.

The Wadi Kishon overtook (them),

it overflowed, they sought refuge.

5:22 Then retreated up the slopes

their horses (and their) chariots —

his chariot, his stallions.

5:23 Doomed to die, they panicked—

Yahweh had sent a cloudburst!

Their riders were in total panic!

Truly victorious were the ones going forth for the Warrior Yahweh,

for the Warrior Yahweh, with the (heavenly) heroes!

IX. Assassination of Sisera: 5:24–25, 5:27a, 5:26, 5:27b

5:24 Most blessed among women is Yael, wife of Heber the Kenite,

among women in tents she is most blessed.

5:25 Water he requested, milk she gave,

in a truly magnificent goblet she brought cream.

5:27a Between her legs he drank, he fell to sleep.

5:26 She stretched her hand to the tent-pin,

her right hand to the workmen’s hammer.

She hammered Sisera, battered his head,

shattered and pierced his neck.

5:27b Between her legs half-conscious he fell;

motionless, powerless, there he fell slain.

X. Anxiety in Sisera’s court: 5:28–30

5:28 Through the window she peered—but (only) emptiness!

The mother of Sisera inquired (at) the lattice:

“Why tarries his chariot’s arrival?

Why so late the sound of his chariotry?”

5:29 The clairvoyants among her damsels divined.

Indeed, her soothsayer reported to her:

5:30 “The victors have forded (the water);

they are dividing the spoil—

a wench or two for the head of the hero—

spoil of dyed cloth for Sisera, spoil of the best cloth,

an embroidered cloth or two for the spoiler’s neckerchiefs.”

XI. Poetic conclusion: 5:31a

5:31a Thus may all the enemies of Yahweh perish.

(May) His lovers (be) like the rising of the sun

because of His power.

XII. Prose epilogue: 5:31b

5:31b And the land was at peace for forty years.

* Words in italics are new translations supported by Semitic cognates, as

discussed in detail in the full text of The Son of Deborah: Poetry in Dialect.