They chose new gods; Then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen Tell of it, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit on rich carpets, And ye that walk by the way: WOMEN Far from the noise of archers, In the places of drawing water: Tutti There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. 11. The Muster Tutti Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates Awake, awake, Deborah, MEN Awake, awake, utter a song : WOMEN Arise, Barak, And lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Tutti Then came down a remnant of the nobles, The people of the Lord came down for me against the mighty. WOMEN Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek MEN After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples WOMEN Out of Machir came down governors. MEN And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff WOMEN And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah MEN As was Issachar, so was Barak: Tutti Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. MEN By the watercourses of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. WOMEN Why satest thou among the sheepfolds, MEN At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart! WOMEN Gilead abode beyond Jordan- MEN And Dan, why did he remain in ships? WOMEN Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, And abode by his creeks. MEN Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives untò the death, And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field. 111. The Battle and Rout Strophe MEN The kings came and fought; Then fought the kings of Canaan, Antistrophe WOMEN They fought from heaven, The stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon! Strophe MEN O my soul, march on with strength! The pransings of their strong ones. Antistrophe WOMEN Curse ye, Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, IV. The Retribution Strophe MEN Blessed above women shall Jael be, the wife of Heber the Kenite, Blessed shall she be above women in the tent! He asked water, and she gave him milk; She brought him butter in a lordly dish. She put her hand to the nail, And her right hand to the workman's hammer; And with the hammer she smote Sisera. She smote through his head, Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay: At her feet he bowed, he fell: Where he bowed, there he fell down dead! Antistrophe WOMEN Through the window she looked forth, and cried, "Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?" Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself, "Have they not found, Have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of divers colors, A spoil of divers colors of embroidery, Of divers colors of embroidery on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?" Apostrophe So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might! |