1 On that day Deborah and Barak sang a song. Barak was the son of Abinoam. Here is what Deborah and Barak sang.
2 "The princes in Israel lead the way. The people follow them just because they want to. Praise the Lord!
3 "Kings, hear this! Rulers, listen! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing. I will make music to the Lord. He is the God of Israel.
4 "Lord, you went out from Mount Seir. You marched out from the land of Edom. The earth shook. The heavens poured. The clouds poured down their water.
5 The mountains shook because of the Lord. He was at Mount Sinai. They shook because of the Lord. He is the God of Israel.
6 "The roads were deserted. So travelers used the winding paths. That happened in the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath. It happened in the days of Jael.
7 Life in the villages of Israel stopped. It stopped until I, Deborah, came. I came as a mother in Israel.
8 The people chose new gods. Then war came to the city gates. But no shields or spears were seen anywhere. There weren't any among 40,000 men in Israel.
9 My heart is with the princes in Israel. It's with the people who follow them just because they want to. Praise the Lord!
10 "Some of you ride on white donkeys. Some of you sit on your saddle blankets. Some of you walk along the road. Think about
11 the voices of the singers at the watering places. They sing about the right things the Lord does. They sing about the right things his warriors in Israel do. "The people of the Lord went down to the city gates.
12 'Wake up, Deborah! Wake up!' they said. 'Wake up! Wake up! Begin to sing! Barak, get up! Son of Abinoam, capture your prisoners!'
13 "Then the people who were left came down to the nobles. The people of the Lord came to me against the powerful enemy.
14 Some came from the part of Ephraim where some Amalekites lived. Benjamin was with the people who followed Ephraim. Captains came down from Makir. Those who rule like commanders came down from Zebulun.
15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. The men of Issachar were with Barak. They rushed behind him into the valley. In the territories of Reuben, men looked deeply into their hearts.
16 Why did they stay among the campfires? Why did they stay to hear shepherds whistling for the flocks? In the territories of Reuben, men looked deeply into their hearts.
17 Gilead stayed east of the Jordan River. Why did Dan stay near the ships? The men of Asher remained on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. They stayed in their safe harbors.
18 The people of Zebulun put their very lives in danger. So did Naphtali on the hills in the open country.
19 "Kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the streams of Megiddo. But they didn't carry any silver away. They didn't take anything at all.
20 From the heavens the stars fought. From the sky they fought against Sisera.
21 The Kishon River swept them away. The Kishon is a very old river. My spirit, march on! Be strong!
22 The hoofs of the horses pounded like thunder. The powerful horses of our enemies galloped away.
23 'Let Meroz be cursed,' said the angel of the Lord. 'Let bitter curses fall on its people. They did not come to help the Lord. They did not come to help him against our powerful enemies.'
24 "May Jael be the most blessed woman of all. May the wife of the Kenite Heber be blessed. May she be the most blessed woman of all those who live in tents.
25 Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk. In a bowl that was fit for nobles she brought him buttermilk.
26 Her hand reached out for a tent stake. Her right hand reached for a hammer. She hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She drove the stake right through his head.
27 He sank down. He fell at her feet. He was lying there. At her feet he sank down. He fell. He fell where he sank down. That's where he died.
28 "Sisera's mother looked out through the window. From behind the wooden screen she cried out. 'Why is his chariot taking so long to get here?' she said. 'Why can't I hear the noise of his chariots yet?'
29 Her wisest ladies answer her. And here's what she keeps saying to herself.
30 She says, 'They must be finding riches to bring back. They must be dividing them up. Each man is getting a woman or two. They are giving colorful clothes to Sisera. The clothes are very beautiful. He will bring some for me to wear. The men must be finding many things to bring home.'