Judges 5:8–11

8 God chose new leaders

when war came to the city gates,

but not a shield or spear was seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart is with Israel’s princes,

with the willing volunteers among the people.

Praise the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys,

sitting on your saddle blankets,

and you who walk along the road,

consider 11 the voice of the singers at the watering places.

They recite the victories of the Lord,

the victories of his villagers in Israel.

“Then the people of the Lord

went down to the city gates.

8 When new gods were chosen,

then war was in the gates.

Was shield or spear to be seen

among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel

who offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless the Lord.

10 “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

you who sit on rich carpets

and you who walk by the way.

11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places,

there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord,

the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.

“Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.

8 When Israel chose new gods,

war erupted at the city gates.

Yet not a shield or spear could be seen

among forty thousand warriors in Israel!

9 My heart is with the commanders of Israel,

with those who volunteered for war.

Praise the Lord!

10 “Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys,

you who sit on fancy saddle blankets,

and you who walk along the road.

11 Listen to the village musicians

gathered at the watering holes.

They recount the righteous victories of the Lord

and the victories of his villagers in Israel.

Then the people of the Lord

marched down to the city gates.

8 They chose new gods;

Then there was war in the gates;

Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart is with the rulers of Israel

Who offered themselves willingly with the people.

Bless the Lord!

10 “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys,

Who sit in judges’ attire,

And who walk along the road.

11 Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places,

There they shall recount the righteous acts of the Lord,

The righteous acts for His villagers in Israel;

Then the people of the Lord shall go down to the gates.

8 At that time they chose to follow new gods.

Because of this, enemies fought us at our city gates.

No one could find a shield or a spear

among the forty thousand people of Israel.

9 My heart is with the commanders of Israel.

They volunteered freely from among the people.

Praise the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys

and sit on saddle blankets,

and you who walk along the road, listen!

11 Listen to the sound of the singers

at the watering holes.

There they tell about the victories of the Lord,

the victories of the Lord’s warriors in Israel.

Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates.

8 They chose new gods;

Then was war in the gates:

Was there a shield or spear seen

Among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel,

That offered themselves willingly among the people:

Bless ye Jehovah.

10 Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses,

Ye that sit on rich carpets,

And ye that walk by the way.

11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,

There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah,

Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.

Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.

8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah! 10 Ye that ride on white she-asses, ye that sit on carpets, and ye that walk by the way, consider. 11 Because of the voice of those who divide the spoil in the midst of the places of drawing water; There they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, His righteous acts toward his villages in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.

8 When the people chose new gods, 

war broke out inside the city gates. 

Not a weapon was seen among 40,000 in Israel. 

9 My heart goes out to Israel’s commanders, 

to those people who volunteered. 

Praise the Lord! 

10 You people who ride on brown donkeys, 

who sit on saddle blankets, 

and who walk on the road—think. 

11 Listen to the voices of those singing at the wells. 

Over and over again they repeat 

the victories of the Lord, 

the victories for his villages in Israel. 

Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates. 

8 Israel chose new gods,

then war was in the gates.

Not a shield or spear was seen

among 40,000 in Israel.

9 My heart is with the leaders of Israel,

with the volunteers of the people.

Praise the Lord!

10 You who ride on white donkeys,

who sit on saddle blankets,

and who travel on the road, give praise!

11 Let them tell the righteous acts of the Lord,

the righteous deeds of His warriors in Israel,

with the voices of the singers at the watering places.

Then the Lord’s people went down to the gates.

8 When new gods were chosen,

then war was in the gates.

Was shield or spear to be seen

among forty thousand in Israel?

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel

who offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless the Lord.

10 Sing of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

you who sit on rich carpets,

and you who walk by the way.

11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places,

there they repeat the triumphs of the Lord,

the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel.

Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.

8 God chose new leaders,

then war was at the gates;

a small shield or a spear was not seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,

those offering themselves willingly among the people;

bless Yahweh!

10 The riders of white female donkeys,

those sitting on saddle blankets,

and those going on the way, talk about it!

11 At the sound of those dividing the sheep

among the watering places,

there they will recount the righteous deeds of Yahweh,

the righteous deeds for his warriors in Israel.

Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.

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.

8 “New gods were chosen;

Then war was in the gates.

Not a shield or a spear was seen

Among forty thousand in Israel.

9 “My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,

The volunteers among the people;

Bless the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys,

You who sit on rich carpets,

And you who travel on the road—sing!

11 “At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places,

There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the Lord,

The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel.

Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.