God’s Word Translation
Judges 5:23
23“Curse Meroz!” said the Messenger of the Lord. “Bitterly curse those who live there! They did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord and his heroes.”
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 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. “Curse Meroz!” said the Messenger of the Lord. “Bitterly curse those who live there! They did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord and his heroes.” 24Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, should be the most blessed woman, the most blessed woman living in a tent. 25Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk. She offered him buttermilk in a royal 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 26:19Your Majesty, please listen to my words. If the Lord has turned you against me, let him be satisfied with an offering. But if mere mortals ⌞have turned you against me⌟, let them be cursed by the Lord. They have prevented me from having a share of the Lord’s inheritance. ‘Go and serve other gods,’ they tell me.
- Jeremiah 48:10Cursed are those who neglect doing the Lord’s work. Cursed are those who keep their swords from killing.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone doesn’t love the Lord, let him be cursed! Our Lord, come!
- Judges 2:1The Messenger of the Lord went from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt into the land that I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my promise to you.
- Judges 4:6Deborah summoned Barak, son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali. She told him, “The Lord God of Israel has given you this order: ‘Gather troops on Mount Tabor. Take 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun with you.
- Judges 6:11The Messenger of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah that belonged to Joash from Abiezer’s family. Joash’s son Gideon was beating out wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
- Judges 13:3The Messenger of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You’ve never been able to have a child, but now you will become pregnant and have a son.
- Matthew 25:41“Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels!
- Judges 21:9So they questioned the people, and there was no one there from Jabesh Gilead.
- Nehemiah 3:5Next to them the men from Tekoa made repairs. However, the nobles wouldn’t lower themselves to work under supervisors.
- 1 Samuel 17:47Then everyone gathered here will know that the Lord can save without sword or spear, because the Lord determines every battle’s outcome. He will hand all of you over to us.”
- 1 Samuel 18:17Finally, Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” (Saul thought, “I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.”)
- 1 Samuel 25:28Please forgive my offense. The Lord will certainly give you, sir, a lasting dynasty, because you are fighting the Lord’s battles. May evil never be found in you as long as you live.
- Romans 15:18I’m bold enough to tell you only what Christ has done through me to bring people who are not Jewish to obedience. By what I have said and done,
- 1 Corinthians 3:9We are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field. You are God’s building.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1Since we are God’s coworkers, we urge you not to let God’s kindness be wasted on you.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries