Judges 5:16
in Judges 5Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Why sattest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart.
KJV
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
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This verse in Judges 5
Commentary
5 notes on this verse(Judges 5:16) Why do you dwell between two boundaries, to hear the hissing of flocks? It is not read in Hebrew, 'between two', but rather 'between your boundaries', namely the boundaries of your neighboring tribes, to hear the hissing of flocks; as if to say: You desire to preserve the flocks with which you abound, and fear losing them, and you take greater pleasure in hearing their hissing than in striving with your brothers to conquer the enemies of Israel. And because you do this, you proudly resist the command of the Lord.
This site's exposition
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds
on Judges 5:16-17
Four groups stayed away: Reuben "among the sheepfolds", Gilead "beyond the Jordan", Dan "by the ships" and Asher "at the coast". Reuben draws the sharpest line, since verses 15 and 16 close on "great indecision", long deliberation that produced no men. Judah, Simeon and Levi appear nowhere in the roll.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks?....
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 Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Great searchings - (thoughts, Jdg 5:15) of heart Deborah means to say that at first the Reubenites made magnanimous resolutions to help their brethren against Jabin. But they stayed at home, and let the opportunity slip.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָ֣מָּה | lamah | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ | yashavta | did you sit | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בֵּ֚ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם | hamishpetayim | the fire-places | H4942 → | |
| לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ | lishmoa' | to hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| שְׁרִק֣וֹת | sherikot | [the] whistling of | H8292 → | |
| עֲדָרִ֑ים | ʾadarim | [the] flocks | H5739 → | |
| לִפְלַגּ֣וֹת | liflagot | to [the] divisions of | H6391 → | |
| רְאוּבֵ֔ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | |
| גְּדוֹלִ֖ים | gedolim | [were] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| חִקְרֵי־ | chikrei- | searchings of | H2714 → | |
| לֵֽב׃ | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
לָ֣מָּה<to> why?
lamahH4100 →752 times
יָשַׁ֗בְתָּdid you sit
yashavtaH3427 →1079 times
בֵּ֚יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִםthe fire-places
hamishpetayimH4942 →
לִשְׁמֹ֖עַto hear
lishmoa'H8085 →1159 times
שְׁרִק֣וֹת[the] whistling of
sherikotH8292 →
עֲדָרִ֑ים[the] flocks
ʾadarimH5739 →
לִפְלַגּ֣וֹתto [the] divisions of
liflagotH6391 →
רְאוּבֵ֔ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →
גְּדוֹלִ֖ים[were] great
gedolimH1419 →526 times
חִקְרֵי־searchings of
chikrei-H2714 →
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
Philippians 2:21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- 1 Corinthians 10:33
as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
- Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
- Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- 1 Corinthians 13:5
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
Through
Judges 5:15The 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.
it leads to
- Judges 4:14
Then 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…
- 1 Chronicles 12:32
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
- Judges 4:14
Through
Numbers 32:24Build cities for your little ones and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”
it leads to
- Numbers 32:16
Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones.
- Numbers 32:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.