Judges 5:10
in Judges 5You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that walk by the way.
KJV
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
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This verse in Judges 5
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Judges 5:9-10) My heart loves the leaders of Israel. It should be noted that in Hebrew, not leaders, but teachers is read. This is spoken by Deborah in the person of God, that God loves the teachers who study the law of God. Of whom it follows: You who offered yourselves willingly among the people, bless the Lord. Of whom it has also been said above in that place where it says: You who willingly offered your lives from Israel, etc. You who ride on bright donkeys. In Hebrew, female donkeys. And you sit in judgment.
This site's exposition
My heart is with the princes of Israel
on Judges 5:9-11
The volunteers of verse 2 return at verse 9, and the song praises their willingness above the size of the victory. Verse 10 tells two classes to speak, those "who ride white donkeys" and those "who travel the road". Verse 11 appoints the place for the telling, "the watering places", so the song is built to be rehearsed at the well until the villages know it by heart.
This site's exposition
You who ride white donkeys
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that pure white donkeys were costly and kept only by the wealthy. Adam Clarke records that some read the next phrase as those who dwell in Middin, a town of Judah named at Joshua 15:61. The Berean text reads saddle blankets here.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Speak - Celebrate the praise of our mighty God. That ride on white asses - That is, magistrates and nobles, who used to do so, chap. x, 4; xii, 14. That walk - That is, you that can safely travel in those high ways, which before you durst neither ride nor walk in: so great and mean persons are jointly excited to praise God.
Speak, ye that ride on white asses,....
Let such as are by this salvation restored, not only to their liberty as other Israelites, but to their dignity, speak God's praises. Let those that sit in judgment be sensible of it, and thankful for it as a very great mercy, that they may sit safely there, that the sword of justice is not struck out of their hand by the sword of war.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Ye that ride on white asses - Perhaps אתנות צחרות athonoth tsechoroth should be rendered sleek or well-fed asses; rendered asinos nitentes, shining asses, by the Vulgate. Ye that sit in judgment - ישבי על מדין yoshebey al middin; some have rendered this, ye who dwell in Middin. This was a place in the tribe of Judah, and is mentioned Jos 15:61. And walk by the way - Persons who go from place to place for the purposes of traffic.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Speak--that is, join in this song of praise. white asses--Those which are purely white are highly prized, and being costly, are possessed only by the wealthy and great. Ye that sit in judgment--has been rendered, "ye that repose on tapestries."
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Ye that ride on white donkeys ... - i. e. nobles or magistrates. Deborah appeals to the classes mentioned in Jdg 5:6-7, to bear witness to the happy change that had followed the overthrow of Jabin. That sit in judgment - Rather “that sit on saddles, or horse-cloths,” a further description of those who ride on asses.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Riders of white donkeys. Merchants and gentry who may now ride elegant, white donkeys without intimidation or concern about their enemies. And jurists—this refers to the magistrates who were afraid to deliver judgement publicly, as Targum Yonasan's translates, "Those who assembled to sit in judgement". And wayfarers on foot.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Battle formations. Menachem interprets "strategists, military tactitians." 13 Meaning “the battle formations organized by strategists and tactitians.” He relates this to "The locust has no king, yet he advances entirely 'in formation'." 14 Mishlei,:27. The meaning is 'battle formations." Another interpretation, 15 Both interpretations appear in Targum Yonasan.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רֹכְבֵי֩ | rokhevei | O riders of | H7392 → | 78 times |
| אֲתֹנ֨וֹת | ʾatonot | female donkeys | H860 → | |
| צְחֹר֜וֹת | tzechorot | tawny | H6715 → | |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֧י | yoshevei | O [you who] sit | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מִדִּ֛ין | midin | cloth garments | H4055 → | |
| וְהֹלְכֵ֥י | veholekhei | and O walkers | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דֶּ֖רֶךְ | derekh | [the] road | H1870 → | 707 times |
| שִֽׂיחוּ׃ | sichu | tell out | H7878 → |
רֹכְבֵי֩O riders of
rokheveiH7392 →78 times
אֲתֹנ֨וֹתfemale donkeys
ʾatonotH860 →
צְחֹר֜וֹתtawny
tzechorotH6715 →
יֹשְׁבֵ֧יO [you who] sit
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
מִדִּ֛יןcloth garments
midinH4055 →
וְהֹלְכֵ֥יand O walkers
veholekheiH1980 →1546 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
דֶּ֖רֶךְ[the] road
derekhH1870 →707 times
שִֽׂיחוּ׃tell out
sichuH7878 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 105:2Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
it leads to
- Isaiah 12:5–6
Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things. Let this be known in all the earth.
- Psalms 119:27
Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders.
- Psalms 98:5
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp.
- Psalms 77:12
I will reflect on all You have done and ponder Your mighty deeds.
- Isaiah 12:5–6
Through
Joel 3:12Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.
it leads to
- Joel 3:2
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among…
- Psalms 98:9
before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
- Isaiah 3:13
The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people.
- Isaiah 2:4
Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against…
- Joel 3:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on the Song of Deborah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.