Judges 5:13

13 Then came down a remnant of nobles of the nation; Jehovah came down to me among the heroes. 14 Of Ephraim, whose root in Amalek; Behind thee Benjamin among thy peoples. From Machir came down leaders, And from Zebulun marchers with the staff of the conductor. 15a And princes in Issachar with Deborah, And Issachar as well as Barak, Driven into the valley through his feet. Looking back to the commencement of the battle, the poetess describes the streaming of the brave men of the nation down from the mountains, to fight the enemy with Barak and Deborah in the valley of Jezreel; though the whole nation did not raise as one man against its oppressors, but only a remnant of the noble and brave in the nation, with whom Jehovah went into the battle. In Jdg 5:13 the Masoretic pointing of ירד is connected with the rabbinical idea of the word as the fut. apoc. of רדה: "then (now) will the remnant rule over the glorious," i.e., the remnant left in Israel over the stately foe; "Jehovah rules for me (or through me) over the heroes in Sisera's army," which Luther has also adopted. But, as Schnurr. has maintained, this view is decidedly erroneous, inasmuch as it is altogether irreconcilable with the description which follows of the marching of the tribes of Israel into the battle. ירד is to be understood in the same sense as ירדוּ in Jdg 5:14, and to be pointed as a perfect ירד. (Note: The Cod. Al. of the lxx contains the correct rendering, τότε κατέβη κατάλειμμα. In the Targum also ירד is correctly translated נתת, descendit, although the germs of the rabbinical interpretation are contained in the paraphrase of the whole verse: tunc descendit unus ex exercitu Israel et fregit fortitudinem fortium gentium. Ecce non ex fortitudine manus eorum fuit hoc; sed Dominus fregit ante populu…

This chapter contains the triumphal song which was composed and sung upon occasion of that glorious victory which Israel obtained over the forces of Jabin king of Canaan and the happy consequences of that victory. Probably it was usual then to publish poems upon such occasions, as now; but this only is preserved of all the poems of that age of the judges, because dictated by Deborah a prophetess, designed for a psalm of praise then, and a pattern of praise to after-ages, and it gives a great deal of light to the history of these times. I. It begins with praise to God (Jdg 5:2, Jdg 5:3). II. The substance of this song transmits the memory of this great achievement. 1. Comparing God's appearances for them on this occasion with his appearances to them on Mount Sinai (Jdg 5:4, Jdg 5:5). 2. Magnifying their deliverance from the consideration of the calamitous condition they had been in (Jdg 5:6-8). 3. Calling those to join in praise that shared in the benefits of the success (Jdg 5:9-13). 4. Reflecting honour upon those tribes that were forward and active in that war, and disgrace on those that declined the service (Jdg 5:14-19, Jdg 5:23). 5. Taking notice how God himself fought for them (Jdg 5:20-22). 6. Celebrating particularly the honour of Jael, that slew Sisera, on which head the song is very large (Jdg 5:24-30). It concludes with a prayer to God (Jdg 5:31).