Judges 5:18

18 The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.

Judges 5:18 in Other Translations

KJV
18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
ESV
18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
NLT
18 But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield.
MSG
18 But Zebulun risked life and limb, defied death, as did Naphtali on the battle heights.
CSB
18 Zebulun was a people risking their lives, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

Judges 5:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 5:18

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 F11 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, ( Joshua 11:5 ) ( Psalms 83:9 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Prx) "probris affecit", Pagninus; so the Targum.

Judges 5:18 In-Context

16 Why did you stay among the sheep pensto hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.
17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves.
18 The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.
19 “Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver.
20 From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Genesis 30:20
  • 2. S Genesis 30:8; Psalms 68:27
  • 3. S Judges 4:6,10
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