Judges 5:15
in Judges 5The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As was Issachar, so was Barak; Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben There were great resolves of heart.
KJV
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
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This verse in Judges 5
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Even Issachar ... - i. e. “and, as well as Issachar, Barak also with the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, rushed down on foot from Mount Tabor into the valley to attack the iron chariots of Sisera.” For the divisions - Better: “among the brooks.” Reuben ought to have followed in this catalogue of patriots, but with that abruptness for which this poem is so conspicuous, Deborah adverts to his absence instead.
This site's exposition
Out of Ephraim was there
on Judges 5:14-15
The tribes that came are called by old family names rather than the standard list, so Machir stands for Manasseh as it does at Genesis 50:23 and Numbers 32:39. Ephraim is set against Amalek, whose people held hill country inside Ephraim according to Judges 12:15, and Zebulun sends men that handle the pen of the writer, read either as the officers who mustered troops or as men carrying a marshal's staff. Barak is sent on foot into the valley at verse 15, and the valley is exactly where the nine hundred chariots of iron of 4:13 had the advantage.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Judges 5:15) The leaders of Issachar were with Deborah. In Hebrew: the princes, that is, the teachers of the Law, were with Deborah to praise the Lord, and Barak followed in the footsteps of the age. It is to be understood that a certain part of them remained with Deborah to praise the Lord, and a part followed Barak to exhort and vanquish Sisera. Who, as if into a precipice, gave himself to danger. Barak, indeed, believing the words of the Lord, gave himself to danger, throwing himself into the torrent Kishon, pursuing and vanquishing the army of Sisera.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah,....
Thus many are kept from doing their duty by the fear of trouble, the love of ease, and an inordinate affection to their worldly business and advantage.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Gilead abode beyond Jordan--that is, Both Gad and the eastern half to Manasseh chose to dwell at ease in their Havoth-jair, or "villages of tents," while Dan and Asher, both maritime tribes, continued with their ships and in their "breaches" ("havens"). The mention of these craven tribes (Jud 5:18) is concluded with a fresh burst of commendation on Zebulun and Naphtali.
The princes of Issachar - They were at hand and came willingly forth, at the call of Deborah, to this important war. Barak - was sent on foot - I have no doubt that ברגלין, without regarding the points, should be translated with his footmen or infantry. Thus the Alexandrian Septuagint understood it, rendering the clause thus: Οὑτω Βαρακ εξαπεστειλεν πεζους αυτου εις την κοιλαδα, “Barak also sent forth his footmen into the valley.” Luther has perfectly hit the meaning, Barak mit seinen fussvoleke, “Barak with his footmen.” For the divisions of Reuben - Either the Reubenites were divided among themselves into factions, which prevented their co-operation with their brethren, or they were divided in their judgment concerning the measures now to be pursued, which prevented them from joining with the other tribes till the business was entirely settled. The thoughts of heart, and searchings of heart, might refer to the doubts and uneasiness felt by the other tribes, when they found the Reubenites did not join them; for they might have conjectured that they were either unconcerned about their liberty, or were meditating a coalition with the Canaanites.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
In Ephraim. From Ephraim emerged the root of Yehoshua bin Nun's dominance over Amaleik. Yehoshua was descended from Ephraim, son of Yoseif, and Amaleik was a descendant of Eisov.
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
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְשָׂרַ֤י | vesarai | and princes my | H8269 → | 421 times |
| בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙ | beyisashkhar | in Issachar | H3485 → | 43 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | [were] with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| דְּבֹרָ֔ה | devorah | Deborah | H1683 → | 10 times |
| וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙ | veyisashkhar | and Issachar | H3485 → | 43 times |
| כֵּ֣ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| בָּרָ֔ק | barak | Barak | H1301 → | 13 times |
| בָּעֵ֖מֶק | baemek | in the valley | H6010 → | 69 times |
| שֻׁלַּ֣ח | shulach | he was sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| בְּרַגְלָ֑יו | beraglav | at feet his | H7272 → | 247 times |
| בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹת | biflagot | among [the] divisions of | H6391 → | |
| רְאוּבֵ֔ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | |
| גְּדֹלִ֖ים | gedolim | [were] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| חִקְקֵי־ | chikei- | resolves of | H2711 → | |
| לֵֽב׃ | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
וְשָׂרַ֤יand princes my
vesaraiH8269 →421 times
בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙in Issachar
beyisashkharH3485 →43 times
עִם־[were] with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
דְּבֹרָ֔הDeborah
devorahH1683 →10 times
וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙and Issachar
veyisashkharH3485 →43 times
כֵּ֣ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
בָּרָ֔קBarak
barakH1301 →13 times
בָּעֵ֖מֶקin the valley
baemekH6010 →69 times
שֻׁלַּ֣חhe was sent
shulachH7971 →845 times
בְּרַגְלָ֑יוat feet his
beraglavH7272 →247 times
בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹתamong [the] divisions of
biflagotH6391 →
רְאוּבֵ֔ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →
גְּדֹלִ֖ים[were] great
gedolimH1419 →526 times
חִקְקֵי־resolves of
chikei-H2711 →
לֵֽב׃heart
levH3820 →595 times
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
2 Corinthians 11:2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
it leads to
- Hosea 2:19–20
So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion.
- Ephesians 5:26–27
to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- Isaiah 54:5
For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
- Colossians 1:28
We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
- Hosea 2:19–20
Through
Judges 4:14Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise, for this is the day that the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 5:24
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp…
- Deuteronomy 9:3
But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate…
- Isaiah 52:12
For you will not leave in a hurry nor flee in haste, for the LORD goes before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.
- 2 Samuel 5:24
Through
Judges 4:6She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Surely the LORD, the God of Israel, is commanding you: ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, taking with you ten…
it leads to
- Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Acts 13:47
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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 (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.