Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks?.... This tribe abounded with flocks and herds, and therefore chose the country on the other side Jordan, as suitable for them; and now, at this critical juncture, they judged it wisest, and their best policy, to abide by them, and the care of them; lest by intermeddling, should Jabin prevail, he might be provoked to fall upon them, and take them from them; wherefore the bleatings of their flocks, and the whistlings of the shepherds that kept them, sounded louder in their ears, and more engrossed their attention, than the groans and cries of Israel under oppression; or than the soundings of the trumpet, the alarm of war, or the loud calls of Deborah and Barak; being under the influence of a carnal worldly spirit, and wanting affection and sympathy towards their brethren, about which Deborah here expostulates with them:for the divisions of Reuben [there were] great searchings of heart; this is repeated to show how much the prophetess, the general of the army, the princes and people, were affected with this conduct of the tribe of Reuben; it gave them much pain and uneasiness, occasioned many inquiries, caused much discourse and conversation, and put them upon thinking, and greatly exercised their minds, what should be the meaning of their behaving after this manner.
Bible Commentary
Judges 5:16
Judges 5:16
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Judges 5 — OverviewJudges 5 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThis chapter contains the triumphal song which was composed and sung
upon occasion of that glorious victory which Israel obtained over the
forces of Jabin king of Canaan and the happy consequences of that…Judges 5 — OverviewJudges 5 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJudges 5:1, The Song of Deborah and Barak.Judges 5 — OverviewJudges 5 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter contains a song of praise on account of the victories obtained over Jabin, and his kingdom; after an exhortation to praise is given, and kings excited to attend to it, the majestic appearance of God at…Judges 5:1-31Judges 5:1-31 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION
5:1
Then sang Deborah, etc. The ode which follows was doubtless the composition of Deborah the prophetess, and was sung by her (as the gender of the Hebrew verb indicates), assisted by Barak, who perhaps…Judges 5:1-31Judges 5:1-31 · The Pulpit CommentaryII. THE WOMAN CHOSEN FOR THE DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL WAS A MOTHER. The peculiar virtue of celibacy is a late invention which finds no basis in the Bible. There marriage is honourable (Hebrews 13:4), and to mothers a…Judges 5:12-23Judges 5:12-23 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere, I. Deborah stirs up herself and Barak to celebrate this victory
in the most solemn manner, to the glory of God and the honour of
Israel, for the encouragement of their friends and the greater
confusion of…