Judges 5, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

Classic

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

Modern

2“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, the LORD!

Classic

2Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

Modern

3“Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD. I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Classic

3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

Modern

4“the LORD, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.

Classic

4LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.

Modern

5The mountains quaked the LORD’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

Classic

5The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

Modern

6“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways.

Classic

6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

Modern

7The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.

Classic

7The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

Modern

8They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

Classic

8They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

Modern

9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the LORD!

Classic

9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

Modern

10“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.

Classic

10Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Modern

11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.

Classic

11They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

Modern

12‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’

Classic

12Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

Modern

13“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. The LORD came down for me against the mighty.

Classic

13Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

Modern

14Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.

Classic

14Out 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.

Modern

15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.

Classic

15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

Modern

16Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart.

Classic

16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

Modern

17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.

Classic

17Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

Modern

18Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

Classic

18Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

Modern

19“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.

Classic

19The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

Modern

20From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.

Classic

20They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

Modern

21The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.

Classic

21The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

Modern

22Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones.

Classic

22Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

Modern

23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’

Classic

23Curse 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.

Modern

24“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

Classic

24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

Modern

25He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

Classic

25He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

Modern

26She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.

Classic

26She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

Modern

27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

Classic

27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

Modern

28“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’

Classic

28The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

Modern

29Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself,

Classic

29Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

Modern

30‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’

Classic

30Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

Modern

31“So let all your enemies perish, the LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.

Classic

31So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

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