Judges 5
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 5[a]
The Song of Deborah. 1 On that day Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang,
2 “Israel’s leaders led bravely,
the people followed gladly,
praise the Lord.
3 Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes,
for I, myself, will sing about the Lord;
I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.
4 Lord, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched out of the fields in Edom,
the earth trembled, and the heavens poured,
the clouds poured down water.[b]
5 The mountains quaked before the Lord,
he who was on Sinai,
before the Lord, the God of Israel.
6 In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath,
in the days of Jael,
the highways were deserted,
travelers took winding paths.
7 Village life ceased in Israel,
it ceased until I, Deborah,
until I rose up as mother in Israel.[c]
8 When they chose new gods,
war showed up at the gates.
Not a shield nor a spear was to be found
among the forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart was with the leaders of Israel;
they offered themselves willingly with the people.
Bless the Lord.
10 Speak, you who ride on white donkeys,
who sit in judgment,
who walk along the ways.
11 Far from the noise of archers,
in the places where there is water,
there they shall recount the righteous deeds of the Lord,
his righteous deeds toward his villagers in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord will go down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah.
Awake, awake, sing a song.
Arise, O Barak,
and lead your captives away,
O son of Abinoam.
13 Then the remnant of the nobles marched,
the people of the Lord came to me with the mighty.
14 Some came from Ephraim,
whose roots were in Amalek;
Benjamin was with your people who followed you.
From Machir[d] officers came down,
from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff.
15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah,
Issachar was with Barak;
he sent them into the valley under his command.
In the districts of Reuben
there were serious doubts.
16 Why did you stay among the sheep folds
to hear the bleating of the flocks?
In the districts of Reuben
there were serious doubts.
17 Gilead remained beyond the Jordan.
Dan, why did he remain by the ships?
Asher remained by the seashore
and stayed in his coves.[e]
18 The people of Zebulun risked their lives,
as did Naphtali on the heights of the field.
19 Kings came and fought;
the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo,
but they took no plunder, no silver.
20 From the heavens the stars fought on;[f]
they fought against Sisera in their courses.
21 The Wadi Kishon swept them away;
the ancient wadi,
the Wadi Kishon.
March on, O my soul, be strong.
22 Then the horses’ hoof beats thundered,
galloping, galloping, go the mighty steeds.
23 ‘Curse Meroz,’[g] said the angel,
‘bitterly curse those who live there.
They did not come to help the Lord,
to help the Lord against the mighty.’
24 You will be blessed above other women,
O Jael, wife of Heber, the Kenite;
you are blessed above other women who live in tents.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk.
In a dish fit for royalty, she brought him cream.
26 Her hand reached for a tent peg,
her right hand for a workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera; she crushed his head,
she pierced and bored through his temple.
27 He sank down to her feet,
fell down and lay there.
At her feet he sank and fell down;
where he sank, there he fell, dead!
28 Sisera’s mother looked out through a window,
she cried from behind the lattice,
‘Why is his chariot taking so long?
Why is the clatter of chariots so late in coming?’
29 The wisest of her ladies answers her,
indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
30 ‘Are they having trouble finding and dividing the spoils?
A woman or two to each man,
colorful garments as plunder to Sisera,
the plunder of garments with colorful needlework,
colorful needlework for around the plunderer’s neck?’
31 So may all of your enemies perish, O Lord,
may those who love him come forth like the mighty sun.”
There was then peace in the land for forty years.
Footnotes
- Judges 5:1 This song, composed in the enthusiasm of victory, testifies to the wonder roused in Israel by the feats of deliverance and by the Lord’s intervention. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of ancient literature and of great historical value as well, since it gives a vivid portrayal of the varying reactions of the tribes to the undertaking.
- Judges 5:4 The point of the imagery is that God came to the aid of his people with extraordinary assistance; his “coming” is concretized by mentioning areas of southern Palestine.
- Judges 5:7 As mother in Israel: an endearment for Deborah, who judges her people with a woman’s intuition, wisdom, and compassion.
- Judges 5:14 Machir: the elder son of Manasseh; here he stands for the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, as opposed to the eastern half in Gilead.
- Judges 5:17 After receiving a territory west of Jerusalem, Dan pushed northward to the region of the sources of the Jordan (see chs. 17–18).
- Judges 5:20 The stars fought on: God’s army battled the enemy.
- Judges 5:23 Meroz: the residents of this area were apparently expected to take part in the battle and are condemned for not helping “the Lord against the mighty.”
Jueces 5
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Cántico de Débora y Barac
5 Entonces Débora y Barac, hijo de Abinoam, cantaron en aquel día(A) y dijeron:
2 «¡Por haberse puesto al frente los jefes[a] en Israel(B),
Por haberse ofrecido el pueblo voluntariamente(C),
Bendigan al Señor!
3 -»¡Oigan, reyes; presten oído, príncipes!
Yo al Señor, yo cantaré,
Cantaré alabanzas al Señor, Dios de Israel(D).
4 -»Señor, cuando saliste de Seir(E),
Cuando marchaste del campo de Edom,
La tierra tembló, también cayeron gotas del cielo[b],
Y las nubes destilaron agua(F).
5 -»Los montes se estremecieron[c] ante la presencia del Señor(G),
Aquel[d] Sinaí, ante la presencia del Señor, Dios de Israel(H).
6 ¶»En los días de Samgar, hijo de Anat(I),
En los días de Jael(J), quedaron desiertos[e] los caminos,
Y los viajeros andaban por sendas tortuosas.
7 -»Se habían terminado los campesinos, se habían terminado en Israel,
Hasta que yo, Débora, me levanté,
Hasta que me levanté, como madre en Israel.
8 -»Habían escogido nuevos dioses(K);
Entonces la guerra estaba a las puertas.
No se veía escudo ni lanza
Entre 40,000 en Israel.
9 -»Mi corazón está con[f] los jefes de Israel,
Los voluntarios entre el pueblo.
¡Bendigan al Señor(L)!
10 -»Ustedes que cabalgan en asnas(M) blancas,
Que se sientan en ricos tapices,
Que viajan por el camino, canten[g].
11 -»Al sonido de los que dividen las manadas entre los abrevaderos(N),
Allí repetirán los actos de justicia del Señor(O),
Los actos de justicia para con Sus campesinos en Israel.
Entonces el pueblo del Señor descendió a las puertas(P).
12 ¶»Despierta, despierta(Q), Débora.
Despierta, despierta, entona un cántico.
Levántate, Barac, y lleva a tus cautivos(R), hijo de Abinoam.
13 -»Entonces los sobrevivientes descendieron sobre los nobles.
El pueblo del Señor vino a mí como guerreros.
14 -»De Efraín descendieron los arraigados[h] en Amalec(S),
En pos de ti, Benjamín, con tus pueblos.
De Maquir descendieron jefes,
Y de Zabulón los que manejan vara de mando[i].
15 -»Los[j] príncipes de Isacar estaban con Débora;
Como estaba Isacar, así estaba Barac(T).
Al valle se apresuraron pisándole los talones[k].
Entre las divisiones de Rubén
Había grandes resoluciones de corazón.
16 -»¿Por qué te sentaste entre los rediles(U),
Escuchando los toques de flauta para los rebaños?
Entre las divisiones de Rubén
Había grandes indecisiones de corazón.
17 -»Galaad se quedó[l] al otro lado del Jordán(V).
¿Y por qué se quedó Dan en las naves?
Aser se sentó a la orilla del mar,
Y se quedó[m] junto a sus puertos.
18 -»Zabulón(W) era pueblo que despreció su vida hasta la muerte.
Y también Neftalí, en las alturas del campo.
19 ¶»Vinieron los reyes y pelearon(X);
Pelearon entonces los reyes de Canaán
En Taanac(Y), cerca de las aguas de Meguido.
No tomaron despojos de plata(Z).
20 -»Desde los cielos las estrellas pelearon(AA),
Desde sus órbitas pelearon contra Sísara.
21 -»El torrente Cisón los barrió,
El antiguo torrente, el torrente Cisón.
Marcha, alma mía con poder(AB).
22 -»Entonces resonaron[n] los cascos de los caballos
Por el galopar, el galopar de sus valientes corceles[o](AC).
23 “Maldigan a Meroz”, dijo el ángel del Señor,
“Maldigan, maldigan a sus moradores;
Porque no vinieron en ayuda del Señor,
En ayuda del Señor contra los guerreros(AD)”.
24 ¶»Bendita entre las mujeres es Jael,
Mujer de Heber el quenita;
Bendita sea entre las mujeres de la tienda.
25 -»Él pidió agua, y ella le dio leche.
En taza de nobles le trajo cuajada[p].
26 -»Extendió ella la mano hacia la estaca de la tienda,
Y su diestra hacia el martillo de trabajadores.
Entonces golpeó a Sísara, desbarató su cabeza.
Destruyó y perforó sus sienes(AE).
27 -»A[q] sus pies él se encorvó, cayó, quedó tendido;
A[r] sus pies se encorvó y cayó.
Donde se encorvó, allí quedó muerto[s].
28 ¶»Miraba por la ventana y se lamentaba
La madre de Sísara, por entre la celosía[t]:
“¿Por qué se tarda en venir su carro?
¿Por qué se retrasa el trotar[u] de sus carros?”.
29 -»Sus sabias princesas le respondían,
Aun a sí misma ella repite sus palabras:
30 “¿Acaso no han hallado el botín(AF) y se lo están repartiendo?
¿Una doncella, dos doncellas para cada guerrero.
Para Sísara un botín de tela de colores,
Un botín de tela de colores bordada,
Tela de colores de doble bordadura en el cuello del victorioso[v]?”.
31 -»Así perezcan todos Tus enemigos, oh Señor(AG).
Pero sean los que te aman como la salida del sol en toda su fuerza(AH)».
Y el país tuvo descanso por cuarenta años.
Footnotes
- 5:2 O Por soltarse la cabellera.
- 5:4 Lit. también destilaron los cielos.
- 5:5 Lit. fluyeron.
- 5:5 Lit. este.
- 5:6 Lit. habían dejado de existir.
- 5:9 Lit. es para.
- 5:10 O declárenlo.
- 5:14 Lit. que tienen sus raíces.
- 5:14 Lit. del escriba.
- 5:15 Así en algunas versiones antiguas; en heb. Mis.
- 5:15 Lit. en sus pies.
- 5:17 O habitó.
- 5:17 O habitó.
- 5:22 Lit. golpearon.
- 5:22 Lit. de sus poderosos.
- 5:25 O requesón.
- 5:27 Lit. Entre.
- 5:27 Lit. Entre.
- 5:27 Lit. devastado.
- 5:28 O la ventana.
- 5:28 Lit. los pasos.
- 5:30 Lit. los cuellos del botín.
Judges 5
New International Version
The Song of Deborah
5 On that day Deborah(A) and Barak son of Abinoam(B) sang this song:(C)
2 “When the princes in Israel take the lead,
when the people willingly offer(D) themselves—
praise the Lord!(E)
3 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
I, even I, will sing to[a] the Lord;(F)
I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.(G)
4 “When you, Lord, went out(H) from Seir,(I)
when you marched from the land of Edom,
the earth shook,(J) the heavens poured,
the clouds poured down water.(K)
5 The mountains quaked(L) before the Lord, the One of Sinai,
before the Lord, the God of Israel.
6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,(M)
in the days of Jael,(N) the highways(O) were abandoned;
travelers took to winding paths.(P)
7 Villagers in Israel would not fight;
they held back until I, Deborah,(Q) arose,
until I arose, a mother in Israel.
8 God chose new leaders(R)
when war came to the city gates,(S)
but not a shield or spear(T) was seen
among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart is with Israel’s princes,
with the willing volunteers(U) among the people.
Praise the Lord!
10 “You who ride on white donkeys,(V)
sitting on your saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road,
consider 11 the voice of the singers[b] at the watering places.
They recite the victories(W) of the Lord,
the victories of his villagers in Israel.
“Then the people of the Lord
went down to the city gates.(X)
12 ‘Wake up,(Y) wake up, Deborah!(Z)
Wake up, wake up, break out in song!
Arise, Barak!(AA)
Take captive your captives,(AB) son of Abinoam.’
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,(AC) whose roots were in Amalek;(AD)
Benjamin(AE) was with the people who followed you.
From Makir(AF) captains came down,
from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s[c] staff.
15 The princes of Issachar(AG) were with Deborah;(AH)
yes, Issachar was with Barak,(AI)
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[d](AJ)
to hear the whistling for the flocks?(AK)
In the districts of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead(AL) stayed beyond the Jordan.
And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?
Asher(AM) remained on the coast(AN)
and stayed in his coves.
18 The people of Zebulun(AO) risked their very lives;
so did Naphtali(AP) on the terraced fields.(AQ)
19 “Kings came(AR), they fought,
the kings of Canaan fought.
At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,(AS)
they took no plunder of silver.(AT)
20 From the heavens(AU) the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21 The river Kishon(AV) swept them away,
the age-old river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul; be strong!(AW)
22 Then thundered the horses’ hooves—
galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.(AX)
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.’
24 “Most blessed of women(AY) be Jael,(AZ)
the wife of Heber the Kenite,(BA)
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk;(BB)
in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg,
her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,
she shattered and pierced his temple.(BC)
27 At her feet he sank,
he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell;
where he sank, there he fell—dead(BD).
28 “Through the window(BE) peered Sisera’s mother;
behind the lattice she cried out,(BF)
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’
29 The wisest of her ladies answer her;
indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils:(BG)
a woman or two for each man,
colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,
colorful garments embroidered,
highly embroidered garments(BH) for my neck—
all this as plunder?(BI)’
31 “So may all your enemies perish,(BJ) Lord!
But may all who love you be like the sun(BK)
when it rises in its strength.”(BL)
Then the land had peace(BM) forty years.
Footnotes
- Judges 5:3 Or of
- Judges 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Judges 5:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Judges 5:16 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.