Judges 5:18

Judges 5:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
• New International Version (NIV)The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

Context of Judges 5:18

16Instead, they stayed to take care of their sheep. Did they want to listen to the shepherds as they called out to their sheep? The clans of Reuben's tribe could not agree what they should do. 17The men of Gilead stayed at home, on the east side of the Jordan River. The men of Dan's tribe stayed with their ships. The men of Asher's tribe also stayed in their homes near the sea. But the men of Zebulun's tribe were not afraid to die in war. The men of Naphtali's tribe were also ready to attack the enemy. 19Kings of Canaan came and they fought against us. They attacked us at Taanach, near the stream at Megiddo. But they could not take any valuable silver from us. 20Even the stars fought against Sisera! They travelled across the sky to attack him.

Judges 5:18 word by word

זְבֻל֗וּן עַ֣ם חֵרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לָמ֖וּת וְנַפְתָּלִ֑י עַ֖ל מְרוֹמֵ֥י שָׂדֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Zebulunזְבוּלֻןzebûlûn zebûlûn zebûlûn · ZebulunH2074
• and Naphtaliנַפְתָּלִיnaphtâlîy · NaphtaliH5321
• a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• jeopardedחָרַףchâraph · to tauntH2778
• their livesנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• unto the deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• in the high placesמָרוֹםmârôm · heightH4791
• of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704

Cross-references for Judges 5:18

• Judges 4:10Barak told the men from Zebulun and Naphtali to go with him to Kedesh. 10,000 men came to follow him. Deborah also went with him.
• Esther 4:16‘Tell all the Jews in Susa to meet together. Tell them to fast and to pray for me. They must not eat or drink for three days, during the day and the night. My female servants and I will also do that. After three days, I will go and speak to the king. I know that I will do that against the king's law. But if I must die because of that, I agree to die.’
• Acts 20:24But even if people kill me, this is not important to me. The Lord Jesus gave me some work to do. It is important that I finish his work. I must tell people the good news about how kind and good God is.
• 1 John 3:16This is how we know what true love is: Jesus Christ gave his own life on the cross. He died on our behalf. So we too ought to give our lives for other believers.
• Revelation 12:11Our brothers and sisters fought against him and they won. They could do this because of the death of the Lamb as a sacrifice. They continued to speak God's true message. They were also ready to die as God's servants. That is why they were able to win against Satan.
• Judges 4:6One day, Deborah told Abinoam's son Barak to come to her. He lived in Kedesh, a town in Naphtali. She said to Barak, ‘The Lord, Israel's God, has given you this command: “March to Mount Tabor with 10,000 men who belong to the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun.

Commentaries on Judges 5:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Zebulun and Naphtali - jeoparded their lives - The original is very emphatic, למות נפשו חרף chereph naphsho lamuth, they desolated their lives to death - they were determined to conquer or die, and therefore plunged into the thickest of the battle. The word jeoparded is a silly French term, and comes from the exclamation of a disappointed gamester: Jeu perdu! The game is lost; or J'ai perdue! I have lost.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18In contrast with the selfishness of the tribes just named, Deborah reverts with enthusiasm to the heroic prowess of Zebulun and Naphtali.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. 14-18These verses honor those who volunteered and shame those who did not. Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (represented by Makir) came from the south. Issachar, where the battle took place, was joined by Zebulun and Naphtali, the two tribes closest to Barak’s home base. The tribes that were too hesitant and fearful to join the fight included Reuben, Gad (represented by Gilead), Dan, and Asher.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. Gilead abode beyond Jordan--that is, Both Gad and the eastern half to Manasseh chose to dwell at ease in their Havoth-jair, or "villages of tents," while Dan and Asher, both maritime tribes, continued with their ships and in their "breaches" ("havens"). The mention of these craven tribes (Jud 5:18) is concluded with a fresh burst of commendation on Zebulun and Naphtali.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 5:18

• Chiding
• Country
• Naphtali
• Patriotism
• Servant
• Zebulun

In the dictionaries

• Naphtali
• Zebulun
• Barak
• Deborah
• Fight
• Lattice
• Poetry
• Rehearse
• Searching
• Songs

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