Judges 5:21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 5:12-23

Here, I. Deborah stirs up herself and Barak to celebrate this victory in the most solemn manner, to the glory of God and the honour of Israel, for the encouragement of their friends and the greater confusion of their enemies, Jdg. 5:12. 1. Deborah, as a prophetess, must do it by a song, to compose and sing which she excites herself: Awake, awake, and again, awake, awake, which intimates the sense she had of the excellency and difficulty of the work; it needed and well deserved the utmost... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 5:21

The river of Kishon swept them away ,.... To which Sisera's army was drawn, and where it was discomfited; and very probably many of them, in their confusion, endeavoured to make their escape by fording or swimming over the river, by which they were swept away and drowned, the waters of it at this time swelling in a miraculous manner, as Ben Gersom thinks; or were increased by the large showers of rain that fell, as some note from Josephus, though I find it not in him; however it is not... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 5:21

The river of Kishon swept them away - This gives plausibility to the above conjecture, that there was a storm at this time which produced an inundation in the river Kishon, which the routed Canaanites attempting to ford were swept away. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:21

The word translated ancient occurs only here. The phrase probably means that Kishon was celebrated from ancient times on account of the battles fought on its banks. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 5:21

Judges 5:21. The river of Kishon Which, though not great in itself, was now much swelled by the foregoing storm and rain, and therefore drowned those who, being pursued by the hand of God and by the Israelites, were forced into it, and thought to pass over it, as they did before. Ancient river So called, either, first, in opposition to those rivers which are of a later date, being made by the hand and art of man; or, secondly, because it was a river anciently famous for remarkable... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 5:1-31

Deliverance under Deborah (4:1-5:31)Hazor, chief city of the north, had been conquered and burnt by Joshua (Joshua 11:10-13). However, not all the people had been destroyed. Having rebuilt Hazor, they now took revenge on the northern tribes, especially Zebulun and Naphtali, and ruled them cruelly for twenty years (4:1-3). (To understand fully how God saved Israel at this time, we must read the historical outline in Chapter 4 together with the song of victory in Chapter 5.)Israel’s deliverer on... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 5:21

rive r = torrent. Kishon. Rising in Mount Tabor and running into the Mediterranean near Mount Carmel. swept. Swollen by the heavy rains (Judges 5:4 ). soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 . read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:21

21. the river of Kishon swept them away—The enemy was defeated near "the waters of Megiddo"—the sources and side streams of the Kishon: they that fled had to cross the deep and marshy bed of the torrent, but the Lord had sent a heavy rain—the waters suddenly rose—the warriors fell into the quicksands, and sinking deep into them, were drowned or washed into the sea [VAN DE VELDE]. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:1-31

2. Deborah’s song of victory ch. 5One writer called this song "the finest masterpiece of Hebrew poetry" that "deserves a place among the best songs of victory ever written." [Note: Robert H. Pfeiffer, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 326.] It is the equivalent of a victory celebration when the troops come home (cf. Exodus 15; Psalms 68)."Observe that each of the three major sections centers around a basic contrast: in Judges 5:2-11 c, the explosive God and humiliated people; in Judges 5:11... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:19-22

God’s defeat of the Canaanites 5:19-22The great victory was due to God’s supernatural intervention for Israel. He increased the effectiveness of the Israelite soldiers. The kings in Judges 5:19 are probably all Canaanite kings, as the NIV translation suggests. Taanach stood near Megiddo, which may have been in ruins at this time. [Note: W. F. Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine, p. 117.] The stars (Judges 5:20) symbolize the forces of heaven that were more specifically the rains God sent.... read more

Group of Brands