Duet Judges 5

Judges 5:1 "Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day saying, v2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves."

I think we have to point out the phrase 'when the people willingly offered themselves.' The Lord uses people to accomplish things on many occasions. He also likes a willing servant. That is what happened in this victory, the Lord avenged with the willingness of the people in offering themselves.

Chapter 5 is a song about how the battle went. Singing songs about real events has been a way to remember things without or beyond the written word.

We start out with praise for the Lord and how 'the earth trembled and the heavens dropped...' . Then it describes the enemy and how the people were afraid. So afraid that they did not use the main roads but rather went by the byways. v6 Deborah tells of how the people did nothing until she came and mobilized them.

She praises those who fought and asked of those who did not the why.

v16 "Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart."

Can you hear the question? 'I understand Deborah and Barak but I'm just not sure it's the right time.' Or some other searching of the heart. Others stayed in their inheritance and did not come to fight. But some fought bravely.

v18 "Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field."

The song tells of the action of Jael and blesses her for killing the enemy Sisera but curses those who did not come to help v23.

Then, the story (song) goes to the mother of Sisera who is wondering why her son has not returned with his spoils.

v31 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."

Psalms 124:6 "Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth."

keywords: Bible Study, KJV, Old Testament,Judges,Israel,Milton Southerland