JUDGES LESSON 5
We will begin this lesson in Judges 5:1 "Then sang Deborah and
Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,"
Many scholars believe that Deborah penned this 5th chapter of
Judges. We do know that she composed the song. Perhaps, she sang it,
and someone else penned it. We really should not be concerned with the
penman, regardless of who it was, because God is the author of the
Bible. This song is because of the victory over Jabin, Sisera, and all
their people. Barak enters in the singing, because he was the leader
of the troops.
Judges 5:2 "Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when
the people willingly offered themselves."
Notice, her first praise is to the LORD. It was the LORD, who
avenged Israel in this battle. The battle was won, even before the
troops took the field. God had given them into their hands. The second
praise goes to the people, who still had enough faith in the LORD to
go to battle. They were not forced to go, they went willingly.
Judges 5:3 "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."
Deborah calls the kings and princes to hear her song of praise to
the LORD. Her praise is to the LORD God of Israel. Deborah is totally
aware of who actually won the war.
Judges 5:4 "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." Judges 5:5 "The
mountains melted from before the LORD, [even] that Sinai from before
the LORD God of Israel."
Deborah is praising the LORD for bringing Israel out of Egypt.
She reminds them that the presence of the LORD on Mount Sinai made it
appear to be on fire. When God spoke to them from the mountain, the
whole mountain quaked. The mountains, the skies, the rain, in fact,
all of nature is at God's command.
Judges 5:6 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days
of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked
through byways."
This is speaking of Shamgar, the judge, who killed 600
Philistines with the ox goad. There were terrible times in the land,
before Deborah became judge. The children of Israel were greatly
oppressed. There was danger on the roads.
Judges 5:7 "[The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased
in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in
Israel."
This is saying, there was no one who came forth to lead the
people against their oppressors, until God gave the message to Deborah
to call Barak to battle. She was a mother to them, in that she judged
them.
Judges 5:8 "They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was
there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?"
Israel had sinned greatly in turning from the One True God to the
false gods of Canaan. It was chastisement from God that brought the
enemy against them. They made no resistance, because they knew it was
from God.
Judges 5:9 "My heart [is] toward the governors of Israel, that
offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD."
This is speaking of those who came forth willingly to fight with
Barak against Sisera. This is blessing the LORD and the people who
fought.
Judges 5:10 "Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in
judgment, and walk by the way."
The nobles rode on white asses, so this is to them.
Judges 5:11 "[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."
This is saying, they can now draw water from the well without
worrying about getting shot with an arrow. They need to remember, and
praise God. It is good to reflect on the miracles that God has done.
It encourages faith to believe for new miracles. God is with his
people, if they will just stay faithful to him.
Judges 5:12 "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song:
arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam."
Deborah is remembering the wake-up call from God to her, here.
God gave her the charge for herself, and for Barak. She must sing
praises of the outcome. She encourages Barak to stop sitting, and come
and fight for the LORD. She told him of the victory God had promised.
Judges 5:13 "Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over
the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the
mighty."
This mighty army of Jabin is defeated, and those left are ruled
by Barak. Deborah, herself was judge of all Israel, and that included
their captives.
Judges 5:14 "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."
Machir was a son of Manasseh. We see that Ephraim, Manasseh,
Benjamin, and those of Zebulun came forth.
Judges 5:15 "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."
We remember, the enemy had 900 chariots of iron, and the men of
Israel were on foot. This battle took place on the land of Reuben.
Judges 5:16 "Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the
bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben [there were]
great searchings of heart."
It seemed, the Reubenites had their flocks grazing here. They did
not know whether to join their brother Israelites, or to remain
tending the sheep. God had not really called them to this battle.
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."
This is just telling where the other tribes were, and what they
were doing. They had not sinned, because God had not called them to
this battle. The tribe of Dan had the inheritance which included the
famous harbor of Joppa. The breaches were speaking of the bays where
the ships for fishing were kept away from the sea.
Judges 5:18 "Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that]
jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field."
The ten thousand fighting men had come from Naphtali and Zebulun.
They had gone to battle, not thinking that they might die for the
cause. Had they lost, they would have all died.
Judges 5:19 "The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings
of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of
money."
The fact that they took no gain of money is, perhaps, because
these Canaanites died in this battle. It, perhaps, was mentioned,
because that was what they went to war for. They plundered every area
where they fought. This battle was near Megiddo. The tribes of
Naphtali and Zebulun went to battle, because God had instructed them
to.
Judges 5:20 "They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses
fought against Sisera."
God sent a storm that fought against Sisera and his men. This
could be the discomfiture spoken of in a previous verse. All of nature
was against Sisera.
Judges 5:21 "The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient
river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength."
From the fact that the river rose and drowned them, we can assume
there was a torrential storm. God was fighting for the children of
Israel.
Judges 5:22 "Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the
prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones."
The storm frightened the horses so badly, that they broke their
hoofs prancing up and down. With 900 chariots in this small area, it
would have been difficult for them to move very far.
Judges 5:23 "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."
The word "Meroz" means refuge. There is very little known of this
place which proves that God, indeed, did curse them. Those who are not
for the LORD, are against Him. They did not help the LORD in the
battle against the extremely large enemy of the Canaanites lead by
Sisera.
Judges 5:24 "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the
Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent."
The fame of the battle went to her. She was the opposite of Meroz
in verse 23. She took a stand on the side of the LORD. God blesses
Jael for her bravery and loyalty to God.
Judges 5:25 "He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she
brought forth butter in a lordly dish."
She gave him the milk to make him sleepy. She had served him in
her very best dishes pretending to respect him.
Judges 5:26 "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."
In the 4th chapter, it tells of her driving a spike through his
temples and penning him to the floor. Perhaps, the statement about she
smote of his head is not speaking explicitly, but speaking of the fact
that the deadly wound was to his head.
Judges 5:27 "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."
The spike through his temples was fatal. He was at her feet,
dead.
Judges 5:28 "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?"
The mother of Sisera was not used to him losing in battle. She
was looking for the return of her boy, but he is dead in Jael's tent.
Judges 5:29 "Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned
answer to herself,"
This is speaking of the women around her not being able to answer
why he has not returned, so she answers herself.
Judges 5:30 "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?"
His mother is imagining that he has won the battle, and has taken
a damsel or two captive. He is delayed, because they are dividing the
prey. The mother would never believe what happened to her son. When
they win a battle, they take all the animals and all the goods the
defeated owned.
Judges 5:31 "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."
This began with praise to the LORD, and ends the very same way.
The battle is won, there is peace and rest for forty years.
The battle of good and evil rages on for all ages. Jesus won the
victory for all believers at calvary. He defeated sin and Satan at the
cross. He defeated death, when He rose from the grave. He has made
life everlasting available to all who will have faith enough to
receive it.
Judges 5 Questions
1. Who sang the victory song?
2. Many scholars believe that ___________ penned the 5th chapter of
Judges.
3. Who composed this song?
4. Why is it not important who penned it?
5. Quote Judges chapter 5 verse 2.
6. Who does she praise first?
7. Why were the people, who went to battle, praised?
8. Who does Deborah call to hear her song?
9. In verse 4, Deborah is praising God for bringing Israel out of
__________.
10. What did the presence of God appear like on Mount Sinai?
11. When did the mountain tremble?
12. The mountains, the skies, the rain, in fact, all of nature is at
__________ command.
13. Who was Shamgar?
14. What was the condition of the Israelites, before Deborah began to
judge?
15. What did Deborah call herself in verse 7?
16. What was Israel's sin?
17. What brought their enemies against Israel?
18. Who is verse 9 speaking of?
19. Who rode on white asses?
20. What could they do, now, that Deborah is judge, that they could
not do before {at the well}?
21. What good does remembering past miracles of God do?
22. In verse 12, what is Deborah remembering?
23. What had Deborah told Barak would happen, if he fought this battle
for God?
24. The mighty army of ________ is defeated.
25. Machir was the son of ____________.
26. Who fought with Deborah and Barak against Sisera?
27. The battle was fought near ___________.
28. What is verse 20 speaking of?
29. The river of ___________ swept them away.
30. What happened to the horses in the storm?
31. Why was Meroz cursed?
32. What woman was blessed for helping the LORD against Sisera?
33. Why did she give him milk, instead of water?
34. How did she kill Sisera?
35. Who looked out the window for her son's return?
36. Why did the mother think him to be delayed?
37. Quote Judges chapter 5 verse 31.
38. The battle of ________ and _______ rages for all ages.
39. When did Jesus defeat Satan and sin?
40. When did He defeat death?
Home