17. The people of Gilead stayed east of the Jordan River.People of Dan, why did you stay by the ships?The people of Asher stayed at the seashore,at their safe harbors.
18. But the people of Zebulun risked their lives,as did the people of Naphtali on the battlefield.
19. “The kings came, and they fought.At that time the kings of Canaan foughtat Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo.But they took away no silver or possessions of Israel.
20. The stars fought from heaven;from their paths, they fought Sisera.
21. The Kishon River swept Sisera’s men away,that old river, the Kishon River.March on, my soul, with strength!
22. Then the horses’ hoofs beat the ground.Galloping, galloping go Sisera’s mighty horses.
23. ‘May the town of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the Lord.‘Bitterly curse its people,because they did not come to help the Lord.They did not fight the strong enemy.’
24. “May Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite,be blessed above all women who live in tents.
25. Sisera asked for water,but Jael gave him milk.In a bowl fit for a ruler,she brought him cream.
26. Jael reached out and took the tent peg.Her right hand reached for the workman’s hammer.She hit Sisera! She smashed his head!She crushed and pierced the side of his head!
27. At Jael’s feet he sank.He fell, and he lay there.At her feet he sank. He fell.Where Sisera sank, there he fell, dead!
28. “Sisera’s mother looked out through the window.She looked through the curtains and cried out,‘Why is Sisera’s chariot so late in coming?Why are sounds of his chariots’ horses delayed?’
29. The wisest of her servant ladies answer her,and Sisera’s mother says to herself,
30. ‘Surely they are robbing the people they defeated!Surely they are dividing those things among themselves!Each soldier is given a girl or two.Maybe Sisera is taking pieces of dyed cloth.Maybe they are even takingpieces of dyed, embroidered cloth for the necks of the victors!’
31. “Let all your enemies die this way, Lord!But let all the people who love yoube as strong as the rising sun!”Then there was peace in the land for forty years.