Judges 5:10

The Song of Deborah and Barak · Judges 5:1–31
Read Judges 5

Translations

Modern
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
Traditional
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
Literal
You who ride on white donkeys, who sit in judges’ attire, and who walk along the road, ponder
Latin
Qui ascenditis super nitentes asinos, et sedetis in judicio, et ambulatis in via, loquimini.

Original

Hebrew
English
You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder

Notes

Both the rich (You who ride) and the poor (who walk) were to listen and share the song. It would have a spiritual and social impact as it spread.

This song, a victory hymn usually credited to Deborah, offers a poetic version of the battle, adding details to the prose account. It is one of the oldest Hebrew poems. It praises the Lord, the tribes who joined the fight, and Jael. It curses those who stayed home, Sisera, and his mother's followers. It contrasts life before Barak's victory, when the Lord's curse was on the land, with the blessings after the warriors' righteous acts. It ends with a prayer that the Lord's enemies will perish like Sisera (Judges 5:31).

The story of Deborah and Barak, found in both prose (Judges 4) and poetry (Judges 5), describes a major military operation against a significant Canaanite enemy after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin, who also ruled in Hazor, was defeated earlier by Joshua along with a large northern alliance, and Hazor was burned (see Joshua 11:1–15). Although Joshua 11 and Judges 4–5 are often compared, they have too many differences to be considered accounts of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is likely a dynastic name; it appears in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC.

Events

Parallels

Exodus 15:1–21

Glossary

Abinoam Armageddon Book of Jashar Deborah Family Life and Relations Hazor Hebrew Language Jael Judah, Tribe of Judges, Book of Kishon Music Poetry, Biblical Simeon, Tribe of Song of Deborah Tribe of Naphtali White Woman

Topics

Country: Love of Courts of Justice: Judges of Rode often on White Asses Courts of Justice: Judges of Sat on the Judgment-Seat While Hearing Causes Donkey: Domesticated used for Riding Patriotism: General Scriptures Concerning the Domestic Donkey: Judges of Israel Rode on White