Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 5:19

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

19. the kings of Canaan ] the chiefs of the principal Canaanite cities in the Plain and neighbourhood; Sisera, if not their overlord, was their leader. The kings of Canaan are mentioned in the Amarna letters, e.g. 101, 13; cf. Jos 5:1, and contrast the unhistorical term king of C. in ch. Jdg 4:2 n.

Taanach Megiddo ] See on Jdg 1:27; the waters of M. are the Kishon. The two towns are on the left bank of the river; ch. 4 rather implies that the battle took place at the foot of Tabor, which is about 15 m. from Taanach, cf. Jdg 4:14.

They took no gain of money ] They expected spoil ( Jdg 5:30, cf. Exo 15:9), but their expectations were disappointed.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19 22. The battle.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The Canaanite hosts are now described, led to battle by their numerous kings. (Compare Jos 12:21.)

They took no gain of money – i. e. either they got no booty, as they expected, or, they did not fight for plunder, but for life and victory (compare Jdg 4:16 and Jdg 5:30).

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 19. The kings came and fought] It is conjectured that Jabin and his confederates had invaded Manasseh, as both Taanach and Megiddo were in that tribe: and that they were discomfited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali at Taanach and Megiddo; while Barak defeated Sisera at Mount Tabor.

They took no gain of money] They expected much booty in the total rout of the Israelites; but they were defeated, and got no prey; or, if applied to the Israelites, They fought for liberty, not for plunder.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The kings; either confederate with him, or subject to him: for it is known that there were divers petty kings in those parts; which also ofttimes were subject to one greater and more potent king; and particularly this Hazor, where this Jabin now reigned, Jdg 4:2, was beforetime the head of divers petty kingdoms, Jos 11:10. Taanach and Megiddo were two eminent cities, belonging indeed to Manasseh, Jdg 1:27, but seated in the tribe of Issachar, Jos 17:11, not far from Mount Tabor, Jos 17:10; Jdg 1:27, nor from the river Kishon.

They took no gain of money; either, first, From Sisera. They fought without pay, whether from mere hatred of the Israelites, and a desire to be revenged upon them; or from a full hope and confidence of paying themselves abundantly out of Israels spoils. Or, secondly, From the Israelites; so the sense is, They fell, lost all their hopes of money, and rich spoils, and booty, which they assured themselves of; instead of gaining a prey, they lost themselves.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

19-22. describes the scene ofbattle and the issue. It would seem (Jud5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaaniteprinces. The battlefield was near Taanach (now Ta’annuk), on a tellor mound in the level plain of Megiddo (now Leijun), on itssouthwestern extremity, by the left bank of the Kishon.

they took no gain ofmoneyThey obtained no plunder.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

The kings came,…. Who were with Sisera, as the Targum adds; unless Deborah can be thought to refer to the battle, supposed to be fought about the same place, between Joshua and the kings in confederacy with Jabin, Jos 10:1

then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; the other kings of Canaan, which came into the assistance of Jabin, either in the times of Joshua; or rather which now joined Sisera’s army, in those places, which both belonged to Manasseh, but were in the tribe of Issachar, of which [See comments on Jos 17:11] and were at some distance from each other, as appears by the villages and country around, and belonging to each; and such was the largeness of Sisera’s army, reinforced by those kings, that according to the Targum it reached from Taanach to Megiddo; the same is observed by the Jewish commentators; the waters of Megiddo are the same with the river Kishon, which ran near the city:

they took no gain of money; that is, either of Jabin king of Canaan, whom they came to serve; but freely engaged with him, and maintained their own troops, which they brought into the field, and had raised at their own expense; but according to Kimchi the sense is, they took no money of the Israelites that fell into their hands, but slew them, would not save their lives, though they offered them money, being like the merciless Medes, Isa 13:17 but rather the meaning is, that whereas they came big with expectation of a large booty among the Israelites, they were disappointed, and obliged to flee without any.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

19 Kings came, … they fought;

The kings of Canaan fought At Taanach, at the waters of Megiddo.

A piece of silver they did not take.

20 From heaven they fought,

The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.

21 The brook of Kishon swept them away,

The brook of the olden time, the brook Kishon.

Go on, my soul, in strength!

The advance of the foe is described in few words. Kings came on and fought. They were the kings of Canaan, since Jabin, like his ancestor ( Jos 11:1.), had formed an alliance with other kings of northern Canaan, who went to the battle under the command of Sisera. The battle took place at Taanach (see at Jos 12:21), by the water of Megiddo, the present Lejun (see at Jos 12:21), i.e., by the brook Kishon (cf. Jdg 4:7). Taanach and Megiddo were not quite five miles apart, and beside and between them there were several brooks which ran into the southern arm of the Kishon, that flowed through the plain to the north of both these towns. The hostile kings went into the battle with the hope of slaying the Israelites and making a rich capture of booty. But their hopes were disappointed. They could not take with them a piece of silver as booty. , which generally signifies booty or gain, is probably to be taken here in its primary sense of frustum, from , to cut off or cut in pieces, a “piece of silver,” equivalent to a single piece of valuable booty.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Course of Battle, vs. 19-23

It appears that the kings of Canaan, meaning their princes and great men, came down to the Kishon valley in eager expectation of great victory against the un-equipped Israelite army. They expected to take great spoil. The vicinity of the battle is identified as Taanach, near Megiddo. Taanach was on the west side of the valley, and Megiddo was scarcely ten miles to the northwest. God had so used the elements in giving Israel the mighty victory that it seemed comparable to the event of Joshua’s day when the heavenly bodies joined in the fray (Jos 10:12-14). The torrents of the river Kishon had swept the great army away. The sound of the horses’ hooves was muffled by the mire in which the iron chariots were stuck.

But some had failed to show up who should have been there. Meroz was very near Kedesh in the tribe of Naphtali, in the very area which suffered most from the depradations of the Canaanites. But they did not come to battle for their own deliverance. They had failed their brethren, they had failed the Lord, and they had failed themselves. Only a curse was left for them. How analogous is this to the state of those who go through life and fail in every respect to prepare for eternity! (2Ti 2:17-18)

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(19) The kings.Comp. Jos. 11:1. Jabin did not stand alone.

In Taanach.See Jdg. 1:27. The word means sandy soil.

By the waters of Megiddo.The affluents of the Kishon, or the swollen waves of the river itself. There is a copious spring at Lejjn, the ancient Megiddo, which in rainy seasons rapidly turns the plain into a morass (Thomsons Land and Book. ch. 29).

They took no gain of money.Literally, fragment of silver they did not take. They had doubtless hoped, if not for much actual spoil, at least for ransom from the numerous captives which they expected to win, or from the gain derived by selling them into slavery.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

19. There came kings Canaanitish kings or princes confederate with Jabin. Compare Jos 11:1-5. As in Joshua’s time, so now, all these kings combined together to fight with Israel.

At Taanach The modern Taannuk, in the southwestern part of the great Plain of Esdraelon. See at Jos 12:21.

Megiddo The modern el-Lej-jun, about four miles northwest of Taunnuk. See again at Jos 12:21.

The waters of Megiddo are the numerous small streams in the neighbourhood, which flow into and help to form the ancient Kishon.

Spoil of silver they did not take A caustic sentence. They gathered no spoils. Their plans of conquest ended in dire defeat.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jdg 5:19

“The kings came and fought,

Then fought the kings of Canaan,

In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo.

They took no gain of wealth.”

Jabin’s confederacy, led by the kings of Canaan under Sisera, came to the fight, their hearts filled with the thought of booty. They fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, that is, by the Kishon (Jdg 4:7). This indicates that Megiddo was not standing at the time, suggesting a date around 1125 BC, Taanach, the largest city there, identifying the area.

“They took no gain of wealth.” Their expectations of booty from a glorious victory (compare Jdg 5:30) turned to dust, they left the field with empty hands. Their hopes were totally dashed. Nor did they receive any reward of any kind for their activity, for they abysmally failed.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Defeat and Death of Sisera

v. 19. The kings came and fought, said figuratively of the leaders of Jabin’s army; then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, for the two cities are barely three miles apart, and the plain is watered by several small tributaries of the Kishon. They took no gain of money, they did not get so much as one piece of silver as booty nor one ounce of money to buy them off.

v. 20. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera, literally, “From heaven fought the stars, from their courses they fought against Sisera”; by an extraordinary phenomenon the Lord sent confusion into the ranks of the enemy.

v. 21. The river of Kishon swept them away, snatched them away, as they attempted to cross it in their headlong flight, that ancient river, the river Kishon; the very brook was an instrument of help against the foe. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength, or, “Step forth with strength,” as Deborah urges herself onward in singing of the mighty defeat.

v. 22. Then were the horse-hoofs broken by the means of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones, or, “Then stamped the hoofs of the horses from the rushing, the rushing of his champions,” as the foe, panic-stricken before Israel, dashed away in furious flight.

v. 23. Curse 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. When they could have been of assistance to the army of Barak, in destroying the fleeing foes, they refused to help.

v. 24. Blessed above women shall Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite, be; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. People of Meroz, members of the nation of Israel, refused to help, but Jael, though only a woman, though a mere dweller in tents and not of the descendants of Jacob, made use of the opportunity offered her.

v. 25. He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter, the very thickest, the most excellent cream, in a lordly dish, in a show-bowl, the finest vessel in the tent.

v. 26. She put her hand to the nail, the tent-pin, 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. The very fierce and vivid description may be rendered: She swung it upon Sisera, she pierces his head, and she crashes and pounds through his temples.

v. 27. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead. So the smitten chieftain drew himself together after the first blow was struck, sought to rise, and fell back. Twice more he writhed convulsively and then died. And now the last scene is pictured.

v. 28. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, full of uneasiness and impatience over the delay of her son, otherwise so quick in returning with rich booty, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots? If he himself is delayed, why does he not at least send word of the success of his enterprise?

v. 29. Her wise ladies answered her, with the wisdom of pride that cannot conceive of a defeat for Sisera; yea, she returned answer to herself,

v. 30. Have they not sped? Have they not divided the prey, thereby being detained so long; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, beautiful colored or purple robes, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil, color-embroidered vestments, two for his neck as booty? “The glowing heat of her prophetic enthusiasm shines through the irony with which she places the vain pride of unbelieving enemies over against the almighty power of God. It is not an irony of hatred, disfiguring the face with scornful smiles, but such as springs from the consciousness that God’s wisdom and power are superior to all heroes and heathen. ” (Lange. )

v. 31. So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, fallen and brought to naught like Sisera; but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. The rising of the sun in his full strength is a fitting picture of the rising of Israel to an ever more glorious manifestation of power, according to the intention of the Lord. And the land had rest forty years.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Jdg 5:19. The kings came and fought Several kings of Canaan, most probably, had united themselves with Jabin in this expedition. Taanach and Megiddo were two cities belonging to the Manassites, Jos 17:11. They took no gain of money, is variously interpreted. “The simple sense,” says Bishop Patrick, “seems to be, that they were kings of such bravery, as fought not for money, but for glory and dominion.” Houbigant, after the Vulgate, understands it, that they got nothing but blows; no prey or spoil at all, as they expected: and agreeably hereto, Mr. Green renders it, for lucre of money, which they carried not off. The prophet, says he, uses the figure called meiosis, by which more is intended than expressed. Her meaning is, that the kings of Canaan were so far from carrying off the booty they came for, that they did even escape with their lives; and if we consider how sarcastically the prophetess makes the Israelitish spoil engage the attention of Sisera’s mother, we may probably think that she meant this too as a sarcasm upon the kings of Canaan for their lucrative views in fighting against Israel. See Calmet.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Jdg 5:19 The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

Ver. 19. The kings came and fought. ] They could combine, but so could not the Israelites. What a shame is it that the great Turk should be heard to say, that he sooner expected that his fingers should be all of one length than that the Christian princes should be all of one mind against him their common enemy.

They took no gain of money. ] Desiderabile argentum non acceperunt, they served freely without pay, out of their love to the cause, and hopes of making themselves great gainers by the spoils of the Israelites. So George Fransperg, a general in the imperial army, under the conduct of Charles Bourbon, that sacked Rome in the time of Pope Clement VII, carried into Italy thirteen thousand soldiers of Germany, almost all Lutherans, with no other pay but of one crown apiece of his own goods, and a promise to lead them to Rome, where he would hang the Pope, and give them the spoil of the city. a

a Hist. of Council of Trent, 43.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

gain = plunder.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

kings: Jos 10:22-27, Jos 11:1-15, Psa 48:4-6, Psa 68:12-14, Psa 118:8-12, Rev 17:12-14, Rev 19:19

Taanach: Jdg 1:27, 1Ki 4:12

they took: Jdg 5:30, Gen 14:22, Gen 4:16, Psa 44:12

Reciprocal: Jos 12:21 – Taanach Jos 17:11 – Taanach Jos 21:25 – Tanach Jdg 10:12 – Zidonians 1Ki 9:15 – Megiddo 2Ki 9:27 – Megiddo 2Ki 23:29 – Megiddo 1Ch 7:29 – Taanach 2Ch 35:22 – Megiddo Rev 16:16 – Armageddon

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jdg 5:19. The kings came and fought There were divers petty kings in those parts who were subject to Jabin. Taanach and Megiddo were two eminent cities not far from mount Tabor, nor from the river Kishon. They took no gain of money Some interpret this as meaning they fought without pay, whether from mere hatred of the Israelites, and a desire to be revenged on them, or from a full hope and confidence of paying themselves abundantly out of Israels spoils. But it may be intended as a sarcasm upon the kings of Canaan for their lucrative views in fighting against Israel. They came to the help of Jabin for lucres sake; namely, to enrich themselves with the spoils; but the Israelites fought for liberty.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jdg 5:19-22. The Battle of Megiddo.The waters of Megiddo were tributaries of the Kishon. Taanach and Megiddo (p. 30) were both towns on the left bank of the river. The battle-field of Megiddo long afterwards suggested the name of the last weird battle of the nationsthe apocalyptic Armageddon (Rev 16:16).

Jdg 5:20. The very stars take part in the fighta magnificent poetical way of saying that all the forces of the universe are arrayed on the side of righteousness. The battle must have been fought in winter or spring. Yahwehs storm-clouds burst, and the swollen river swept many of Israels enemies away.In Jdg 5:22 b there is an attempt to imitate the galloping of horses in flight.

Jdg 5:23. The curse of Meroz brands with everlasting guilt and shame an otherwise long-forgotten town, whose inhabitants missed the greatest opportunity ever given to man or nationthe opportunity of helping God. Venturing nothing, Meroz lost everything that men of honour care to live for, while she earned the cowards curse. This verse was a favourite text of the old Covenanters. Instead of against the mighty one may equally well read among the heroes; a great idea either way.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

5:19 The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of {p} money.

(p) They won nothing, but lost all.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

God’s defeat of the Canaanites 5:19-22

The great victory was due to God’s supernatural intervention for Israel. He increased the effectiveness of the Israelite soldiers. The kings in Jdg 5:19 are probably all Canaanite kings, as the NIV translation suggests. Taanach stood near Megiddo, which may have been in ruins at this time. [Note: W. F. Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine, p. 117.]

The stars (Jdg 5:20) symbolize the forces of heaven that were more specifically the rains God sent. This personification ridiculed the Canaanites’ belief in astrology. [Note: Wolf, p. 414.] The flood that resulted from the rain made it impossible for the Canaanites to use their horses and chariots effectively (cf. Exo 14:25).

"In all probability we have to think of a terrible storm, with thunder and lightening and hail, or the sudden bursting of a cloud, which is poetically described as though the stars of heaven had left their courses to fight for the Lord and His kingdom upon earth." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, pp. 320-21.]

Since Baal was the storm god, Deborah was glorifying Yahweh over Baal in what she said here.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)