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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Judges 5:23

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.

Curse ye bitterly] ארו ארור oru aror, curse with cursing - use the most awful execrations.

Said the angel of the LORD] That is, Barak, who was Jehovah's angel or messenger in this war; the person sent by God to deliver his people.

To the help of the LORD] That is, to the help of the people of the Lord.

Against the mighty.] בגבורים baggibborim, "with the heroes;" that is, Barak and his men, together with Zebulun and Naphtali: these were the mighty men, or heroes, with whom the inhabitants of Meroz would not join.

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See also Judges 5:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The inhabitants of Meroz (a village 12 miles from Samaria) hung back, and gave no help in the day of battle, although it was Yahweh who called them. Hence, the curse pronounced by the Angel of the Lor...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 5 The Song of Deborah and Barak _ 1. The praise of Jehovah (Judges 5:1)_ 2. The condition of the people and their deliverance (Judges 5:6) 3. The celebration of the victory and the victors...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Curse ye Meroz_ Probably this village lay on the route of Sisera's flight, and the inhabitants, though they were Israelites, made no effort to help their kinsmen in following up the victory. Similarl...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    CURSE YE MEROZ, SAID THE ANGEL OF THE LORD— It is plain from the corresponding clause, that Meroz was a city, the _inhabitants whereof_ refused to assist in this war, and therefore are thus solemnly d...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Song of Deborah and Barak Judges 5:1-31_ Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 2 Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEBORAH'S TRIUMPH SONG This song celebrates the victory of Judges 4 but from the point of view, not of a later annalist, but of a contemporary poet—very possibly (though see Judges 5:12) the prophetes...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    MEROZ] an unknown place. The mention of Jael immediately after suggests that the villagers of Meroz might have done what Jael did with such success. 24-27. The Death of Sisera....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 5 V1 On that day Deborah and Barak, Abinoam’s son, sang this song. V2 ‘Praise the *Lord because the leaders of *Israel led. The people were glad to...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    CURSE YE MEROZ. — The guilt of Meroz was worse than that of the tribes which held aloof, because, whatever may have been its exact site, it was evidently in the very heart of the country which had bee...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אֹ֣ורוּ מֵרֹ֗וז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה אֹ֥רוּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    DEBORAH'S SONG: A DIVINE VISION Judges 5:1 THE song of Deborah and Barak is twofold, the first portion, ending with the eleventh verse, a chant of rising hope and pious encouragement during the time...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE STARS IN THEIR COURSES Judges 5:12 This noble psalm contains memorable sentences. The “captivity” phrase in Judges 5:12 is quoted in Psalms 68:18 and...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have preserved for us the great song of Deborah, composed and sung in celebration of the victory. It is full of fire and passion and is a remarkable index to the character of the woman herself...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Curse ye (r) 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. (r) It was a city...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER V. Meroz. Where this land of Meroz was, which is here laid under a curse, we cannot find: nor is there mention of it any where else in holy writ. In the spiritual sense, they are cursed who r...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If the Reader, after reading all these verses as they stand in their proper places, will attend to the several things contained in them, he wilt find that Deborah takes a view of the whole army both f...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The book of Joshua has shown the power of Jehovah in the conquests of His people, and this too distinguished from the measure of their practical taking possession of what was conquered. For as these a...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _NO NEUTRALITY_ ‘They came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.’ Judges 5:23 We have once more acknowledged in our service to-day our belief in ‘God the Father _...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 3, 4, AND 5. God, knowing what the people were, and what was their condition, had left within the borders of their land that which put obedience to the proof-...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    CURSE YE MEROZ, SAID THE ANGEL OF THE LORD,.... Not Barak, as the Targum and Jarchi, but Deborah herself said this under a spirit of prophecy, not from her own spirit in a revengeful way, but from the...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 23. _Curse ye Me...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Curse ye Meroz_ A place then, no doubt, eminent and considerable, though now there be no remembrance of it left, which possibly might be the effect of this bitter curse; as God cursed Amalek in this...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    2 The Song of Deborah and Barak. 1 THEN sang Deborah, and Barak the son of Abinoam, on that day, saying, 2 Praise ye the LORD, for the auenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselue...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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. When they could have...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DEFEAT AND DEATH OF SISERA...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SONG OF DEBORAH AND BARAK (vv.1-31) To celebrate God's great victory over Canaan, Deborah and Barak sang a remarkable song. Since Deborah's name is mentioned first, it seems likely that she comp...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-23 Deborah called on her own soul to be in earnest. He that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. Praising God is a work we should awake to...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    MEROZ; a place then, no doubt, eminent and considerable, though now there be no remembrance of it left, which possibly might be the effect of this bitter curse; as God curseth Amalek in this manner, t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Judges 5:23 Curse H779 (H8798) Meroz H4789 said H559 (H8804) angel H4397 LORD H3068 Curse H779 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CURSED AND THE BLESSED (JUDGES 5:23). Judges 5:23 “Curse you Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh, Curse you bitterly (literally ‘curse cursing') its inhabitants, Because they came not to the help...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Judges 5:23 I. Many persons would say that this curse was merely a splenetic utterance of an angry woman against a town. And yet that curse was carried out completely. If then in wrath God doomed a c...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Song of Deborah and Barak. CHARACTERS: God, Deborah, Barak, Jael, Sisera, Shamgar. CONCLUSION: When we have received mercy from God, we should be speedy in our returns of praise while the...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Judges 5:4. _When thou wentest out of Seir._ God came from Teman, in Seir; he covered the heavens with his glory, and the earth was full of his praise. Zechariah 3:3. In like manner he now arose to sa...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Curse ye Meroz _. .. _ because they came not to the help of the Lord._ THE DOOM OF MEROZ I. The sin of the men of meroz is described in very remarkable terms, although we have grown so familiar with...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 5:1 The victory song of Deborah and Barak praises God for his triumph over the Canaanites on Israel’s behalf (compare the Song of Solomon 1:1 of Moses and Miriam in...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JUDGES—NOTE ON JUDGES 5:19 The imagery suggests that the forces of nature fought on God’s side (and the Canaanite deities, who supposedly ruled over nature, were powerless to help against the true God...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CHAPTER 5—_Judges 5:23_ THE MISERABLE END OF THE WICKED CRITICAL NOTES.— JUDGES 5:23. CURSE YE MEROZ, etc.] (See above p. 285.) No fellow creature may presume to pronounce a curse on another, at thei...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JUDGES 5:1 THEN SANG DEBORAH, etc. The ode which follows was doubtless the composition of Deborah the prophetess, and was sung by her (as the gender of the Hebrew verb indicates), assisted...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And then sang Deborah and Barak the song of Abinoam on that day, saying [or Barak the son of Abinoam] (Judges 5:1) So this is the song of Deborah and Barak, [Hallelujah,] Praise ye the LORD for the a...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 16:22; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 1 Samuel 17:47; 1 Samuel 18:17;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Meroz — A place then, no doubt, eminent and considerable, tho' now there be no remembrance of it left, which possibly might be the effect of this bitter curse; as God curseth Amalek in this manner, th...

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