Christian Standard Bible
Judges 5:23
23“Curse Meroz,” says the angel of the Lord, “Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord with the warriors.”
Judges 5:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.
- New International Version (NIV)‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord, ‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly, Because they did not come to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty.’
Context of Judges 5:23
21The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul, in strength! 22The horses’ hooves then hammered — the galloping, galloping of his stallions. “Curse Meroz,” says the angel of the Lord, “Bitterly curse her inhabitants, for they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord with the warriors.” 24Most blessed of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; she is most blessed among tent-dwelling women. 25He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him cream in a majestic bowl.
Read all of Judges 5Judges 5:23 word by word
א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Curseאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
- ye Merozמֵרוֹזmêrôz · MerozH4789
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- thereof; because they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- not to the helpעֶזְרָה‛ezrâh ‛ezrâth · helpH5833
- against the mightyגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
Cross-references for Judges 5:23
- 1 Samuel 26:19Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. But if it is people, may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have banished me from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go and worship other gods.’
- Jeremiah 48:10The one who does the Lord’s business deceitfully is cursed, and the one who withholds his sword from bloodshed is cursed.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come!
- Judges 2:1The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your ancestors. I also said: I will never break my covenant with you.
- Judges 4:6She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites?
- Judges 6:11The angel of the Lord came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites.
- Judges 13:3The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Although you are unable to conceive and have no children, you will conceive and give birth to a son.
- Matthew 25:41“Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
- Judges 21:9For when the roll was called, no men were there from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
- Nehemiah 3:5Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors.
- 1 Samuel 17:47and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.”
- 1 Samuel 18:17Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
- 1 Samuel 25:28Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you.
- Romans 15:18For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles,
- 1 Corinthians 3:9For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.”
Commentaries on Judges 5:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Curse ye Meroz - Where Meroz was is not known; some suppose it was the same as Merom, nigh to Dotham. The Syriac and Arabic have Merod; but where this was is equally uncertain. It was certainly some city or district, the inhabitants of which would not assist in this war. Curse ye bitterly - ארור ארו oru aror, curse with cursing - use the most awful execrations. Said the angel of the Lord - That is, Barak, who was Jehovah's angel or messenger in this war…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The inhabitants of Meroz (a village 12 miles from Samaria) hung back, and gave no help in the day of battle, although it was Yahweh who called them. Hence, the curse pronounced by the Angel of the Lord.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 Deborah called on her own soul to be in earnest. He that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. Praising God is a work we should awake to, and awake ourselves unto. She notices who fought against Israel, who fought for them, and who kept away. Who fought against them. They were obstinate enemies to God's people, therefore the more dangerous. Who fought for them. The several tribes that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The location of Meroz is unknown. Do not confuse it with Merom (Joshua 11:5), which was about twenty miles north in the hills of Galilee.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Curse ye Meroz--a village on the confines of Issachar and Naphtali, which lay in the course of the fugitives, but the inhabitants declined to aid in their destruction.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 5:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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