The Song of Deborah and Barak (Exodus 15:1–21)
1 AKJV Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, BSB BSB: On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
2 AKJV Praise you the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. BSB BSB: “When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
3 AKJV Hear, O you kings; give ear, O you princes; I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. BSB BSB: Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4 AKJV LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. BSB BSB: O 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.
5 AKJV The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. BSB BSB: The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
6 AKJV In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways. BSB BSB: In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.
7 AKJV The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. BSB BSB: Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
8 AKJV They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? BSB BSB: When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
9 AKJV My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless you the LORD. BSB BSB: My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD!
10 AKJV Speak, you that ride on white asses, you that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. BSB BSB: You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
11 AKJV They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. BSB BSB: the 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 AKJV Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead your captivity captive, you son of Abinoam. BSB BSB: ‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’
13 AKJV Then he made him that remains have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. BSB BSB: Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty.
14 AKJV Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after you, Benjamin, among your people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. BSB BSB: Some 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.
15 AKJV And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. BSB BSB: The 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.
16 AKJV Why stayed you among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. BSB BSB: Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
17 AKJV Gilead stayed beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and stayed in his breaches. BSB BSB: Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.
18 AKJV Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that risked their lives to the death in the high places of the field. BSB BSB: Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19 AKJV The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. BSB BSB: Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
20 AKJV They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. BSB BSB: From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 AKJV The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, you have trodden down strength. BSB BSB: The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength!
22 AKJV Then were the horse hoofs broken by the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones. BSB BSB: Then the hooves of horses thundered—the mad galloping of his stallions.
23 AKJV Curse you Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse you bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty. BSB BSB: ‘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 AKJV Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. BSB BSB: Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 AKJV He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. BSB BSB: He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 AKJV She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. BSB BSB: She 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.
27 AKJV At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. BSB BSB: At 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 AKJV The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? BSB BSB: Sisera’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?’
29 AKJV Her wise ladies answered her, yes, she returned answer to herself, BSB BSB: Her wisest ladies answer; indeed she keeps telling herself,
30 AKJV Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? BSB BSB: ‘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 AKJV So let all your enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. BSB BSB: So 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.