Day 1 · The Song of Deborah and Barak
Judges 5:1–14
1On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD. 3Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel. 4O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water. 5The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. 6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways. 7Life in the villages ceased; it ended in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. 8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel. 9My heart is with the princes of Israel, with the volunteers among the people. Bless the LORD! 10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder 11the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates: 12‘Awake, awake, O Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, O Barak, and take hold of your captives, O son of Abinoam!’ 13Then the survivors came down to the nobles; the people of the LORD came down to me against the mighty. 14Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
Berean Standard Bible
Observe
According to verses 6–8, what was life like in Israel before Deborah arose, and what caused war to come to their gates?
Apply
Where might God be inviting you to offer yourself willingly in service to others or your local church community this week?
In the app, each day also opens the words in the original language, what the passage meant to its first readers, pastors teaching it, a place to write, and a time to pray.