Deborah and Barak sing a victory hymn praising the LORD who marched from Seir when the earth trembled, stars fought from heaven, and the Kishon swept Sisera's forces away. The song blesses those who came to fight—Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir, Zebulun, Issachar, Naphtali—while cursing those who did not help: Reuben who lingered among the sheepfolds, Gilead beyond Jordan, Dan who stayed by his ships, and Asher on the seashore. Most blessed among women is Jael who struck Sisera's temple; the song closes with Sisera's mother waiting in vain at her window while her attendants suggest he is dividing the spoil and captive women.
Read Judges Chapter 5 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Deborah
Prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory over the Canaanites
Gideon
Judge who defeated the Midianites with 300 men, demonstrating God's power
Samson
Nazirite judge with supernatural strength who fought the Philistines
Jephthah
Outcast who became judge and defeated the Ammonites
Benjamin
Youngest Son of Jacob
Places in This Chapter
Canaan
View on MapThe Promised Land where Israel settled but failed to completely drive out the inhabitants
Edom
View on MapEdom was the mountainous region south of the Dead Sea, inhabited by the descendants of Esau (also called Edom). The Edomites were relatives of Israel but often hostile. The prophet Obadiah pronounced judgment against Edom for their treatment of Judah during Jerusalem's fall.
Gilead
View on MapGilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, known for its healing balm and rich pastures. It was home to the prophet Elijah and the judge Jephthah. Jacob and Laban made their covenant at a cairn of stones they named Galeed (Gilead). The region was allocated to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.
Position in Book
Incomplete ConquestChapters 1-2
The JudgesChapters 3-16
Stories of the judges including Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson who delivered Israel from various oppressors.
Moral and Spiritual DeclineChapters 17-21
Bible Bites
A left-handed hero the enemy never saw coming
The judge Ehud was left-handed, so he hid his sword on his right thigh, the side guards never checked (Judges 3:15-21). His 'weakness' became the very reason his surprise attack succeeded. The Bible loves an unlikely hero.
Judges 3:15-21One of Scripture's oldest poems
The Song of Deborah in Judges 5 is considered one of the oldest literary compositions in the Bible, dating to around the 12th century BC. Its archaic Hebrew vocabulary and poetic style mark it as roughly contemporaneous with the events it describes.
Judges 5