Beginning
3 Now these are the nations that Adonai left, to test all Israel who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of Bnei-Yisrael might learn from war, which they had not experienced before. 3 These nations included the five Philistine lords, and all the Canaanites, Zidonians and the Hivites living in the hill country of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4 They were for testing Israel, to know whether they would obey the mitzvot of Adonai, which He had commanded their fathers by Moses’ hand.
5 But Bnei-Yisrael settled among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, 6 and took their daughters for themselves as wives, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshipped their gods. 7 Bnei-Yisrael did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, forgot Adonai their God and worshipped the Baalim and the Asherahs. 8 So Adonai’s anger burned against Israel, and He sold them over into the hand of King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim, and Bnei-Yisrael served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.
Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar
9 When Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai, Adonai raised up a deliverer for Bnei-Yisrael to deliver them—Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger kinsman. 10 The Spirit of Adonai came upon him as he judged Israel. When he went out to war, Adonai gave King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram into his hand so that he had the upper hand over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 Then the land had peace 40 years.
When Othniel son of Kenaz died, 12 Bnei-Yisrael again did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes. So Adonai strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in Adonai’s eyes. 13 So he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, then went and defeated Israel and took possession of the City of Palms. 14 Bnei-Yisrael became subject to King Eglon of Moab for 18 years.
15 But when Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai, Adonai raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud son of Gera the Benjamite—a left-handed man. Now Bnei-Yisrael sent tribute with him to King Eglon of Moab. 16 Ehud made himself a double-edged sword, a cubit in length, which he girded on his right thigh under his cloak. 17 Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Eglon was a very fat man. 18 Now when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had carried the tribute, 19 but he himself turned back, at the idols that were near Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.”
“Keep silence!” he replied, so all his attendants left him.
20 Then Ehud approached him while he was sitting alone in a roof chamber where it was cool, and said, “I have a message from God for you,” so he arose from his throne. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. 22 Even the handle went in after the blade and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not withdraw the sword out of his belly—and the filth came out. 23 Then Ehud went out by the porch, shut the doors of the roof chamber on him, and locked them.
24 After he had gone out, his courtiers came and looked, but behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked. So they said, “He is only relieving himself in the cool chamber.” 25 So they waited till they were embarrassed, but behold, he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber. So they took the key and opened them—and behold, their master was lying dead on the floor.
26 But Ehud escaped while they were lingering, passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he blew the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim, so Bnei-Yisrael went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them. 28 He said to them, “Follow me, for Adonai has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and allowed no one to cross over. 29 Then they struck down at that time about 10,000 men of Moab—all stout men of valor—not a man escaped.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had peace for 80 years.
31 After him came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down 600 Philistine men with an ox-goad. So he also delivered Israel.
Deborah, Barak and Yael
4 But Bnei-Yisrael again did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes after Ehud had died. 2 So Adonai sold them over into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. His army commander was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goyim[a]. 3 So Bnei-Yisrael cried out to Adonai, for he had 900 iron chariots, and had harshly oppressed Bnei-Yisrael for 20 years.
4 Now Deborah, a woman who was a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and Bnei-Yisrael came up to her for judgment. 6 Now she sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t Adonai, God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go, march to Mount Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun? 7 Then at the Kishon torrent, I will draw out to you Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army with his chariots and his multitude, and I will give him into your hand.’”
8 But Barak said to her, “If you are going with me, then I will go. But if you aren’t going with me, I won’t go.”
9 “Surely I will go with you,” she said. “However, no honor will be yours on the way that you are about to go—for Adonai will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” So Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Then Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and 10,000 men marched up after him, and Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
12 They told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 So Sisera ordered all his chariots—900 iron chariots—and all the troops that were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goyim to the Kishon.
14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which Adonai will deliver Sisera into your hand. Has Adonai not gone out before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 Adonai threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into confusion before Barak with the edge of the sword. Then Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-ha-goyim. The whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not one was left.
17 Meanwhile Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Yael the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 So Yael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me! Don’t be afraid!” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and made him drink some, and covered him. 20 Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you saying, ‘Is there a man here?’ then you will say, ‘There’s no one.’”
21 Then Yael, Heber’s wife, took a tent pin and got a hammer in her hand, approached him stealthily and drove the pin into his temple until it pierced through into the ground—for he was exhausted and in a deep sleep. So he died. 22 Now behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Yael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he entered with her, and behold, Sisera was lying dead, with a tent-pin in his temple!
23 So on that day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before Bnei-Yisrael. 24 The hand of Bnei-Yisrael pressed hard on King Jabin of Canaan until they had cut off King Jabin of Canaan.
Deborah’s Song
5 Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day saying:
2 “When leaders take the lead in Israel,
when people freely offer themselves,
bless Adonai!
3 Listen, O kings! Give ear, O rulers!
I, to Adonai I will sing,
I will sing praise to Adonai,
the God of Israel.
4 Adonai, when You came out from Seir,
when You marched from Edom’s field,
the earth trembled,
the heavens also dropped,
yes, the clouds dropped water.
5 The mountains quaked before Adonai,
this Sinai at the presence of Adonai,
the God of Israel!
6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Yael,
the highways were deserted,
travelers walked by crooked paths.
7 Villages were deserted in Israel,
deserted, until I, Deborah, arose,
a mother in Israel arose.
8 They chose new gods—
then war was in the gates.
No shield or spear was seen
among 40,000 in Israel!
9 My heart is with Israel’s rulers,
who offer themselves freely among the people. Bless Adonai!
10 Riders on white donkeys,
sitting on saddle blankets,
traveling on the road, sing!
11 Louder than the sound of archers,
at the watering places!
There let them rehearse
the righteous acts of Adonai,
the righteous deeds for His villages in Israel.
Then the people of Adonai
went down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,
O son of Abinoam!
13 Then a remnant of nobles came down.
Adonai’s people came down to me
with the mighty ones.
14 Those with root in Amalek
are from Ephraim, following you,
Benjamin, with your peoples.
From Machir came down rulers,
and from Zebulun wielding
the marshal’s staff.
15 Issachar’s chiefs were with Deborah.
Issachar was with Barak.
Into the valley they rushed at his heels.
Among the divisions of Reuben
there were great resolves of heart.
16 Why did you stay in the sheepfolds—
to hear the piping for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan,
and Dan, why did he stay by the ships?
Asher sat at the seacoast,
dwelling by its docks.
18 Zebulun is a people who jeopardized
their lives to death, and Naphtali also,
on the heights of the battlefield.
19 The kings came, they fought,
then the kings of Canaan fought,
at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,
but they took no spoil of silver.
20 From heaven, the stars fought,
in their courses they fought Sisera.
21 The Kishon torrent swept them away—
that ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon!
O my soul, march on with strength!
22 Then the horses’ hooves beat
from the dashing,
the dashing of his mighty steeds.
23 ‘Curse Meroz!’ said the angel of Adonai,
‘Utterly curse its inhabitants,
for they came not to the aid of Adonai,
to the aid of Adonai among the mighty.’
24 Blessed above women is Yael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
above women in the tent is she blessed.
25 Water he asked, milk she gave him.
In a lordly bowl she brought him butter.
26 Her hand reached for the tent pin,
her right hand to the workmen’s hammer,
and with the hammer she struck Sisera,
she smashed his head—
yes, she crushed and pierced his temple.
27 At her feet he collapsed, he fell, he lay.
Between her feet he bowed, he fell.
Where he bowed, there he fell dead.
28 Through the window, Sisera’s mother
looked out, through the lattice.
and lamented shrilly:
‘Why does his chariot delay in coming?
Why do the wheels of his chariots tarry?’
29 The wisest of her princesses answer her,
yes, she repeats the words to herself:
30 ‘Are they not finding, dividing the spoil?
A maiden, maidens for every warrior!
To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments—
a spoil of dyed garments of embroidery,
double-dyed garments of embroidery
for the necks of every spoiler!’
31 So let all Your enemies perish, Adonai!
But may those who love Him be
like the rising of the sun in its might.”
Then the land had peace for 40 years.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.