The Song of Deborah
1On that day Deborah and Barak sang a song. Barak was the son of Abinoam. Here is what Deborah and Barak sang.
2“The princes in Israel lead the way.
The people follow them just because they want to.
When this happens, praise the Lord!
3“Kings, hear this! Rulers, listen!
I will sing to the Lord.
I will praise the Lord in song. He is the God of Israel.
4“Lord, you went out from Seir.
You marched out from the land of Edom.
The earth shook. The heavens poured.
The clouds poured down their water.
5The mountains shook because of the Lord. He was at Mount Sinai.
They shook because of the Lord. He is the God of Israel.
6“The main roads were deserted. So travelers used the winding paths.
That happened in the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath.
It happened in the days of Jael.
7Those who lived in the villages of Israel would not fight.
They held back until I, Deborah, came.
I came as a mother in Israel.
8War came to the city gates. Then God chose new leaders.
But no shields or spears were seen anywhere.
There weren’t any among 40,000 men in Israel.
9My heart is with the princes in Israel.
It’s with the people who follow them just because they want to.
Praise the Lord!
10“Some of you ride on white donkeys.
Some of you sit on your saddle blankets.
Some of you walk along the road.
Think about 11the voices of the singers at the watering places.
They sing about the victories of the Lord.
They sing about the victories of his people who live in Israel’s villages.
“The people of the Lord
went down to the city gates.
12‘Wake up, Deborah! Wake up!’ they said.
‘Wake up! Wake up! Begin to sing!
Barak, get up!
Son of Abinoam, capture your prisoners!’
13“The nobles who were left came down.
The people of the Lord
came down to me against the powerful enemy.
14Some came from the part of Ephraim where some Amalekites lived.
Some from Benjamin were with the people who followed Ephraim.
Captains came down from Makir.
Those who rule like commanders came down from Zebulun.
15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah.
The men of Issachar were with Barak.
They went into the valley under his command.
In the territories of Reuben,
men looked deeply into their hearts.
16Why did they stay among the sheep pens?
Why did they stay to hear shepherds whistling for the flocks?
In the territories of Reuben,
men looked deeply into their hearts.
17Gilead stayed east of the Jordan River.
Why did Dan stay near the ships?
The men of Asher remained on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
They stayed in their safe harbors.
18The people of Zebulun put their very lives in danger.
So did Naphtali on the hillside fields.
19“Kings came and fought.
The kings of Canaan fought
at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo.
But they didn’t carry away any silver.
They didn’t take anything at all.
20From the heavens the stars fought.
From the sky they fought against Sisera.
21The Kishon River swept them away.
The Kishon is a very old river.
My spirit, march on! Be strong!
22The hooves of the horses pounded like thunder.
The powerful horses of our enemies galloped away.
23‘Let Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the Lord.
‘Let bitter curses fall on its people.
They did not come to help the Lord.
They did not come to help him against our powerful enemies.’
24“May Jael be the most blessed woman of all.
May the wife of Heber, the Kenite, be blessed.
May she be the most blessed woman of all those who live in tents.
25Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
26Her hand reached out for a tent stake.
Her right hand reached for a hammer.
She hit Sisera. She crushed his head.
She drove the stake right through his head.
27He sank down. He fell at her feet.
He was lying there.
At her feet he sank down. He fell.
He fell where he sank down.
That’s where he died.
28“Sisera’s mother looked out through the window.
From behind the wooden screen she cried out.
‘Why is his chariot taking so long to get here?’ she said.
‘Why can’t I hear the noise of his chariots yet?’
29Her wisest ladies answer her.
And here’s what she keeps saying to herself.
30She says, ‘They must be finding riches to bring back.
They must be dividing them up.
Each man is getting a woman or two.
They are giving colorful clothes to Sisera.
The clothes are very beautiful.
He will bring some for me to wear.
The men must be finding many things to bring home.’
31“Lord, may all your enemies be destroyed.
But may all who love you be like the morning sun.
May they be like the sun when it shines the brightest.”
So the land was at peace for 40 years.
Deboras sejrssang
1Den dag sang Debora og Barak følgende sejrssang:
2Når Israels ledere fører an,
når folket villigt følger med,
da skal I prise Herren.
3Hør, I høvdinger, lyt, I fyrster!
Jeg vil synge for Herren og spille for Israels Gud.
4Herre, da du førte dit folk op fra Seir,
da du ledte os fra Edoms land,
da skælvede og rystede jorden,
himlen kunne ikke holde tæt,
skyerne rystede regnen af sig.
5Bjergene bævede for Herren,
Sinai skælvede for Israels Gud.
6Men på Shamgars tid gemte man sig,
på Jaels tid lå vejene øde,
folk sneg sig af sted ad de afsides stier.
7Bønderne holdt sig bag storbyens mure,
landsbyidyl var en saga blot,
indtil jeg, Debora, stod frem
og blev som en mor for Israel.
8Da Israel valgte sig nye guder,
blev der ufred og kaos overalt.
Der var fyrre tusind krigere i Israel,
men hvor så man et skjold eller spyd?
9Mit hjerte banker for Israels ledere
og for folket, der frivilligt fulgte dem.
Pris Herren for dem!
10I, som rider på glinsende æsler,
I, som sidder på fornemme sadeltæpper,
I, som vandrer til fods på vejen, hør efter!
11Lyt til vanddragerne ved brøndens vandtrug.
De synger om Herrens sejre og Israels bønders bedrifter.
Herrens folk kom i flok,
i byporten råbte de:
12„Træd frem, Debora, træd frem og syng krigssange!
Rejs dig, Barak, rejs dig, kom og tag fjender til fange!”
13Den gudfrygtige rest sluttede sig til hæren.
Herrens folk kom til mig og krigerne.
14De kom fra Efraims land,
som engang tilhørte Amalek.
Nogle kom helt fra Benjamins land.
Fra Makir kom mægtige krigere,
fra Zebulon stærke ledere,
15Issakars hærførere sluttede op om Debora,
de løb med Barak ned ad bjerget.
Rubens klaner var ubeslutsomme:
16Hvorfor blev I siddende mellem kvægfoldene?
Var det for at høre hyrderne fløjte?
Rubens klaner var for ubeslutsomme.
17Gileads folk blev på den anden side af Jordanfloden.
Hvorfor blev Dan ved sine skibe?
Asher sad stille ved havets vande,
han blev i sin sikre havn.
18Men Zebulon satte livet på spil,
Naftali sloges på slagmarken.
19Kana’ans konger kom til Ta’anak,
de væbnede sig til kamp ved Megiddos vande.
Men sejren gled dem af hænde,
krigsbytte fik de intet af.
20Himlens kræfter kæmpede for os,
tordnede og lynede mod Siseras hær.
21Kishons vand svulmede med stormflods styrke,
den gamle bæk fejede fjenden væk.
Fat mod, min sjæl,
løb frem med styrke.
22Da hamrede hingstenes hove,
i galop fór de frem.
23„Forbandet være dem, der holdt sig tilbage!”5,23 Mere ordret: „I skal forbande Merotz” (betyder måske tilflugtssted). Enten er Merotz et ukendt stednavn eller en beskrivelse af dem, der ville redde sig selv frem for at være med i kampen.
sagde Herrens engel.
„De kom ikke Herren til hjælp
imod hans vældige fjender.”
24Velsignet blandt kvinder er Jael,
kenitten Hebers kone.
Hun er den mest velsignede
af alle kvinder, der bor i telte.
25Sisera bad om vand,
men Jael gav ham mælk,
tykmælk i en fornem skål.
26Hun holdt en teltpløk i venstre hånd,
en hammer i højre.
Hun hamrede pløkken gennem Siseras tinding,
hun gennemborede hans hoved.
27Han lå død mellem benene på hende.
En fældet fjende—stendød.
28Siseras mor venter ved vinduet,
hun spejder gennem gitteret:
„Hvorfor kommer han dog ikke?
Hvornår hører vi hestenes hove?”
29En hofdame giver hende et svar,
det samme, hun selv har tænkt:
30„Krigsbyttet skal nok deles,
en pige eller to til hver kriger,
prægtige klæder til Sisera
og smukt broderet tøj til hans mor.”
31Herre, må alle din fjender
gå til grunde som Sisera,
men må de, som elsker dig,
stråle som den opgående sol.
Derefter var der fred i landet i 40 år.
