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 och Baraks sång
1Debora och Barak, Avinoams son, sjöng den dagen denna sång:
2”När Israels furstar visar vägen
och folket villigt offrar sig,
prisa Herrens namn!
3Hör, ni kungar, lyssna ni härskare!
Jag ska sjunga inför Herren
och spela inför Israels Gud.
4Du, Herre, ledde oss ut ur Seir
och fram över Edoms slätter,
marken skakade, från himlen strömmade regnet ner
och vatten strömmar ur molnen.
5Bergen skälvde inför Herren,
den Väldige på Sinai, Herren, Israels Gud.
6På Shamgars, Anats sons, och Jaels tid
låg vägarna öde.
Vandrarna valde vindlande stigar.
7Israel saknade ledare,
tills Debora trädde fram,
tills hon blev en mor för Israel.
8När Israel valde nya gudar
kom striden fram till stadsportarna.5:8 Grundtexten är mycket svårtolkad och innebörden osäker.
Varken sköld eller spjut fanns.
Israels 40 000 saknade vapen.
9Mitt hjärta vänder sig till Israels ledare
och till alla som villigt följer dem!
Prisa Herren!
10Prisa honom, alla ni som rider på vita åsnor,
och sitter på dyrbara mattor
och alla ni som går till fots!
11Sångarna sjunger lovsång vid brunnen,
sången om Herrens rättfärdiga gärningar,
hur han räddade Israel
med sina krigare.
Herrens folk tågade in
genom portarna.
12Vakna, Debora,
vakna och sjung!
Stå upp, Barak!
Du, Avinoams son, för bort dina fångar!
13Männen som fanns kvar
marscherade ner till de tappra.
Herrens folk kom till mig
med sina mäktiga.
14Män kom från Efraim,
med rotfäste i Amalek,
och Benjamin,
som följde efter dig med dina skaror.
Från Makir kom furstar
och från Sebulon män med ledarstav.
15Isaskars furstar följde Debora
och Barak ner i dalen.
Men Rubens stam
höll grundliga rådslag.
16Varför satt du hemma bland fållorna5:16 Eller: vid lägerelden. Eller: mellan sadelväskorna.
och lyssnade på herdeflöjter?
Rubens stam höll grundliga rådslag.
17Gilead stannade på andra sidan Jordan.
Varför blev Dan kvar vid sina fartyg?
Och Asher blev kvar vid stranden
i lugn och ro.
18Men Sebulons och Naftalis stammar
riskerade livet på stridsfältets höjder.
19Kanaans kungar
stred vid Tanak
nära Megiddos källor
men de blev utan silver och utan byte.
20Till och med himlens stjärnor
stred mot Sisera.
21Den brusande floden Kishon,
urtidsfloden
förde bort dem.
Dra vidare, var stark min själ!
22Hör hovtrampet från fiendens hingstar!
Se hur stridshästarna jagar fram!
23Men Herrens ängel befallde att förbanna Meros.
’Förbanna dess inbyggare’, sa han.
’De kom inte till Herrens hjälp,
till Herrens och hjältarnas hjälp.’
24Välsignad bland kvinnorna ska Jael vara,
keniten Hevers hustru,
ja, välsignad mer än andra kvinnor som bor i tält.
25Han bad om vatten, men hon gav honom mjölk
i en dyrbar skål,
hon bjöd honom på tjockmjölk.
26Hennes hand grep efter tältpluggen,
hennes högra hand efter hammaren,
och med snickarens hammare
slog hon honom i huvudet,
genomborrade Siseras tinning.
27Han sjönk ner vid hennes fötter,
låg stilla och var död.
28Siseras mor såg väntande ut genom fönstret
och hon ropade:
’Varför dröjer hans vagn så länge?
Var är klappret av hovar?’
29Då svarar hennes hovdam,
och själv ger hon samma svar:
30’Bytet de skiftar är stort,
en flicka åt var man eller två,
dyrbara mantlar åt Sisera
och vackra tyger,
brokiga dukar, en eller två åt den som tog byte.
Allt detta som byte!’
31Herre, så ska alla dina fiender förgås,
men de som älskar Herren ska stråla av kraft
som den uppgående solen!”
Därefter fick landet fred i fyrtio år.
