1   That day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

   2   For the leaders, the leaders ^note in Israel,
  for the people who answered the call,
  bless ye the Lord.
   3   Hear me, you kings; princes, give ear;
  I will sing, I will sing to the Lord.
  I will raise a psalm to the Lord the God of Israel.
   4   O Lord, at thy setting forth from Seir,
  when thou camest marching out of the plains of Edom,
  earth trembled; heaven quaked;
  the clouds streamed down in torrents.
   5   Mountains shook in fear before the Lord, the lord of Sinai,
  before the Lord, the God of Israel.
   6   In the days of Shamgar of Beth-anath, ^note
  in the days of Jael, caravans plied no longer;
  men who had followed the high roads
  went round by devious paths.
   7   Champions there were none,
  none left in Israel,
  until I, ^note Deborah, arose,
  arose, a mother in Israel.
   8   They chose new gods,
  they consorted with demons. ^note
  Not a shield, not a lance was to be seen
  in the forty thousand of Israel.
   9   Be proud at heart, you marshals of Israel;
  you among the people that answered the call,
  bless ye the Lord.
   10   You that ride your tawny she-asses,
  that sit on saddle-cloths,
  and you that take the road afoot,
    ponder this well.
   11   Hark, the sound of the players striking up
  in the places where the women draw water!
  It is the victories of the Lord that they commemorate there,
  his triumphs as the champion of Israel.


  Down to the gates came the Lord's people:
    ‘Rouse, 12   rouse yourself, Deborah,
    rouse yourself, lead out the host.
    Up, Barak! Take prisoners in plenty,
    son of Abinoam.’

Israel under the judges
   13   Then down marched the column ^note and its chieftains,
  the people of the Lord marched down ^note like warriors.
   14   The men of Ephraim showed a brave front in the vale, ^note
  crying, ‘With you, Benjamin! Your clansmen are here!’
  From Machir down came the marshals,
  from Zebulun the bearers of the musterer's staff.
   15   Issachar joined with Deborah in the uprising, ^note
  Issachar stood by Barak;
  down into the valley they rushed.
  But Reuben, he was split into factions,
  great were their heart-searchings. ^note
   16   What made you linger by the cattle-pens
  to listen to the shrill calling of the shepherds? ^note
   17   Gilead stayed beyond Jordan;
  and Dan, why did he tarry by the ships?
  Asher lingered by the sea-shore,
  by its creeks he stayed.
   18   The people of Zebulun risked their very lives,
  so did Naphtali on the heights of the battlefield.


   19   King came, they fought;
  then fought the kings of Canaan
  at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo;
  no plunder of silver did they take.
   20   The stars fought from heaven,
  the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
   21   The Torrent of Kishon swept him away,
  the Torrent barred his flight, the Torrent of Kishon;
    march on in might, my soul!
   22   Then hammered the hooves of his horses,
  his chargers galloped, galloped away.
   23   A curse on Meroz, said the angel of the Lord;
  a curse, a curse on its inhabitants,
  because they brought no help to the Lord,
  no help to the Lord and the fighting men.
   24   Blest above women be Jael,
  the wife of Heber the Kenite;
  blest above all women in the tents.
   25   He asked for water: she gave him milk,
  she offered him curds in a bowl fit for a chieftain.

Israel under the judges
   26   She stretched out her hand for the tent-peg,
  her right hand to hammer the weary.
  With the hammer she struck Sisera, she crushed his head;
  she struck and his brains ebbed out.
   27   At her feet he sank down, he fell, he lay;
  at her feet he sank down and fell.
  Where he sank down, there he fell, done to death.


   28   The mother of Sisera peered through the lattice,
  through the window she peered and shrilly cried,
  ‘Why are his chariots so long coming?
  Why is the clatter of his chariots so long delayed?’
   29   The wisest of her princesses answered her,
  yes, she found her own answer:
   30   ‘They must be finding spoil, taking their shares,
  a wench to each man, two wenches,
  booty of dyed stuffs for Sisera,
  booty of dyed stuffs,
  dyed stuff, and striped, two lengths of striped stuff—
  to grace the victor's neck.’


   31   So perish all thine enemies, O Lord;
  but let all who love thee ^note be like the sun rising in strength.

The land was at peace for forty years.

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