Because He Israel hath revenged
Bless ye therefore the Lord:
Because the people offered up
Themselves of free accord.
Give ear
O kings
ye princes hear
Sing to the Lord I will;
I
even I’ll sing to the Lord
The God of Israel.
Lord
when Thou wentest from Seir
Didst march from Edom’s field;
The earth did tremble
heavens drop
The clouds their showers yield;
And in the presence of the Lord
The mountains melting fell
E’en Sinai drooped before the Lord
In days of Shamgar
Anath’s son
The roads in Jael’s days
Abandoned were: the travelers
They walked in lost by-ways.
And villagers did cease to be
They ceased in Israel:
Until I
Deborah
arose
Mother in Israel.
New gods they chose
then cruel wars
Entered their gates within;
With forty thousand Israelites
No shield or spear was seen.
My heart to Israel’s rulers is
That did of free accord
Present themselves among the folk:
Bless ye therefore the Lord.
Speak ye your minds
all ye that do
Upon white asses ride;
Ye that in judgment sit
and ye
That walk the way beside.
Who from the archers’ noise are freed
There shall they now record
In places where they water draw
The just acts of the Lord.
His righteous works to them who dwell
In Israel’s towns relate
Then shall the people of the Lord
Go down unto the gate.
Awake
O Deborah
wake and sing;
And now
Barak
arise
Abinoam’s son
to dry the tears
From Israel’s captive eyes.
Unto the remnant he gave rule
Above the nobles then
Among the folk: the Lord gave me
Rule over mighty men.
From Ephraim a root against
Proud Amalek there was:
Thy followers
O Benjamin
Among thy folk did pass.
From out of Machir governors
Descended also then
And out of Zebulun came they
That wield the writer’s pen.
From Issachar marched princes out
His peers with Deborah went
And also was Barak on foot
Into the valley sent.
Because of those divisions that
In Reuben did appear
Great fears and anxious thoughts of heart
Among them then there were.
Why didst thou with the sheep folds stay?
The bleating flocks to hear?
For Reuben his divisions sad
Heart searchings great there were.
Beyond the Jordan Gilead sat;
Why Dan in ships reside?
On seashore why Asher did stay
And in his creeks abide?
But Zebulun and Napthali
Were people who did yield
Their lives in danger unto death
Upon the open field.
Thus Israel’s kings came to the fray
And crowns of Canaan fought
In Tanach by Megiddo’s streams;
No golden coin they sought.
They warred from Heav’n—the stars in course
Fought Sisera that day;
And Kishon’s river
ancient brook
Swept all his strength away.
O thou
my soul
hast trod down strength
The horses broken were;
By plunging
trampling
galloping
Of mighty princes there.
O curse Meroz
her people curse
Jehovah’s angel said:
For they came not to help the Lord
’Gainst Sisera to aid.
Jael the Kenite
Heber’s wife
’Bove women blest shall be:
Above the women in the tent
Most blessèd one is she.
He water asked; she gave him milk
In lordly dish she fetched
Him butter forth
then to the nail
She forth her left hand stretched.
Her right the workman’s hammer held
To strike Sisera dead:
She struck and pierced his temple through
And then cut off his head.
So at her feet he bowed
he fell
Before her laid he down;
He breathed his last
and joined the dead
Destroyèd on the ground.
Through latticed window Sisera’s
Mother looked
and feared his fate;
O tell me why
in his return
Why is my son so late?
His chariot wheels
why tarry they?
Her ladies wise replied
But to herself she answer made
Have they not sped? she cried.
The spoil to each
a maid or twain
Divided not have they?
With Sisera have they not shared
A many colored prey?
Of diverse colored needlework
Wrought curious on each side
Of various colors
meet for necks
Of those who spoils divide?
So perished are Thine enemies
O Lord; but let all those
Who love You
be they like the sun
That in his strength forth goes.
Then came a rest of forty years
With peace throughout the land;
Then Israel turned again from God
And fell in Midian’s hand.
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