Judges 5:23 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 5:12-23

Here, I. Deborah stirs up herself and Barak to celebrate this victory in the most solemn manner, to the glory of God and the honour of Israel, for the encouragement of their friends and the greater confusion of their enemies, Jdg. 5:12. 1. Deborah, as a prophetess, must do it by a song, to compose and sing which she excites herself: Awake, awake, and again, awake, awake, which intimates the sense she had of the excellency and difficulty of the work; it needed and well deserved the utmost... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 5:23

Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord ,.... Not Barak, as the Targum and Jarchi, but Deborah herself said this under a spirit of prophecy, not from her own spirit in a revengeful way, but from the Spirit of God; or this was suggested to her by an angel, not a created, but the uncreated one, the Angel of the covenant, by whom she was inspired, and an impulse made by him on her to denounce a curse on Meroz; which some say was a star, Sisera's star; others the name of a mighty man F16 ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 5:23

Curse ye Meroz - Where Meroz was is not known; some suppose it was the same as Merom, nigh to Dotham. The Syriac and Arabic have Merod; but where this was is equally uncertain. It was certainly some city or district, the inhabitants of which would not assist in this war. Curse ye bitterly - ארור ארו oru aror , curse with cursing - use the most awful execrations. Said the angel of the Lord - That is, Barak, who was Jehovah's angel or messenger in this war; the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:23

The inhabitants of Meroz (a village 12 miles from Samaria) hung back, and gave no help in the day of battle, although it was Yahweh who called them. Hence, the curse pronounced by the Angel of the Lord. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 5:23

Judges 5:23. Curse ye Meroz A place then, no doubt, eminent and considerable, though now there be no remembrance of it left, which possibly might be the effect of this bitter curse; as God cursed Amalek in this manner, that he might utterly blot out their remembrance. And this place, above all others, may be thus severely cursed, because it was near the place of the fight, and therefore had the greatest opportunity and obligation to assist their brethren. The angel, &c. She signifies... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 5:1-31

Deliverance under Deborah (4:1-5:31)Hazor, chief city of the north, had been conquered and burnt by Joshua (Joshua 11:10-13). However, not all the people had been destroyed. Having rebuilt Hazor, they now took revenge on the northern tribes, especially Zebulun and Naphtali, and ruled them cruelly for twenty years (4:1-3). (To understand fully how God saved Israel at this time, we must read the historical outline in Chapter 4 together with the song of victory in Chapter 5.)Israel’s deliverer on... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 5:23-24

Judges 5:23-24. Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord— It is plain from the corresponding clause, that Meroz was a city, the inhabitants whereof refused to assist in this war, and therefore are thus solemnly devoted by the angel of the Lord. See Joshua 5:14. Against the mighty, at the close of this verse, is rendered by Houbigant, with the mighty; with those warriors of the Lord, who freely offered themselves in this enterprise. From this curse the prophetess passes, by a beautiful... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:23

23. Curse ye Meroz—a village on the confines of Issachar and Naphtali, which lay in the course of the fugitives, but the inhabitants declined to aid in their destruction. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:1-31

2. Deborah’s song of victory ch. 5One writer called this song "the finest masterpiece of Hebrew poetry" that "deserves a place among the best songs of victory ever written." [Note: Robert H. Pfeiffer, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 326.] It is the equivalent of a victory celebration when the troops come home (cf. Exodus 15; Psalms 68)."Observe that each of the three major sections centers around a basic contrast: in Judges 5:2-11 c, the explosive God and humiliated people; in Judges 5:11... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:23-27

God’s curse and blessing 5:23-27Meroz (Judges 5:23) may refer to Merom, an Israelite village in Naphtali, west of Hazor, the Canaanite stronghold. Evidently, out of fear of reprisals, the Israelites who lived there did not join their brethren in fighting their foe. In contrast, Jael feared nothing, but faced with the opportunity to kill Sisera did so boldly. This made her "most blessed of women," the embodiment of God’s will for justice and righteousness (cf. Luke 1:42; Luke 1:51-53). "Curds"... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 5:12-23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 5:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 5:23

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:23

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 5:23

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 5:1-31

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 5:23-24

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:23

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:1-31

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:23-27

Group of Brands