“When the princes in Israel take the lead,
    when the people willingly offer(A) themselves—
    praise the Lord!(B)

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Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

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My heart is with Israel’s princes,
    with the willing volunteers(A) among the people.
    Praise the Lord!

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My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.

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13 “The remnant of the nobles came down;
    the people of the Lord came down to me against the mighty.
14 Some came from Ephraim,(A) whose roots were in Amalek;(B)
    Benjamin(C) was with the people who followed you.
From Makir(D) captains came down,
    from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s[a] staff.
15 The princes of Issachar(E) were with Deborah;(F)
    yes, Issachar was with Barak,(G)
    sent under his command into the valley.
In the districts of Reuben
    there was much searching of heart.
16 Why did you stay among the sheep pens[b](H)
    to hear the whistling for the flocks?(I)
In the districts of Reuben
    there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead(J) stayed beyond the Jordan.
    And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?
Asher(K) remained on the coast(L)
    and stayed in his coves.
18 The people of Zebulun(M) risked their very lives;
    so did Naphtali(N) on the terraced fields.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Judges 5:16 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags

13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 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.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

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23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord.
    ‘Curse its people bitterly,
because they did not come to help the Lord,
    to help the Lord against the mighty.’

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23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.

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