Judges 5:3
in Judges 5Listen, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.
KJV
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
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This verse in Judges 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHear, O kings. She names them "kings" who are called together to hear the word of God. You should rejoice, people of God, at this emblem of your nobility. It is not as just any people that you are called to hear the word of God, but as a king, for to you it was said, "You are a royal, priestly race, a people for God's possession." Because you are kings, therefore, Christ our Lord is rightly called the "King of kings and the Lord of lords."
This site's exposition
Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang
on Judges 5:1-3
Chapter 4 tells the battle in prose and chapter 5 sings it, the shape Exodus 14 and 15 used for the Red Sea. Judges 4:4 had called Deborah a prophetess, so the woman who gave the order composes its record, with Barak singing beside her.
This site's exposition
I will sing praise to the LORD
The kings and princes told to listen are the same rank who fight at verse 19, where the kings of Canaan come to Taanach. The singer says I will sing twice and names the LORD, the God of Israel, as the one praised. Foreign rulers are made to hear it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS, PROLOGUE · Written before 253.
proposed
The fourth song is in the book of Judges. Concerning it there is written, "And Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, 'That the princes took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord! Hear, O kings, give ear, O governors!' " and the rest. And the person who sings this ought to be a bee, whose product is used by kings and ordinary people for their health. For "Deborah," who sings this song, means "bee." Moreover, Barak is with her; and his name means "flashing." And this song is sung after a victory, because no one can sing of what is perfect unless he has conquered his adversaries. Furthermore, it is said in this song, "Awake, awake, Deborah! Stir up the thousands of the people. Awake, awake, utter a song! Awake, Barak!" But you will find these matters more fully discussed in the homilies we have given on the book of Judges.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
She looks back upon God's former appearances, and compares this with them, the more to magnify the glorious author of this great salvation. What God is doing should bring to our mind what he has done; for he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The princes - You especially that live near, and have evil designs against Israel, know this for your caution, and terror too, if you presume to molest them. God of Israel - Who, as you see by this plain instance, is both able and resolved to defend them from all their enemies.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes,.... Not only the neighbouring ones, but all the kings and princes of the earth, far and near, then and in succeeding ages; Deborah desires and wishes that all potentates might hear of the wonderful works of God done for his people, that they might learn to know there is one that is higher than they, to whom all the amazing things done in the world are to be ascribed; and be cautious how they oppressed the people of God, since sooner or later he would avenge them on them.
The substance of this song transmits the memory of this great achievement. Comparing God's appearances for them on this occasion with his appearances to them on Mount Sinai,
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׁמְע֣וּ | shimu | hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| מְלָכִ֔ים | melakhim | O kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ | haazinu | give ear | H238 → | |
| רֹֽזְנִ֑ים | rozenim | O rulers | H7336 → | |
| אָֽנֹכִ֗י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| לַֽיהוָה֙ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אָנֹכִ֣י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| אָשִׁ֔ירָה | ʾashirah | I will sing | H7891 → | |
| אֲזַמֵּ֕ר | ʾazamer | I will sing praises | H2167 → | |
| לַֽיהוָ֖ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֥י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
שִׁמְע֣וּhear
shimuH8085 →1159 times
מְלָכִ֔יםO kings
melakhimH4428 →2525 times
הַאֲזִ֖ינוּgive ear
haazinuH238 →
רֹֽזְנִ֑יםO rulers
rozenimH7336 →
אָֽנֹכִ֗יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
לַֽיהוָה֙to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אָנֹכִ֣יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
אָשִׁ֔ירָהI will sing
ʾashirahH7891 →
אֲזַמֵּ֕רI will sing praises
ʾazamerH2167 →
לַֽיהוָ֖הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֥י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
Psalms 119:46I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
it leads to
- Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Matthew 10:18–19
On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
- Acts 26:1–2
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
- Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the…
- 2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
- Romans 1:16
Through
Ezra 7:21I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided…
it leads to
- Ezra 7:6
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for…
- Ezra 4:16
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
- Ezra 4:20
And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
- Ezra 7:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JUDGES 6.3 and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS, PROLOGUE.