Judges 5:20–30

²⁰The stars fought from heaven;

from their paths, they fought Sisera.

²¹The Kishon River swept Sisera’s men away,

that old river, the Kishon River.

March on, my soul, with strength!

²²Then the horses’ hoofs beat the ground.

Galloping, galloping go Sisera’s mighty horses.

²³‘May the town of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the Lord.

‘Bitterly curse its people,

because they did not come to help the Lord.

They did not fight the strong enemy.’

²⁴“May Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite,

be blessed above all women who live in tents.

²⁵Sisera asked for water,

but Jael gave him milk.

In a bowl fit for a ruler,

she brought him cream.

²⁶Jael reached out and took the tent peg.

Her right hand reached for the workman’s hammer.

She hit Sisera! She smashed his head!

She crushed and pierced the side of his head!

²⁷At Jael’s feet he sank.

He fell, and he lay there.

At her feet he sank. He fell.

Where Sisera sank, there he fell, dead!

²⁸“Sisera’s mother looked out through the window.

She looked through the curtains and cried out,

‘Why is Sisera’s chariot so late in coming?

Why are sounds of his chariots’ horses delayed?’

²⁹The wisest of her servant ladies answer her,

and Sisera’s mother says to herself,

³⁰‘Surely they are robbing the people they defeated!

Surely they are dividing those things among themselves!

Each soldier is given a girl or two.

Maybe Sisera is taking pieces of dyed cloth.

Maybe they are even taking

pieces of dyed, embroidered cloth for the necks of the victors!’