Judges 5:20–30

Footnotes

1. 53 Or “from heaven.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
2. 54 The takes “the stars” with what follows rather than with the first colon of v. 20. But for metrical reasons it seems better to move the atnach and read the colon as indicated in the translation.
3. 55 The words “in the heavens” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
4. 56 Possibly “the ancient river,” but it seems preferable in light of the parallel line (which has a verb) to emend the word (attested only here) to a verb (קָדַם, qadam) with pronominal object suffix.
5. 57 This line is traditionally taken as the poet-warrior’s self-exhortation, “March on, my soul, in strength!” The present translation (a) takes the verb (a second feminine singular form) as addressed to Deborah (cf. v. 12), (b) understands נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) in its well-attested sense of “throat; neck” (cf. Jonah 2:6), (c) takes the final yod (י) on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy) as an archaic construct indicator (rather than a suffix), and (d) interprets עֹז (’oz, “strength”) as an attributive genitive (literally, “necks of strength,” i.e., “strong necks”). For fuller discussion and various proposals, see B. Lindars, Judges 1–5, 270–71.
6. 58 The as it stands has a singular noun, but if one moves the prefixed mem (ם) from the beginning of the next word to the end of סוּס (sus), the expected plural form is achieved. Another possibility is to understand an error of scribal haplography here, in which case the letter mem should appear in both places.
7. 59 The words “the ground” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
8. 60 Heb “galloped, galloped.” The repetition is for emphasis and is more appropriately indicated in English with an adverb.
9. 61 Heb “Curse Meroz.”
10. 62 The adjective “angelic” is interpretive.
11. 63 Heb “Curse, cursing.” The Hebrew construction is emphatic.
12. 64 Heb “[to] curse.”
13. 65 Heb “to the help of the Lord” (the same Hebrew phrase occurs in the following line). Another option is to read “to aid the Lord’s cause.”
14. 66 Or “along with the other warriors.”
15. 67 Or “blessed.”
16. 68 Or “for mighty ones.”
17. 69 The adjective “left” is interpretive, based on the context. Note that the next line pictures Jael holding the hammer with her right hand.
18. 70 The verb used here is from the same root as the noun “hammer” in the preceding line.
19. 71 Or “head.”
20. 72 The phrase “his head” (an implied direct object) is supplied in the translation for clarification.
21. 73 Heb “she pierced his temple.”
22. 74 Heb “he fell.” The same Hebrew expression occurs two more times in this verse.
23. 75 Heb “and he lay.
24. 76 Or “dead, murdered.”
25. 77 Heb “chariots.”
26. 78 Or “princesses.”
27. 79 Heb “Are they not finding, dividing the plunder?”
28. 80 Heb “a womb or two for each man.” The words “to rape” are interpretive. The Hebrew noun translated “girl” means literally “womb” ( 933 I. רַחַם), but in this context may refer by extension to the female genitalia. In this case the obscene language of Sisera’s mother alludes to the sexual brutality which typified the aftermath of battle.
29. 81 Heb “the plunder of dyed cloth is for Sisera.”
30. 82 Heb “the plunder of embroidered cloth.”
31. 83 The translation assumes an emendation of the noun (“plunder”) to a participle, “plunderer.”