JUDGES 5
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1. (1-2) T
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b. W
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: It is good for us to remember that God s
goodness to us didn t just start today. He has been good to us for a long, long, time.
THE SONG OF DEBORAH
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:
,
LORD!
i. Seir and Edom are the same place; and these two expressions note the same thing, even
God s marching in the head of his people from Seir or Edom towards the land of Canaan.
(Poole)
eade .
a. T
D
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Ba a
A
a
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a a : This song is commonly
attributed only to Deborah; Barak s role in the composition and perhaps performance of the song
is often overlooked.
i. This song is well within the tradition of other Jewish songs of deliverance and celebration,
such as Miriam s song (Exodus 15:20-21) and the songs celebrating David s victory over
Goliath (1 Samuel 18:7). Deborah was a poetess as well as a prophetess. (Trapp)
3. (6-8) D
i. We can think of the relation between leader and people as that of the conductor and the
orchestra. The conductor must lead, and the orchestra must be ready and willing to follow
the conductor s leadership. When the conductor does his job and the orchestra does their
job, then beautiful music is made.
2. (3-5) R
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: This wasn t necessarily pride on Deborah s part. She understood
that God works through willing individuals, and she was the willing one in this crisis.
4. (9) R
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.
.
LORD!
a. M
a
I a : Deborah didn t only care for her job of leadership.
She also had a
a for other leaders and their work. Her vision was bigger than just getting
her job done. She wanted to see the Kingdom of God advanced.
a .
b. W
: In Judges 5:2 Deborah spoke of the
people offering themselves willingly. Here she notes that the sacrifices should also be borne by
the leaders. They also must offer
.
I a .
E
a
ii. By spiritual analogy, we can say that Satan doesn t only want to oppress the Christian; he
also wants to disarm the believer. He wants the believer to lay down the full armor of God
that belongs to you in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:12-18).
!
S
.
i. 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. (Clarke)
b. W
a
a : Leadership is important in any endeavor and especially in the work of
God. God expects leaders among His people to actually a , showing there is a genuine need
for leaders and their leadership.
: Leaders are nothing without followers, and
to their leaders.
.
a. V a
a
,
a
I a : Not only was life hard under Israel s oppressors,
but they also confiscated all weapons, so the Israelites could not fight (N a
a
a
a
a
I a ).
iii. When he had been most slandered
when the Pope had launched out a new bull, and
when the kings of the earth had threatened him fiercely
Luther would gather together his
friends, and say, Come let us sing a psalm and spite the devil. He would ever sing the most
psalms when the world roared the most. (Spurgeon)
to
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ii. Deborah sang concerning the overthrow of Israel s enemies, and the deliverance
vouchsafed to the tribes: we have a far richer theme for music; we have been delivered from
worse enemies, and saved by a greater salvation. Let our gratitude be deeper; let our song
be more jubilant. (Spurgeon)
c. W
it is the job of
b
,
LORD,
I a .
a. LORD,
Y
S : God won the victory for Israel over Sisera by
sending a great rain (
a
). In this song Deborah recalled a time when God did
the same thing on behalf of Israel in the days of the Exodus (Deuteronomy 33:2).
B. The ic
e e be ed.
1. (10-12) A a
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Deborah and Barak to tell the
a
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LORD,
a
.
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: The song asked the civic leaders along with
I a the great things God did.
a
i. We should never hide our light under a bushel (Matthew 5:15-16) but tell others of the
great things God has done and is doing. Many need to wake up and sing a song of praise to
the LORD.
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a. T
a
: The battle was fought
that God sent rain that made the Canaanite chariots of no use (
a a ).
b. F H
a
I a : The common people needed to hear of God s great works, and it
was the job of leaders to tell them.
2. (13-18) T
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4. (24-27) P a
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i. All these are worthily shamed and shented, though they were not without some sorry
pleas and pretences. The labouring Church must be some way helped, if be but by our
prayers. (Trapp)
T
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b. A
a : Deborah wanted to increase Sisera s shame by pointing out that it was
a woman who ended his life.
i. Finally the song rejoiced over the death of the tyrant in language that thrills with Eastern
imagery and color. (Morgan)
b. W
a
: Not every tribe was helpful. Reuben, East
Manasseh, Dan, and Asher did not join in the battle.
ba
in the sense
a. M
a
Ja : What Jael did would be condemned by many in the
days of the Judges. The responsibility to protect and bless a guest was an almost absolute
command, and Jael killed a guest. Yet she was
here because her obedience to the
cause of God was greater than her obedience to tradition and custom.
a. T
LORD a
a a
: As she remembered God s help,
Deborah knew that His help came from the tribes of Israel, stirred to join in the battle. Deborah
praised the tribes that helped, notably Ephraim, West Manasseh, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar,
and Naphtali.
3. (19-23) T
K
b. C
M
, a
a
LORD: Apparently the city of Mero was of no help.
God still accomplished His work, but the city of Mero was cursed because they had no part in it.
.
;
.
A a
,
a
a
a
.
ii. Here is a lively representation of the thing done. At the first blow or wound he was
awakened, and made some attempt to rise; but being astonished and very weak, she also
following her first blow with others, he found himself impotent, and fell down dead. (Poole)
5. (28-30) R
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a. T
S
a
: Every death has consequences and
Deborah thought of and celebrated the consequences of Sisera s death.
b. T
a a
: Cundall on the ancient Hebrew word translated
:
Elsewhere in the Old Testament it means womb , and in the Moabite Stone it has the meaning
girl-slaves. The nearest English equivalent is wench, and it is clear that these unfortunate
captives would be used to gratify the lusts of their captors.
i. The Hebrew word signifieth, vulvam vel uterum; so they call the Israelitish damsels by
way of contempt. (Trapp)
6. (31) F a
T
B
W
a
a Y
S
a
a
G
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a
-
.
, O LORD!
.
a .
a. T
a Y
: To love God is to hate His enemies. A man or woman is
defined as much by who their enemies are as by who their friends are.
b. L
H
H
than to be one of God s
2018 David Gu ik
!
: How much better it is to be one of
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