Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 5:18
Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that] jeopardized their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
18. In contrast to the lethargy of the tribes on the E. and N. was the heroic valour of Zebulun and Naphtali.
the high places of the field ] is hardly applicable to the field of battle, which was a plain; perhaps the general meaning is, the two tribes came fearlessly down from their mountain homes prepared to sacrifice all for the cause. See further on Jdg 4:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In contrast with the selfishness of the tribes just named, Deborah reverts with enthusiasm to the heroic prowess of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Zebulun and Naphtali – jeoparded their lives] The original is very emphatic, chereph naphsho lamuth, they desolated their lives to death – they were determined to conquer or die, and therefore plunged into the thickest of the battle. The word jeoparded is a silly French term, and comes from the exclamation of a disappointed gamester: Jeu perdu! The game is lost; or J’ai perdue! I have lost.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jeoparded, Heb. despised, or reproached, or contemned, comparatively; they chose rather to venture upon a generous and honourable death, than to enjoy a shameful and servile life.
In the high places of the field, i.e. upon that large and eminent plain in the top of Mount Tabor, where they put themselves in battle-array, and expected the enemy; though when they saw he did not come up to them, they marched down to meet and fight him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Zebulun and Naphtali were a people,…. These two tribes were chiefly concerned in this war; out of them were the 10,000 men that followed Barak, who willingly offered themselves, and were the most active and vigorous:
[that] jeoparded themselves unto the death; exposed them to the utmost danger, fearless of death itself: or reproached k their lives; were careless of them, valued them not; they were not dear to them, but were ready to part with them freely, in the cause of liberty in which they were engaged:
in the high places of the field; on the top of Mount Tabor, where they were mustered, and from whence they beheld the vast host of Sisera surrounding them; and yet, with an undaunted bravery and courage, descended the hill to fight with them. The Vulgate Latin version reads, “in the country of Merome”; in the plains and fields of it, near which were the waters of Merom, where Joshua fought Jabin, a former king of Canaan, and supposed by some to be the same with Kishon here,
Jos 11:5.
k “probris affecit”, Pagninus; so the Targum.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Zebulun and Naphtali acted quite differently. Zebulun showed itself as a people that despised its life even to death, i.e., that sacrificed its life for the deliverance of its fatherland. Naphtali did the same in its mountain home. The two tribes had raised 10,000 fighting men at Barak’s call ( Jdg 4:10), who constituted at any rate the kernel of the Israelitish army.
If we run over the tribes enumerated, it seems strange that the tribes of Judah and Simeon are not mentioned either among those who joined in the battle, or among those who stayed away. The only way in which this can be explained is on the supposition that these two tribes were never summoned by Barak, either because they were so involved in conflict with the Philistines, that they were unable to render any assistance to the northern tribes against their Canaanitish oppressors, as we might infer from Jdg 3:31, or because of some inward disagreement between these tribes and the rest. But even apart from Judah and Simeon, the want of sympathy on the part of the tribes that are reproved is a sufficient proof that the enthusiasm for the cause of the Lord had greatly diminished in the nation, and that the internal unity of the congregation was considerably loosened.
In the next strophe the battle and the victory are described: –
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(18) Jeoparded their lives.Comp. Jdg. 9:7; Isa. 53:12. The courage of Zebulon and Naphtali is contrasted with the empty debates of Reuben, the sloth of Gilead, the cowardly selfishness of Dan and Asher.
In the high places of the field.That is, on Mount Tabor. The Hebrew word is the Meroms; hence the Vulgate has in regione Merome. (Comp. Jos. 11:5; Jos. 11:7.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Zebulun Mentioned a second time (compare Jdg 5:14) because of the extraordinary bravery and heroism of the warriors of this tribe.
Scorned his soul to death Hazarded his life on the most conspicuous places of the battle field. So bold and fearless was he that he seemed actually to scorn ( ) his own life, and to treat it with contempt.
And Naphtali The same heroism and daring are predicated of the warriors of this tribe also, only the name of the tribe occurs but this once. The prominence of these two tribes in the action is seen in chap. Jdg 4:6; Jdg 4:10.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Victory of Yahweh ( Jdg 5:18-22 ).
Jdg 5:18
“Zebulun were a people who jeopardised their lives unto death,
And Naphtali on the high places of the field.”
These (including Issachar with Naphtali) formed the main bulk of the units which climbed Mount Tabor, ‘the high places of the earth’, from which they could swoop down on their foes. They were the ones prepared to take the main bulk of the fighting.
“The high places of the field” may have been poetic licence as the singer looked at the hills among which was Tabor. Or it may even be that the battle did take them into the hills, seeking the fleeing enemy. Alternately it may poetically signify the hottest part of the fighting.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali [were] a people [that] jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
Ver. 18. That jeoparded their lives. ] Or, Devoted, exposed; and are therefore worthily renowned and never enough commended. They that “do worthily in Ephrata,” shall be “famous in Bethlehem.” Rth 4:11 What a name hath Seanderbeg, Hunniades, Zisca, the Black Prince, who was so called, not of his colour, but of his dreaded acts in battle! a
a Speed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lives = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Zebulun: Jdg 4:10
jeoparded: Heb. exposed to reproach.
their lives: Est 4:16, Act 20:24, 1Jo 3:16, Rev 12:11
in the high: Jdg 4:6, Jdg 4:10, Jdg 4:14
Reciprocal: Gen 49:21 – General 2Sa 1:25 – How 2Sa 23:17 – jeopardy 1Ch 11:19 – in jeopardy Act 15:26 – hazarded
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 5:18. Zebulun and Naphtali, &c. These were the two tribes out of which Barak, by the order of God, (Jdg 4:6,) drew ten thousand men, who charged the enemy from mount Tabor; and Deborah here celebrates their gallant behaviour. That jeoparded their lives Hebrew, , cherep, despised their lives, or exposed them to the danger of death, as making no account of them, in comparison of joining with their brethren to shake off the yoke of the Canaanites, and recover their liberty. They chose rather to venture upon a generous and honourable death than to enjoy a shameful and servile life. In the high places of the field That is, upon that large and eminent plain in the top of mount Tabor, where they put themselves in battle array, and expected the enemy; though, when they saw that the Canaanites did not come up to them, they marched down to meet them.