| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Later that day, Deborah and Abinoam's son Barak celebrated by singing this song: | 1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: |
| 2"When hair grows long in Israel, when the people give themselves willingly, bless the LORD! | 2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, praise the LORD. |
| 3Listen, you kings! Turn your ears to me, you rulers! As for me, to the LORD I will sing! I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. | 3Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. |
| 4LORD, when you left Seir, when you marched out from the grain field of Edom, the earth quaked and the heavens poured out rain; indeed, the clouds poured out water. | 4 LORD, when You came from Seir, when You marched from the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured rain, and the clouds poured water. |
| 5Mountains tremble at the presence of the LORD — even Sinai!—at the presence of the LORD God of Israel. | 5The mountains melted before the LORD, even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel. |
| 6During the lifetime of Anath's son Shamgar and during the lifetime of Jael highways remained deserted, while travelers kept to back roads. | 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the main ways were deserted because travelers kept to the side roads. |
| 7Rural populations plummeted in Israel; until I, Deborah, arose; until I—an Israeli mother—arose. | 7Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. |
| 8New gods were chosen, then war came to the city gates, but there wasn't a shield or spear to be seen among 40,000 soldiers of Israel. | 8Israel chose new gods, then war was in the gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel. |
| 9My heart is for the commanders of Israel, to those who work willingly among the people. Bless the LORD! | 9My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the volunteers of the people. Praise the LORD! |
| 10"Speak up, you who ride white donkeys, sitting on cloth saddles while you travel on your way! | 10You who ride on white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and who travel on the road, give praise! |
| 11From the sound of those who divide their work loads at the watering troughs, there they will retell the righteous deeds of the LORD, the righteous victories for his rural people in Israel." Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. | 11Let them tell the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His warriors in Israel, with the voices of the singers at the watering places. Then the LORD's people went down to the gates." |
| 12"Wake up! Wake up, Deborah! Wake up! Wake up, Deborah! Get up, Barak, and dispose of your captives, you son of Abinoam! | 12Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take hold of your captives, son of Abinoam!" |
| 13Then the survivors approached the nobles; the people of the LORD approached me in battle array. | 13The survivors came down to the nobles; the LORD's people came down to me with the warriors. |
| 14Some came from Ephraim who had been harassed by Amalek, followed by Benjamin with your people. Some commanders came from Machir, along with some from Zebulun who carry a badge of office. | 14Those with their roots in Amalek came from Ephraim; Benjamin came with your people after you. The leaders came down from Machir, and those who carry a marshal's staff came from Zebulun. |
| 15The officials of Issachar were with Deborah, as was the tribe of Issachar and Barak. They rushed out into the valley at his heels along with divisions from Reuben's army. Great was their resolve of heart! | 15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Issachar was with Barak. They set out at his heels in the valley. There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 16Why did you sit down among the sheepfolds? To hear the bleating of the flocks? Among the divisions of the army of Reuben there was great searching of heart. | 16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds listening to the playing of pipes for the flocks? There was great searching of heart among the clans of Reuben. |
| 17The tribe of Gilead remained on the other side of the Jordan River. As for the tribe of Dan, why did they stay on board their ships? The tribe of Asher sat by the seashore and remained near its harbors. | 17Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger at the ships? Asher remained at the seashore and stayed in his harbors. |
| 18The tribe of Zebulun did not worry about their lives at the price of death; neither did the tribe of Naphtali also on high places of the field. | 18Zebulun was a people risking their lives, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield. |
| 19"Kings came to fight, then battled the kings of Canaan at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They took no silver as the spoils of war. | 19Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no spoil of silver. |
| 20The stars fought from heaven; they fought against Sisera from their orbits. | 20The stars fought from the heavens; the stars fought with Sisera from their courses. |
| 21The current of the Kishon River swept them downstream, that ancient current, the Kishon's current! March on strongly, my soul! | 21The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength! |
| 22Then loud was the beat of the horses' hooves— from the galloping, galloping war steeds! | 22The horses' hooves then hammered-- the galloping, galloping of his stallions." |
| 23"'Meroz is cursed!' declared the angel of the LORD. 'Utterly and totally cursed are its inhabitants, because they never came to the aid of the LORD, to the aid of the LORD against the valiant warriors!'" | 23Curse Meroz," says the Angel of the LORD," Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty warriors." |
| 24"Blessed above all women is Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite; most blessed is she among women who live in tents! | 24Jael is most blessed of women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women. |
| 25Sisera asked for water— she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him yogurt! | 25He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him curdled milk in a majestic bowl. |
| 26She reached out one hand for the tent peg, and her other for the workman's mallet. Then she struck Sisera, smashing his head, shattering and piercing his temple. | 26She reached for a tent peg, her right hand, for a workman's mallet. Then she hammered Sisera-- she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. |
| 27He crumpled to the ground between her feet, where he fell down and collapsed. Between her feet he crumpled, Fallen dead! | 27He collapsed, he fell, he lay down at her feet; he collapsed, he fell at her feet; where he collapsed, there he fell--dead. |
| 28"Back at home, out the window Sisera's mother peered, lamenting through the lattice. 'Why is his chariot delayed in returning? 'Why do the hoof beats of his chariots wait?' | 28Sisera's mother looked through the window; she peered through the lattice, crying out:" Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't I hear the hoofbeats of his horses?" |
| 29Her wise attendants find an answer for her; in fact, she tells the same words to herself: | 29Her wisest princesses answer her; she even answers herself:" |
| 30They're busy finding and dividing the war booty, aren't they? A girl or two for each valiant warrior, and some dyed materials for Sisera— perhaps dyed, embroidered war booty— or some detailed embroidery for my neck as the booty of war! | 30Are they not finding and dividing the spoil-- a girl or two for each warrior, the spoil of colored garments for Sisera, the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?" |
| 31"May all of your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may those who love him be like the ascending sun in its strength!" Then the land enjoyed quiet for 40 years. | 31 LORD, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its strength. And the land was peaceful 40 years. |
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