English Standard Version
Judges 5:14
14From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff;
Judges 5:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
- New International Version (NIV)Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff.
- New King James Version (NKJV)From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They came down from Ephraim— a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff.
Context of Judges 5:14
12"Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. 13Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty. From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff; 15the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Read all of Judges 5Judges 5:14 word by word
מִנִּ֣י אֶפְרַ֗יִם שָׁרְשָׁם֙ בַּעֲמָלֵ֔ק אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ בִנְיָמִ֖ין בַּֽעֲמָמֶ֑יךָ מִנִּ֣י מָכִ֗יר יָֽרְדוּ֙ מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ן מֹשְׁכִ֖ים בְּשֵׁ֥בֶט סֹפֵֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Out of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- a rootשֹׁ֫רֶשׁsheresh · rootH8328
- of them against Amalekעֲמָלֵק‛ămâlêq · AmalekH6002
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- thee, Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
- among thy peopleעַם‛am · kinsmanH5971
- out of Machirמָכִירmâkîyr · MachirH4353
- came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- governorsחָקַקchâqaq · to decreeH2710
- and out of Zebulunזְבוּלֻןzebûlûn zebûlûn zebûlûn · ZebulunH2074
- they that handleמָשַׁךְmâshak · to drawH4900
- the penשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
- of the writerסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
Cross-references for Judges 5:14
- Judges 3:27When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader.
- Judges 4:5She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.
- Judges 3:13He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms.
- Exodus 17:8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
- Judges 4:10And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
- Numbers 32:39And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.
Commentaries on Judges 5:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Out of Ephraim - a root of them - Deborah probably means that out of Ephraim and Benjamin came eminent warriors. Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, routed the Amalekites a short time after the Israelites came out of Egypt, Exodus 17:10. Ehud, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, slew Eglon, and defeated the Moabites, the friends and allies of the Ammonites and Amalekites. Machir, in the land of Gilead, produced eminent warriors; and Zebulun produced…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Render “Of Ephraim (Deborah‘s own tribe) came down those whose root is in Mount Amalek Judges 12:15; after thee (O Ephraim) came Benjamin among thy people; of Machir (the west-Jordanic milies of Manasseh. See Joshua 17:1-6) there came down the chiefs, and of Zebulon they that handle the staff of the officer” the military scribe, whose duty it was, like that of the Roman tribunes, to keep the muster roll, and superintend the recruiting of the army. (See 2…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. 11-1411-14. The wells which are at a little distance from towns in the East, are, in unsettled times, places of danger. But in peace they are scenes of pleasant and joyous resort. The poetess anticipates that this song may be sung, and the righteous acts of the Lord rehearsed at these now tranquil "places of drawing water." Deborah now rouses herself to describe, in terms suitable to the occasion, the preparation and the contest, and calls in a flight of…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 5:14
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries