God’s Word Translation
Judges 5:14
14Those who had settled in Amalek’s country came down from Ephraim. Benjamin came with its troops after Ephraim. Commanders from Machir went into battle. The officers from Zebulun also went.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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;
- 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.
Context of Judges 5:14
12Get up! Get up, Deborah! Get up! Get up and create a song! Barak, attack! Take your prisoners, son of Abinoam. 13Then those mighty men who were left came down. The Lord’s people went into battle for me against the mighty soldiers. Those who had settled in Amalek’s country came down from Ephraim. Benjamin came with its troops after Ephraim. Commanders from Machir went into battle. The officers from Zebulun also went. 15Issachar’s commanders were with Deborah. They were also with Barak, sent into the valley under his command. Among Reuben’s divisions important men had second thoughts. 16Why did you sit between the saddlebags? Was it to listen to the shepherds playing their flutes? Reuben’s divisions of important men had second thoughts.
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 there, he blew a ram’s horn in the mountains of Ephraim ⌞to summon the troops⌟. So the troops of Israel came down from the mountains with him, and he led them.
- Judges 4:5She used to sit under the Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. The people of Israel would come to her for legal decisions.
- Judges 3:13Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to help him, and they defeated the Israelites and occupied the City of Palms.
- Exodus 17:8The Amalekites fought Israel at Rephidim.
- Judges 4:10Barak called the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali together at Kedesh. Ten thousand men went to fight under his command. Deborah also went along with him.
- Numbers 32:39The descendants of Machir, son of Manasseh, went to Gilead, captured it, and forced out the Amorites who were there.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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