Year One, July 3

Lead Away Your Captives1

We will now hear Deborah sing her wonderful poem of victory. She was both prophetess and poetess. All powers of poetry should be dedicated to the glory of the God who gives them.

  

Judges 5:1-18

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

2 “That the leaders took the lead in Israel,

that the people offered themselves willingly,

bless the LORD!”

All the praise is given to God. The people were willing, but it is God who made their great bravery successful.

3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;

to the LORD I will sing;

I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

Kings and mighty leaders would be wise to listen and learn from a woman like Deborah. She encourages them to praise the Lord.

4 “ LORD, when you went out from Seir,

when you marched from the region of Edom,

the earth trembled

and the heaven dropped,

yes, the clouds dropped water.

5 The mountains quaked before the LORD,

even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.”

All the kings around are reminded to remember the glorious advance of Jehovah, when he led his people from Egypt to Canaan. His glory and majesty are shown even on the battlefield.

6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned,

and travelers kept to the byways.”

We read about Shamgar in Judges chapter three and Jael in chapter four. In their days traveling for pleasure or business was unsafe. People stayed off the main roads. 

7 “The villagers ceased in Israel;

they ceased to be until I arose;

I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.”

Farming could not be carried on. The people fled to the walled towns because they were afraid to live in unprotected places.

8 “When new gods were chosen,

then war was in the gates.

Was shield or spear to be seen

among forty thousand in Israel?”

When Israel began to worship gods made by humans, God quit protecting them. They were too weak to stop other kings from completely disarming them. They no longer had weapons of war.

9 “My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel

who offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless the LORD.”

It is indeed a blessing when those in charge set a good example for others to follow.

10 “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

you who sit on rich carpets

and you who walk by the way.

Laws could not be enforced. The wheels of business had fallen off. No one was safe. But Deborah and Barak changed all that.

11 “To the sound of musicians2 at the watering places,

there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD,

the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.

“Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.”

In times of peace, people were not in fear of robbers when they went to the well to get water. They would sing this song of thanksgiving, and the Lord would be praised.

12 “Awake, awake, Deborah!

Awake, awake, break out in a song!

Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,

O son of Abinoam.”

Notice how excited the poet becomes.

13 “Then down marched the remnant of the noble;

the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.”

God placed Deborah in the position of ruler, but that did not stop her from praising the others who shared in the fight. It also did not stop her from later scolding those who wanted nothing to do with helping in the fight.

14 “From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley

following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen;

from Machir marched down the commanders,

and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff;

15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah,

and Issachar faithful to Barak;

into the valley they rushed at his heels.

Among the clans of Reuben

there were great searchings of heart.

16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds,

to hear the whistling for the flocks?

Among the clans of Reuben,

there were great searchings of heart.”

The tribe of Reuben debated whether to help, but they were lazy in spirit. They did not support their brothers. This was a sad business. 

17 “Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;

and Dan, why did he stay with the ships?

Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,

staying by his landings.”

Some gave no excuse. Others made up bad excuses. They were not patriotic. They would not fight in the war and missed the glories of victory. How disgraceful that they would not willingly help in such a great cause. Lord, save us from cowardice and laziness. Instead, let us be like the bold, self-sacrificing spirits the poet sings about in the next verse.

18 “Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death;

Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.”

We must stop here until our next reading.

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¹ Judges 5:12

² Or archers; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain.