CHAPTER V _The triumphant song of Deborah and Barak, after the defeat of_ _Sisera, captain of the armies of Jabin, king of Canaan_. NOTES ON CHAP. V Verse Judges 5:1. _THEN SANG DEBORAH, AND BARAK_] There are many difficulties in this very sublime song; and learned men have toiled much to remove... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:2. _FOR THE AVENGING OF ISRAEL_] See the notes, c., at the end of the chapter. _Clarke "_Judges 5:28_"_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:4. _WHEN THOU WENTEST OUT OF SEIR_] Here is an allusion to the giving of the law, and the manifestation of God's power and glory at that time; and as this was the most signal display of his majesty and mercy in behalf of their forefathers, Deborah very properly begins her song with a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:6. _THE HIGHWAYS WERE UNOCCUPIED_] The land was full of anarchy and confusion, being everywhere infested with banditti. No public road was safe; and in going from place to place, the people were obliged to use unfrequented paths.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:7. _THE VILLAGES CEASED_] The people were obliged to live together in fortified places; or in great numbers, to protect each other against the incursions of bands of spoilers.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:8. _THEY CHOSE NEW GODS_] This was the cause of all their calamities; _they forsook Jehovah, and served other gods; and then_ _was war in their gates_-they were hemmed up in every place, and besieged in all their fortified cities; and they were defenseless, they had no means of resist... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:10. _YE THAT RIDE ON WHITE ASSES_] Perhaps אתנות צחרות _athonoth tsechoroth_ should be rendered _sleek_ or _well-fed asses_; rendered _asinos nitentes, shining asses_, by the _Vulgate_. _YE THAT SIT IN JUDGMENT_] ישבי על מדין _yoshebey al middin_; some have rendered this, _ye who dwe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:11. _IN THE PLACES OF DRAWING WATER_] As wells were very scarce in every part of the East, and travellers in such _hot_ countries must have water, robbers and banditti generally took their stations near tanks, pools, and springs, in order that they might suddenly fall upon those who... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:12. _LEAD THY CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE_] Make those captives who have formerly captivated us.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:13. _MAKE HIM THAT REMAINETH_] This appears to be spoken of _Barak_, who is represented as being only a _remnant_ of the people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:14. _OUT OF EPHRAIM - A ROOT OF THEM_] Deborah probably means that out of _Ephraim_ and _Benjamin_ came eminent warriors. _Joshua_, who was of the tribe of _Ephraim_, routed the _Amalekites_ a short time after the Israelites came out of Egypt, Exodus 17:10. _Ehud_, who was of the tri... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:15. _THE PRINCES OF ISSACHAR_] They were at hand and came willingly forth, at the call of Deborah, to this important war. _BARAK - WAS SENT ON FOOT_] I have no doubt that ברגלין, without regarding the _points_, should be translated _with his footmen or_ _infantry_. Thus the Alexandri... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:17. _GILEAD ABODE BEYOND JORDAN_] That is, the _Gadites_, who had their lot in those parts, and could not well come to the aid of their brethren at a short summons. But the words of Deborah imply a criminal neglect on the part of the Danites; they were intent upon their traffic, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:18. _ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI - JEOPARDED THEIR LIVES_] The original is very emphatic, חרף נפשו למות _chereph naphsho lamuth,_ _they desolated their lives to death _- they were determined to conquer or die, and therefore plunged into the thickest of the battle. The word _jeoparded_ is a s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:19. _THE KINGS CAME_ AND _FOUGHT_] It is conjectured that Jabin and his confederates had invaded _Manasseh_, as both Taanach and Megiddo were in that tribe: and that they were discomfited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali at Taanach and Megiddo; while Barak defeated Sisera at Moun... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:20. _THEY FOUGHT FROM HEAVEN_] The angels of God came to the assistance of Israel: and the _stars in their orbits fought against_ _Sisera_; probably some thunder storm, or great inundation from the river Kishon, took place at that time, which in poetic language was attributed to the _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:21. _THE RIVER OF KISHON SWEPT THEM AWAY_] This gives plausibility to the above conjecture, that there was a storm at this time which produced an inundation in the river Kishon, which the routed Canaanites attempting to ford were swept away.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:22. _THEN WERE THE HORSEHOOFS BROKEN_] In very ancient times horses were not shod; nor are they to the present day in several parts of the East. Sisera had _iron chariots_ when his hosts were routed; the horses that drew these, being strongly urged on by those who drove them, had thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:23. _CURSE YE MEROZ_] Where Meroz was is not known; some suppose it was the same as _Merom_, nigh to _Dotham_. The _Syriac_ and _Arabic_ have _Merod_; but where this was is equally uncertain. It was certainly some city or district, the inhabitants of which would not assist in this war... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:24. _BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN SHALL JAEL - BE_] She shall be highly celebrated as a most heroic woman; all the Israelitish women shall glory in her. I do not understand these words as expressive of the Divine approbation towards Jael. See the observations at the end of Judges 4:24. The wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:25. _SHE BROUGHT FORTH BUTTER_] As the word חמאה _chemah_, here translated _butter_, signifies _disturbed, agitated_, c., it is probable that _buttermilk_ is intended. The Arabs form their buttermilk by agitating the milk in a leathery bag, and the buttermilk is highly esteemed becau... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:26. _SHE SMOTE OFF HIS HEAD_] The original does not warrant this translation; nor is it supported by fact. _She smote his head_, and transfixed him through the temples. It was his _head_ that received the death wound, and the _place_ where this wound was inflicted was the _temples_. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:27. _AT HER FEET HE BOWED_] בין רגליה _bein ragleyha_, "between her feet." After having stunned him she probably sat down, for the greater convenience of driving the nail through his temples. _HE BOWED - HE FELL_] He probably made some _struggles_ after he received the blow on the he... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Judges 5:28. _CRIED THROUGH THE LATTICE_] This is very natural: in the women's apartments in the East the windows are _latticed_, to prevent them from sending or receiving letters, c. The latticing is the effect of the jealousy which universally prevails in those countries. _WHY IS HIS CHARIO... [ Continue Reading ]