God’s Word Translation
Judges 5:20
20The stars fought from heaven. They fought against Sisera from their heavenly paths.
Judges 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
- New International Version (NIV)From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
- English Standard Version (ESV)From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.
Context of Judges 5:20
18But Zebulun mocked death, and Naphtali risked his life on the battlefield. 19Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought. They fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. But they didn’t carry off any rich loot. The stars fought from heaven. They fought against Sisera from their heavenly paths. 21The Kishon River swept them away— that old river, the Kishon. I must march on with strength! 22Then the horses’ hoofs pounded. The mighty war horses galloped on and on.
Read all of Judges 5Judges 5:20 word by word
מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם נִלְחָ֑מוּ הַכּֽוֹכָבִים֙ מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־סִיסְרָֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Judges 5:20
- Joshua 10:11As they fled from the Israelites down the slope of Beth Horon toward Azekah, the Lord threw huge hailstones on them. More died from the hailstones than from Israelite swords.
- 1 Samuel 7:10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. On that day the Lord thundered loudly at the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.
- Psalms 77:17The clouds poured out water. The sky thundered. Even your arrows flashed in every direction.
- Judges 4:15The Lord threw Sisera, all his chariots, and his whole army into a panic in front of Barak’s deadly assault. Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
Commentaries on Judges 5:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They fought from heaven - The angels of God came to the assistance of Israel: and the stars in their orbits fought against Sisera; probably some thunder storm, or great inundation from the river Kishon, took place at that time, which in poetic language was attributed to the stars. So our poet sung relative to the storms which dispersed the Spanish armada in 1588: - "Both winds and waves at once conspire To aid old England - frustrate Spain's desire."…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20God fought on the side of Israel, and gave them the victory. Josephus relates that, just as the battle began, a violent tempest came on with a great downfall of rain; and a hailstorm, which, driving full in the faces of the Canaanites, so blinded and benumbed them with cold, that they could neither use their bows with effect nor even hold their swords.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. 19-23The battle is described. The brave warriors who followed Deborah and Barak became less important as the Lord called upon the stars of heaven and the Kishon River to destroy Sisera's army.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2219-22. describes the scene of battle and the issue. It would seem (Jud 5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaanite princes. The battlefield was near Taanach (now Ta'annuk), on a tell or mound in the level plain of Megiddo (now Leijun), on its southwestern extremity, by the left bank of the Kishon. they took no gain of money--They obtained no plunder.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 5:20
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
Commentaries