Judges 5:17

_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 maritime tribes, continued with their ships and in their 'breaches' (havens, creeks), prosecuting their trade of fishery. The mention of these craven tribes is concluded (Judges 5:18) with a fresh burst of commendation on Zebulun and Naphtali, which two tribes bore the chief burden, and drew the highest glory of the day....

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, and awake ourselves unto. She notices who fought against Israel, who fought for them, and who kept away. Who fought against them. They were obstinate enemies to God's people, therefore the more dangerous. Who fought for them. The several tribes that helped are here spoken of with honour; for though God is above all to be glorified, those who are employed must have their due praise, to encourage others. But the whole creation is at war with those to whom God is an enemy. The river of Kishon fought against their enemies. At most times it was shallow, yet now, probably by the great rain that fell, it was so swelled, and the stream so deep and strong, that those who attempted to pass, were dro...

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 trusted in their ships. Joppa was one of their sea-ports. _ASHER CONTINUED ON THE SEASHORE_] The lot of Asher extended along the Mediterranean Sea; and being contiguous to Zebulun and Naphtali, they might have easily succoured their brethren; but they had the pretence that their posts were unguarded, and they abode in their _breaches_, in order to defend them....

The land of Gilead, on the east of Jordan, was divided between Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, who are both comprehended here. Joppa was in the territory of Dan Joshua 19:46, and was in later times the sea-port for Jerusalem. HIS BREACHES - Rather havens; i. e. the creeks and bays and river-months by which their coast was broken. Joshua 19:29....

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 by Barak, who perhaps sang the antistrophe (cf. Exodus 15:1, Exodus 15:21). It is a song of wonderful beauty and lyric power, somewhat difficult, as all Hebrew poetry is. JUDGES 5:2 Her first feeling was one of patriotic joy that her countrymen had been roused to the venture of war, and of gratitude to God that it was so. "For the bold leading of the leaders of Israel, for the

GILEAD ABODE BEYOND JORDAN,.... A country which lay on the other side Jordan, and was given by Moses, half of it to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the other half to the half tribe of Manasseh, Deuteronomy 3:12 and being here distinguished from Reuben, it seems that not only that tribe, but also the tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, on that side Jordan, came not to the help of Israel; but abode where they were, attending their flocks and herds, and preferring their own private profit to the public good; yet as Gilead was given to Machir, Deuteronomy 3:15 and some are said to come out from thence to serve in this expedition, Judges 5:14 some read the words, as Kimchi observes, with an interrogation, "d

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 (Judges 5:12) 4. The fate of the enemy (Judges 5:23) This is one of the prophetic songs of the Bible. It is full of the fire of passion and enthusiasm, reflecting the character of the woman through whom the deliverance had been wrought. It has been classed with the barbaric outbursts of the battle-hymns and odes of triumph of heathen nations, likened to some wild chant of a victor, whose blood-thirst has been que

GLORY AND SHAME. Deborah and Barak are apostrophised. She is called to awake and utter a battle-song, such as will arouse a slumbering people like the sound of a trumpet; a _Men of Harlech_ or a _Marseillaise_, that summons heroes to victory or death; not a song _after_ battle, like the pæ an we are interpreting. Judges 5:13. Read, Then came down Israel like noble ones, the people of Yahweh came down for Him like heroes. Judges 5:14. The response to the martial call is varied. Some of the tribes, leaping to arms, achieve deathless honour; others, lagging at home, are covered with eternal shame and contempt. Phrase after phrase seizes the reader's memory. How striking is the contrast between shirkers and heroes Reuben sitting among the sheep-folds, listening to the calling

BREACHES. creeks or bays....

AND THE PRINCES OF ISSACHAR— Mr. Green, transposing the concluding word of the last verse_, seper,_ to the beginning of this, reads, _The princes of Issachar were numbered with Deborah and Barak, when Barak was sent on foot into the valley._ See ch. Judges 4:10. After having commended those who gloriously engaged in this war, Deborah proceeds to express her disapprobation of those who withheld themselves from it. She in a beautiful manner apostrophises the Reubenites, (Judges 5:16.) whose unhappy _divisions_ prevented them from joining with their brethren in the common cause, and, as she finely repeats, occasioned _great searchings of heart. Gilead, i.e._ the _Gadites,_ Joshua 5:17 abode inactive beyond Jordan