The Songs of the Old Testament Translated into English Measures, Song 3
THE Song of Deborah and Barak. Iudges 5.
The Argument and Vſe.
IN the booke of Iudges, Chapter 4. you may read, that the ouerthrow giuen to Siſera (by Deborah and Barak) occaſioned this Song of deliuerance; and therefore, referring you thither to be informed concerning the particular circumſtances; I will here, ſhew you the generall ſcope of this Hymne, to be a Thankeſgiuing, for a great ouerthrow, gotten on their enemies. Wherein many things are remarkable. Firſt, in their Introduction, attributing the glory to God, (and inciting all Potentates of the world to conſider it) they ſet forth with what Maieſtie the LORD came to their deliuerance. Secondly, the excellency of the benefit receiued, is illuſtrated, by the great deſolation they were formerly in▪ the little meanes they had to protect themſelues, and the happie tranquillity which they ſhould afterward enioy. Thirdly, they ſhew the cauſe of their former diſtreſſe, to hauehave beene Apoſtacie from God. Fourthly, they memorize thoſe, who were forward in that iuſt warre, and vpbraid ſuch as drew backe in ſo good a cauſe. Fiftly, they declare what powerfull enemies they had; and what miraculous aſſiſtance God vouchſafed. Sixtly, a curſe is denounced againſt ſuch as refuſe to fight the LORDS battailes; and She is bleſſed who was the happy Inſtrument of their deliuery. Laſtly, here is a deſcription of the manner of Siſerah's death, an Ironicall expreſſion of the Aduerſaries vaine hope of preuailing, and a propheticall imprecation, that all Gods enemies may ſo periſh, to the aduancement of his Church.
Jt is obſerued by the Auncients; that there is no Song mentioned in the Old or New Teſtament, but it was compoſed vponupon ſome extraordinary benefit or deliuerance, which the Church receiued: and that in all the ſongs of the old Teſtament (eſpecially) there is (beſide the plaine literall ſence) ſome Miſtery of the Chriſtian Religion prophetically aymed at, couertly or openly, vnderunder the paſſages thereof. And therefore, this Song is not onelyonly to be ſung of vsus Chriſtians, to glorifie God in memorizing his protecting our mother the Church, among the Iewiſh Nation, in her Infancie: But, wee are to vſe it alſo, as a thanks-giuing for eueryevery particular deliuerance, which is vouchſafed to the viſible Church in theſe times. As in memoriall of our miraculous preſeruation, in the yeare 1588. when our Princely Deborah (the Queene of this kingdome) gaue an ouerthrow to the Spaniſh Siſera: For then, the powers of heauen apparantly fought againſt him (as it is ſaid in this Song.) The Sea, more terrible then their brooke Kiſhon, ſwept moſt of them away: And euen then (as the mother of the Cananitiſh commander, is here ſcoffed at by Deborah, for her vaine expectation: So, the whore of Babilon (who was mother to that other Siſera) in vaine longed to behold him returne a conquerour: till being ridiculouſly confident of the ſpoile; ſhe was by the true Church laughed to ſcorne for her preſumption. And then alſo; this propheticall imprecacation (which) we finde in the Epilogue of this Song) was partly fulfilled. Thine enemies oh LORD ſhall periſh; but they that louelove thee ſhall be as the Sunne when he riſeth in his might. For, as the firſt Siſera was ſhamefully ruined by a woman: ſo, God gaue that laſt Siſera (with his ſeeming inuincible forces) into the hand of a woman, whoſe honour (with his ſhame) was thereby ſpread through as great a part of the world, as the Sunne ſhineth ouer at mid-day.
This Song (as J ſaid before) would properly be ſung alſo vponupon many other deliuerances which the Church hath or may hauehave. As for that of the powder-Treaſon and ſuch like. For were it not that J ſhould be ouerlarge in my Prologue to this Song, J could make it very probable, how the holy Ghoſt, was ſo farre from making this Hymne to fit the Iewes after that victory onelyonly; as that the names therein mentioned, doe well enough expreſſe any that are, or ſhall be Inſtruments againſt the peace of Gods Church, or for the protection thereof.
The Song.
Then ſang Deborah, and Barak the ſonne of Abinoam on that day▪ ſaying:
… SIng praiſes to the Lord That Iſre'l to acquite, The people of their owne ac-cord Went forth vntounto the fight: You Kings giuegive eare, you Princes heare, I to the Lord will raiſe My voyce aloud, and ſing to God The Lord of Iſr'ell prayſe. …
LORD, when thou wentſt from Seir,
When thou lef'ſt Edom field;
Earth ſhooke, and heauen dropped there,
The Clouds did water yeeld,
LORD, at thy ſight a trembling fright,
VponUpon the Mountaines fell:
And at thy looke, Mount Sinai ſhooke,
LORD God of Jſrael.
Erewhile in Shamghar's dayes,
Old Anah's valiant ſonne,
And late in Jaels time, the wayes
Frequented were of none;
The paſſengers were wanderers
In crooked pathes vnknowne;
And none durſt dwell, through Jſrael
But in a walled towne.
Vntill I Deborah 'roſe.
I roſe a mother here
In Jſr'el, when new Gods they choſe
That fil'd their gates with warre.
And they had there nor ſhield nor ſpeare,
In their poſſeſſion then;
To arme for fight, one Iſraelite,
'Mong forty thouſand men.
My hearts affection, ſet
On Iſraels Leaders is;
Who with the willing people met,
Oh praiſe the LORD for this.
Sing all of yee, who vſed be,
To ride on Aſſes gray:
All you that yet in Middin ſi…,
Or trauaile by the way.
Where they their water drew,
Thoſe places being cleare
From noyſe of Archers; Let them ſhew
The LORD's vprightnes there.
Through Jſrael all, the hamlets ſhall
His righteouſneſſe record:
And downe vntounto the gates ſhall goe,
The people of the LORD.
Riſe Deborah, ariſe,
Riſe, riſe, and ſing a ſong,
Abinoams ſonne, oh Barak riſe;
Thy Captiues lead along.
By him made thrall, their Princes all,
To the Suruiuer be,
To triumph on the mightie one;
The LORD vouchſafed me.
A root from Ephraim,
Gainſt Amaleck aroſe,
And of the people next to him,
The Beniamites were thoſe.
From Machir, where good leaders are,
Came well experienc't men:
And they came downe from Zabulon
That handle well the penne.
With Deborah did goe
The Lords of Iſachar,
Eu'n Iſachar; and Barak to,
Was one among them there;
Who forth was ſent, and downe he went,
On foote the lower way.
In Ruben there, diuiſions were,
Great thoughts of heart had they.
The bleating flockes to heare
Oh wherefore didſt thou ſtay?
In Ruben there diuiſions were,
Great thoughts of heart had they.
And why did they of Gilead ſtay,
On Iordan's other ſide?
Or what was than, the reaſon Dan,
Did in his Tents abide?
Among his harbours nigh
The ſea, there Aſher lay;
But Zabulon, nor Nepthali.
Did keepe themſelues away:
Theſe people are, who feareleſſe dare
Their liues to death expoſe;
And would not yeeld the hilly-field,
Yet Kings did them oppoſe.
The Cananitiſh Kings,
At Tana'ch fought that day,
Cloſe by Megiddoes water-ſprings;
Yet bore no prize away.
The Starres from out the heauens fought,
Gainſt Siſera they ſtroue:
They in their courſe, and ſome with force,
Away brocke Kiſhon droue;
Old Kiſhon, that was long
A famous Torrent knowne.
Oh thou my ſoule, oh thou the ſtrong
Haſt brauely trodden downe!
Their horſes by their prauncing high,
Their broken hoofes did wound;
Thoſe of the ſtrong, that kickt and flung,
And fiercely beat the ground.
A curſe on Meroz lay,
Curſt let her dwellers be;
The Angell of the LORD, doth ſay,
Extreamely curſe it yee.
The cauſe of this accurſing is,
They came not to the fight,
To helpe the LORD, to help the LORD,
Againſt the men of might.
But Iael, Hebers Spouſe,
The Kenite, bleſt be ſhe,
More then all women more then thoſe,
That vſe in Tents to be.
To him doth ſhe, giuegive milke when he
Doth but for water wiſh:
She butterfets, and forth it ſets
VponUpon a Lordly diſh.
Her left hand reacht a Nayle,
A workmans hammer ſtreight
Her right hand takes, and therewithall,
She Siſera doth ſmite.
His head ſhe tooke, when ſhe had ſtrooke
His pierced temples through;
He fell withall, and in the fall,
Hee at her feete did bow▪
He at her feete did bow,
Whom falling life forſooke;
And Siſera his mother now,
Doth from her window looke.
Thus cries ſhe at the lattice grate,
Why ſtaies his Charr'ot ſo,
Returning home? oh wherefore come,
His Charr'ot wheeles ſo ſlowe?
There-with her Ladies wiſe,
To her an anſwere gaue;
Yea, to her ſelfe, her ſelfe replies,
Sure ſped, ſaith ſhe, they hauehave.
And all this while, they part the ſpoile;
A damzell one or twaie
Each homeward beares, and Siſera ſhares,
A particolour'd pray.
A pray diſcolour'd trimme,
And wrought with paintings rare:
Wrought through; and for the necke of him
That taketh ſpoiles to weare.
So LORD, ſtill ſo, thy foes ore'throw,
But who in thee delight,
Oh let them be, Sunne-like, when he
Aſcendeth in his might.