This chapter contains the triumphal song which was
composed and sung upon occasion of that glorious victory which
Israel obtained over the forces of Jabin king of Canaan and the
happy consequences of that victory. Probably it was usual then to
publish poems upon such occasions, as now; but this only is
preserved of all the poems of that age of the judges, because
dictated by Deborah a prophetess, designed for a psalm of praise
then, and a pattern of praise to after-ages, and it gives a great
deal of light to the history of these times. I. It begins with
praise to God,
1 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 themselves. 3 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. 4 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. 5 The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.
The former chapter let us know what great things God had done for Israel; in this we have the thankful returns they made to God, that all ages of the church might learn that work of heaven to praise God.
I. God is praised by a song, which is, 1. A
very natural expression of rejoicing. Is any merry? Let him
sing; and holy joy is the very soul and root of praise and
thanksgiving. God is pleased to reckon himself glorified by our joy
in him, and in his wondrous works. His servants' joy is his
delight, and their songs are melody to him. 2. A very proper
expedient for spreading the knowledge and perpetuating the
remembrance of great events. Neighbours would learn this song one
of another and children of their parents; and by that means those
who had not books, or could not read, yet would be made acquainted
with these works of God; and one generation would thus
praise God's works to another, and declare his mighty
acts,
II. Deborah herself penned this song, as
appears by
III. It was sung on that day, not the very day that the fight was, but on that occasion, and soon after, as soon as a thanksgiving day could conveniently be appointed. When we have received mercy from God, we ought to be speedy in our returns of praise, while the impressions of the mercy are fresh. It is rent to be paid at the day.
1. She begins with a general Hallelujah:
Praise (or bless, for that is the word) you the
Lord,
2. She calls to the great ones of the
world, that sit at the upper end of its table, to attend to her
song, and take notice of the subject of it: Hear, O you kings!
give ear, O you princes! (1.) She would have them know that as
great and as high as they were there was one above them with whom
it is folly to contend, and to whom it was their interest to
submit, that horses and chariots are vain things for safety. (2.)
She would have them to join with her in praising the God of Israel,
and no longer to praise their counterfeit deities, as Belshazzar
did.
3. She looks back upon God's former
appearances, and compares this with them, the more to magnify the
glorious author of this great salvation. What God is doing should
bring to our mind what he has done; for he is the same yesterday,
to-day, and for ever (
6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord. 10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. 11 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.
Here, I. Deborah describes the distressed
state of Israel under the tyranny of Jabin, that the greatness of
their trouble might make their salvation appear the more
illustrious and the more gracious (
II. She shows in one word what it was that
brought all this misery upon them: They chose new gods,
III. She takes notice of God's great
goodness to Israel in raising up such as should redress these
grievances. Herself first (
IV. She calls upon those who had a
particular share in the advantages of this great salvation to offer
up particular thanks to God for it,
12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty. 14 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. 15 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. 16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. 19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones. 23 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.
Here, I. Deborah stirs up herself and Barak
to celebrate this victory in the most solemn manner, to the glory
of God and the honour of Israel, for the encouragement of their
friends and the greater confusion of their enemies,
II. She gives good reason for this praise
and triumph,
III. She makes particular remarks on the several parties concerned in this great action, taking notice who fought against them, who fought for them, and who stood neuter.
1. Who fought against them. The power of
the enemy must be taken notice of, that the victory may appear the
more glorious. Jabin and Sisera had been mentioned in the history,
but here it appears further, (1.) That Amalek was in league with
Jabin, and sent him in assistance, or endeavoured to do it. Ephraim
is here said to act against Amalek (
2. Who fought for them. The several tribes that assisted in this great exploit are here spoken of with honour; for, though God is chiefly to be glorified, instruments must have their due praise, for the encouragement of others: but, after all, it was heaven that turned the scale.
(1.) Ephraim and Benjamin, those tribes
among whom Deborah herself lived, bestirred themselves, and did
bravely, by her influence upon them; for her palm-tree was in the
tribe of Ephraim, and very near to that of Benjamin (
(2.) The ice being broken by Ephraim and
Benjamin, Machir (the half-tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan) and
Zebulun sent in men that were very serviceable to this great
design. When an army is to be raised, especially under such
disadvantages as Barak now experienced from the long disuse of arms
and the dispiritedness of the people, it is of great consequence to
be furnished, [1.] With men of courage for officers, and such the
family of Machir furnished them with, for thence came down
governors. The children of Machir were particularly famous
for their valour in Moses' time (
The scribes of Zebulun and learned men,
To wield the sword, laid down the pen.
(3.) Issachar did good service too; though
he saw that rest was good, and therefore bowed his
shoulder to bear, which is the character of that tribe
(
(4.) Zebulun and Naphtali were the most
bold and active of all the tribes, not only out of a particular
affection to Barak their countryman, but because, they lying
nearest to Jabin, the yoke of oppression lay heavier on their necks
than on those of any other tribe. Better die in honour than live in
bondage; and therefore, in a pious zeal for God and their country,
they jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of
the field,
(5.) The stars from heaven appeared, or
acted at least, on Israel's side (
(6.) The river of Kishon fought against
their enemies. It swept away multitudes of those that hoped to make
their escape through it,
(7.) Deborah's own soul fought against
them; she speaks of it with a holy exultation (
3. In this great engagement she observes who stood neuter, and did not side with Israel as might have been expected. It is strange to find how many, even of those who were called Israelites, basely deserted this glorious cause and declined to appear. No mention is made of Judah nor Simeon among the tribes concerned, because they, lying so very remote from the scene of action, had not an opportunity to appear, and therefore it was not expected from them; but for those that lay near, and yet would not venture, indelible marks of disgrace are here put upon them, as they deserved.
(1.) Reuben basely declined the service,
(2.) Dan and Asher did the same,
(3.) But above all Meroz is condemned, and
a curse pronounced upon the inhabitants of it, Because they came
not to the help of the Lord,
24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 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. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28 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? 29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 31 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.
Deborah here concludes this triumphant song,
I. With the praises of Jael, her
sister-heroine, whose valiant act had completed and crowned the
victory. She had mentioned her before (
1. Sisera found a fatal enemy where he
expected a firm and faithful friend. (1.) Jael showed him the
kindness of a friend, and perhaps at that time intended no other
than kindness, until God, by an immediate impulse upon her mind
(which impulses then were to be regarded, and carried so much of
their own evidence with them that they might be relied upon, but
cannot now be pretended to), directed her to do otherwise,
2. Sisera's mother had the tidings brought
her of her son's fall and ruin when she was big with expectation of
his glorious and triumphant return,
II. She concludes all with a prayer to God,
1. For the destruction of all his foes: "So, so shamefully,
so miserably, let all thy enemies perish, O Lord; let all
that hope to triumph in Israel's ruin be thus disappointed and
triumphed over. Do to them all as unto Sisera,"
The victory here celebrated with this song was of such happy consequence to Israel that for the best part of one age they enjoyed the peace which it opened the way to: The land had rest forty years, that is, so long it was from this victory to the raising up of Gideon. And well would it have been if, when the churches and the tribes had rest, they had been edified, and had walked in the fear of the Lord.