_THEN SANG DEBORAH AND BARAK THE SON OF ABINOAM ON THAT DAY, SAYING,_ Then sang Deborah and Barak ... on that day. Nothing is said respecting the authorship of this noble triumphal ode; but modern criticism has established it, by a chain of strong circumstantial evidence, to be beyond a doubt an ef... [ Continue Reading ]
_PRAISE YE THE LORD FOR THE AVENGING OF ISRAEL, WHEN THE PEOPLE WILLINGLY OFFERED THEMSELVES._ For the avenging of Israel, х_ BIPªROA`_ (H6544) _ PªRAA`OWT_ (H6546) _ Bª-YISRAA'EEL_ (H3478)] - in the freeing of Israel from bondage (Robinson), or in the leading on of the lenders in Israel (Gesenius)... [ Continue Reading ]
_HEAR, O YE KINGS; GIVE EAR, O YE PRINCES; I, EVEN I, WILL SING UNTO THE LORD; I WILL SING PRAISE TO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_LORD, WHEN THOU WENTEST OUT OF SEIR, WHEN THOU MARCHEDST OUT OF THE FIELD OF EDOM, THE EARTH TREMBLED, AND THE HEAVENS DROPPED, THE CLOUDS ALSO DROPPED WATER._ Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir ... In this highly figurative style, which is borrowed from the magnificent song of Moses (Deuteronomy... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MOUNTAINS MELTED FROM BEFORE THE LORD, EVEN THAT SINAI FROM BEFORE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN THE DAYS OF SHAMGAR THE SON OF ANATH, IN THE DAYS OF JAEL, THE HIGHWAYS WERE UNOCCUPIED, AND THE TRAVELLERS WALKED THROUGH BYWAYS._ In the days of Shamgar ... in the days of Jael. Shamgar [Septuagint, Samegar] is mentioned, Judges 3:31, as a judge, who by one feat of bravery effected a delivera... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE INHABITANTS OF THE VILLAGES CEASED, THEY CEASED IN ISRAEL, UNTIL THAT I DEBORAH AROSE, THAT I AROSE A MOTHER IN ISRAEL._ The inhabitants of the villages ceased, х_ CHAADªLUW_ (H2308) _ PªRAAZOWN_ (H6520)] - rule; i:e., (concrete for) rulers ceased in Israel. And so the Septuagint renders it: e... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY CHOSE NEW GODS; THEN WAS WAR IN THE GATES: WAS THERE A SHIELD OR SPEAR SEEN AMONG FORTY THOUSAND IN ISRAEL?_ They chose new gods. This clause has been variously rendered. But we shall notice only two. х_ YIBCHAR _ (H977) _ 'ªLOHIYM_ (H430) _ CHªDAASHIYM_ (H2319).] Some, as the Peshito version... [ Continue Reading ]
_MY HEART IS TOWARD THE GOVERNORS OF ISRAEL, THAT OFFERED THEMSELVES WILLINGLY AMONG THE PEOPLE. BLESS YE THE LORD._ My heart is toward the governors of Israel. In this verse gratitude is expressed to the respective leaders of the tribes, who with so much alacrity took part in the contest; but abov... [ Continue Reading ]
_SPEAK, YE THAT RIDE ON WHITE ASSES, YE THAT SIT IN JUDGMENT, AND WALK BY THE WAY._ Speak, ye that ride on white asses - i:e., join in this song of praise. х_ 'ªTONOWT_ (H860) _ TSªCHOROWT _ (H6715), bright shining she-asses (cf. Judges 10:4: Bovet, 'Voyage en Terre Sainte,' p. 311).] Those which a... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY THAT ARE DELIVERED FROM THE NOISE OF ARCHERS IN THE PLACES OF DRAWING WATER, THERE SHALL THEY REHEARSE THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF THE LORD, EVEN THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS TOWARD THE INHABITANTS OF HIS VILLAGES IN ISRAEL: THEN SHALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD GO DOWN TO THE GATES._ They that are delivered ...... [ Continue Reading ]
_AWAKE, AWAKE, DEBORAH: AWAKE, AWAKE, UTTER A SONG: ARISE, BARAK, AND LEAD THY CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, THOU SON OF ABINOAM._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN HE MADE HIM THAT REMAINETH HAVE DOMINION OVER THE NOBLES AMONG THE PEOPLE: THE LORD MADE ME HAVE DOMINION OVER THE MIGHTY._ The rod of the numberers - those who made up and kept the muster-rolls; and the princes who, with impetuous alacrity, rushed on with Barak to the charge in the plain.... [ Continue Reading ]
_OUT OF EPHRAIM WAS THERE A ROOT OF THEM AGAINST AMALEK; AFTER THEE, BENJAMIN, AMONG THY PEOPLE; OUT OF MACHIR CAME DOWN GOVERNORS, AND OUT OF ZEBULUN THEY THAT HANDLE THE PEN OF THE WRITER._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE PRINCES OF ISSACHAR WERE WITH DEBORAH; EVEN ISSACHAR, AND ALSO BARAK: HE WAS SENT ON FOOT INTO THE VALLEY. FOR THE DIVISIONS OF REUBEN THERE WERE GREAT THOUGHTS OF HEART._ He was sent on foot into the valley. The verb being in Pual, the sense is, 'he' (i:e., Barak) 'sent himself,' i:e., ru... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHY ABODEST THOU AMONG THE SHEEPFOLDS, TO HEAR THE BLEATINGS OF THE FLOCKS? FOR THE DIVISIONS OF REUBEN THERE WERE GREAT SEARCHINGS OF HEART._ Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds? х_ HAMISHPªTAYIM_ (H4942), folds, enclosures for sheep, open above, often made of hurdles, in which, during the summ... [ Continue Reading ]
_GILEAD ABODE BEYOND JORDAN: AND WHY DID DAN REMAIN IN SHIPS? ASHER CONTINUED ON THE SEA SHORE, AND ABODE IN HIS BREACHES._ Gilead abode beyond Jordan - i:e., both Gad and the eastern half of Manasseh chose to dwell at ease in their Havoth-jair, or villages of tents, while Dan and Asher, both marit... [ Continue Reading ]
_ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI WERE A PEOPLE THAT JEOPARDED THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH IN THE HIGH PLACES OF THE_ _ FIELD._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE KINGS CAME AND FOUGHT, THEN FOUGHT THE KINGS OF CANAAN IN TAANACH BY THE WATERS OF MEGIDDO; THEY TOOK NO GAIN OF MONEY._ The kings came and fought. This describes the scene of battle, and the issue. It would seem (Judges 5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaanite princes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY FOUGHT FROM HEAVEN; THE STARS IN THEIR COURSES FOUGHT AGAINST SISERA._ The stars in their courses fought - a fearful tempest burst upon them, and threw them into disorder. The stars that betokened the time of rain are here connected with the sudden swelling and overflow of the river (cf. Judg... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RIVER OF KISHON SWEPT THEM AWAY, THAT ANCIENT RIVER, THE RIVER KISHON. O MY SOUL, THOU HAST TRODDEN DOWN STRENGTH._ The river of Kishon swept them away. The enemy was defeated near "the waters of Megiddo," the sources and side streams of the Kishon: they that fled had to cross the deep and mar... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN WERE THE HORSEHOOFS BROKEN BY THE MEANS OF THE PRANSINGS, THE PRANSINGS OF THEIR MIGHTY ONES._ Horse-hoofs. Anciently, as in many parts of the East still, horses were not shod. The breaking of the hoofs denotes the hot haste and heavy irregular tramp of the routed foe.... [ Continue Reading ]
_CURSE YE MEROZ, SAID THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, CURSE YE BITTERLY THE INHABITANTS THEREOF; BECAUSE THEY CAME NOT TO THE HELP OF THE LORD, TO THE HELP OF THE LORD AGAINST THE MIGHTY._ Curse ye Meroz - a village on the confines of Issachar and Naphtali, which lay in the course of the fugitives; but the... [ Continue Reading ]
_BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN SHALL JAEL THE WIFE OF HEBER THE KENITE BE, BLESSED SHALL SHE BE ABOVE WOMEN IN THE TENT._ Blessed above women shall Jael ... be. A high eulogy is pronounced on her devoted loyalty to Israel, and the important service she rendered by her deed of extraordinary daring. In these v... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE ASKED WATER, AND SHE GAVE HIM MILK; SHE BROUGHT FORTH BUTTER IN A LORDLY DISH._ BUTTER, х_ CHEM'AAH_ (H2529), curdled milk; Septuagint, bouturon: a favourite beverage in the East]. Josephus calls it sour milk, which, diluted with water, is called "leban", and is common, for a refreshing, beverag... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHE PUT HER HAND TO THE NAIL, AND HER RIGHT HAND TO THE WORKMEN'S HAMMER; AND WITH THE HAMMER SHE SMOTE SISERA, SHE SMOTE OFF HIS HEAD, WHEN SHE HAD PIERCED AND STRICKEN THROUGH HIS TEMPLES._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MOTHER OF SISERA LOOKED OUT AT A WINDOW, AND CRIED THROUGH THE LATTICE, WHY IS HIS CHARIOT SO LONG IN COMING? WHY TARRY THE WHEELS OF HIS CHARIOTS?_ In these verses a sudden transition is made to the mother of the Canaanite general, and a striking picture is drawn of a mind agitated between ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO LET ALL THINE ENEMIES PERISH, O LORD: BUT LET THEM THAT LOVE HIM BE AS THE SUN WHEN HE GOETH FORTH IN HIS MIGHT. AND THE LAND HAD REST FORTY YEARS._ So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord ... The ode concludes with a wish in unison with the pious and patriotic character of the prophetess. The... [ Continue Reading ]