Judges 5: Human aid in divine battle!

1: And Dvora (words) and Barak (blessing) son of Abinoam (pleasant father) sing on that day and say,

2: “In uncovering (firo) long haired leaderesses (paroth) in Israel,

In people making themselves volunteer themselves,

Bless, Yehoweh.

3: Hear, kings;

Give ear, rulers (razanim);

I, even I, I sing to Yehoweh. 

I will strum to Yehoweh, God of God-strife (Israel).

4: Yehoweh,

in emeging  from Seir,

in marching from Edom’s fields,

(Deut 2:4,5 –  Yehoweh gave Esau land from Mt Seir and told Israel not to meddle with the Edomites)

The land trembled

Heavens also oozed

Clouds also oozed water.

5:  Mountains gushed before Yehoweh’s Face – this Sinai before Yehoweh, Israel’s God. 

6: In Shamgar son of Anath’s days, in Yael’s (Ibex) days,

caravan routes were neglected and walking tracks are zigzag routes. 

7: Villages in Israel were neglected,

Neglected till I, Dvora, stood up,

I, Israel’s mum (eema) stood up.

8: They choose new gods!

Then war openings / gates*.  

(But is) If among the 40000of Israel is a shield or a spear seen?

9: My heart is with Israel’s printers ( law engravers)#,

the people who make themselves volunteer themselves:

Bless Yehoweh!

10: White donkey riders,

ones who permanently settle in robes,

Ones who walk on paths,

Meditate!

11: (Far) From the cry, from the divisions,

there between the watering places, they commemorate the righteousness of Yehoweh,

 righteousness  of His villages in Israel.

Then people of Yehoweh descend to the gates*. 

12: Wake up, Wake up, Dvora,

Wake up, wake up, sing a song.

Rise up, Barak,

And capture captives, son of Abinoam.

13:  Then a remnant descended to nobles,

Yehoweh’s people descended to me against the mighty.

14: Out of Ephraim (covered/Fruitful replaced by Joseph in Rev 7:4,8. Revelation’s tribe list excludes Dan and Ephraim and includes Levi and Joseph but Simon, Levi, Judah and Gad dont find mention in this song) are Amalek’s roots (war and memory loss in every generation Ex 17: 15,19) after you and your people, Benjamin. 

Out of Makir (Manasseh’s son from Gilead) descend printers (law engravers)#  from prolonger Zebulun (dweller) in a tribal tally.

15:  And Issakar’s (God’s wage) princes with Dvora. 

And like Issakar, Barak, was sent into a valley underfoot with Reuben’s (Yehoweh saw my trouble) divisions (with) great resolutenesses of heart. 

16: For What did you permanently settle between sheepfolds?

To hear the bleatings of the flocks?

(Or) for a great search of Reuben’s heart?

17: He permanently settled in Gilead (memorial cairn) in a crossover of the Jordan (descenders).

And Dan (judge) – for what does he turn aside to stay on boats?

And Asher (happy) permanently settled on the sea shore and permanently settles in his harbours.

18:  People of Zebulun stripped their souls to death

And Naphthali (was wrestled) on exalted field.

19: Kings came and were then fought, fought by the kings of Canaan (humble) in Tanach by the waters of Megiddo. They did not carry away spoils of silver.

20: From the heavens the stars were fought in their orbits,

they were fought against Sisera.

21: Kishon (winding) stream swept them away,

a stream from befores,

Kishon stream.

My soul marches on in strength.

22: Then horse hooves pounded – a gallop.

A gallop of His steeds.

23: Curse Meroz (?Cedar place) said Yehoweh’s Messenger, cursingly curse its permanent residents. For they did not come to Yehoweh’s aid,

To Yehoweh’s aid against the mighty.

24: Jael, Heber the Kenite’s lady, blessed is she among women,

Among women in tents blessed is she. 

25: He asked for water

She gave him milk in a bowl,

She put  excellent curd next to him.

26: Her hand to a nail

Her right hand stretched out  to a  workmens’ hammer

And she pounded Sisera, smashed his head, she pierced and went through his temple,

27: Between her feet he knelt, he lay, Between her feet he knelt, he lay,

And where he knelt, he fell devastated.

28: Sisera’s mother looked out of the window and keened, through the lattice.

“what is known of why his chariot is ashamed to come?

What is known of why the sound of his chariot is delayed?”

29: Her wise noblewomen answer her, “indeed”. 

She makes her answer turn back to her,

30: Do they not find and divide spoil?

A womb, wombs per mighty one’s head.

Plunder of dyed garments for Sisera

Plunder of dyed embroidery, embroidered dyed garments,

Spoil on the neck.

31: So destroy all Your enemies, Yehoweh!

And like the sun breaks forth in might, (are) those who love You.

And the land was quiet for forty years.

Phew!

Prayer: Lord, your battles are fought not only by some warrior tribes ordained to do so, but fought – and won – by volunteers, by publishers and statisticians, by unbelieving brave and strong leaders – including women who were familiar with work tools who come – unbelievable as it sounds – to Your aid! Wow!