Deborah & Barak's Song (Judges 5)

What does the victory song of Deborah and Barak teach us about God? What is the last enemy to be destroyed? Are we like Meroz? Let’s look at Judges 5.

Did men give themselves willingly, letting the hair grow untrimmed until victory was won? Did God give the victory?

Later that day, Deborah and Abinoam’s son Barak celebrated by singing this song: “When hair grows long in Israel, when the people give themselves willingly, bless the Lord! Listen, you kings! Turn your ears to me, you rulers! As for me, to the Lord I will sing! I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. Lord, when you left Seir, when you marched out from the grain field of Edom, the earth quaked and the heavens poured out rain; indeed, the clouds poured out water. Mountains tremble at the presence of the Lord — even Sinai! — at the presence of the Lord God of Israel. (Judges 5:1-5 ISV)

Who came after Shamgar, a previous hero, and Jael, the woman who killed Sisera? Were there times when people avoided the main roads and sneaked around by back roads?

In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. (Judges 5:6-7 KJV)

Did God choose new leaders? Do even poor peasants celebrate God’s righteous deeds?

God chose new leaders; Then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen Among forty thousand in Israel. My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel, The volunteers among the people; Bless Yahweh! You who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who travel on the road—muse aloud! At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places, There they shall commemorate the righteous deeds of Yahweh, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel. Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates. (Judges 5:8-11 LSB)

Did people from many tribes of Israel support Deborah and Barak?

Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, son of Abinoam. Then survivors came down to the nobles; The people of the Lord came down to me as warriors. From Ephraim those whose root is in Amalek came down, Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples; From Machir commanders came down, And from Zebulun those who wield the staff of office. And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed at his heels; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great determinations of heart. (Judges 5:12-15 NASB)

Did some tribes of Israel stay home and avoid the battle?

Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves. The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields. (Judges 5:16-18 NIV)

What was the sin of the city of Meroz? Was it a failure to help fellow tribes under attack? Are we like Meroz?

The kings came and fought, Then the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; They took no spoils of silver. They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength! Then the horses’ hooves pounded, The galloping, galloping of his steeds. ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty.’ (Judges 5:19-23 NKJV)

What did they sing about Jael, and her slaying of the Canaanite general Sisera?

Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt. Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died. (Judges 5:24-27 NLT)

What did they sing about Sisera’s mother waiting for her son to return home?

Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself, ‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’ (Judges 5:28-30 WEB)