1On that day, Deborah sang this song, along with Barak:
2“hen the leaders of the Israeli people really lead them, and the people follow them, it is time to praise Yahweh!
3Listen, you kings! Pay attention, you leaders!
4O Yahweh, when you came from Seir, when you marched from that land better known as Edom,
5The mountains shook when you came,
6“hen Shamgar was our leader and when Jael ruled us,
7People left their small villages, and moved into the walled cities
8When the Israeli people abandoned Yahweh and chose new gods,
9I am thankful for the leaders and soldiers who volunteered to fight.
10“You wealthy people who ride on donkeys,
11Listen to the voices of the singers who gather at the places where the animals drink water.
12The people came to my house and shouted,
13Later, some of the Israeli people came down from Tabor Mountain
14Some came from the tribe descended from Ephraim.
15Leaders from the tribes descended from Issachar joined Barak and me.
16Why did you men stay at your sheep pens,
17Similarly, the men living in the Gilead area stayed at home, east of the Jordan River.
18But men from the tribe descended from Zebulun risked ◄their lives/were ready to die fighting► on the battlefield,
19“he kings of Canaan fought us at Taanach, near the springs in Megiddo Valley.
20It was as though the stars in the sky fought for us
21The Kishon River swept them away—
22The hooves of the horses of Sisera’s army pounded the ground.
23The angel sent by Yahweh said,
24“But God is very pleased with Jael,
25Sisera asked for some water,
26Then, when he was asleep, she reached for a tent peg with her left hand,
27He collapsed
28“Sisera’s mother looked out from her window.
29One wise woman replied to her,
30‘Perhaps they are dividing up the things and the people they captured after the battle.
31But that is not what happened! Yahweh, I hope that all your enemies will die as Sisera did!