“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
Parallel Translations
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“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
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The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
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The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Judges 5:19 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Judges 1:27 Manasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
- Judges 5:30 ‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’
- 1 Kings 4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;
- Genesis 4:16 Cain left Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
- Genesis 14:22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
- Joshua 10:22-27 Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.” They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for Yahweh will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.” Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening. At the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
- Joshua 11:1-15 When Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. They went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. All these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel. Yahweh said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua came suddenly, with all the warriors, against them by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mizpah eastward. They struck them until they left them no one remaining. Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword: for Hazor used to be the head of all those kingdoms. They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burned Hazor with fire. Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded. But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only. Joshua burned that. The children of Israel took all the plunder of these cities, with the livestock, as plunder for themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They didn’t leave any who breathed. As Yahweh commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua. Joshua did so. He left nothing undone of all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Judges 4:13 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.
- Psalms 44:12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
- Psalms 48:4-6 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together. They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away. Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.
- Psalms 68:12-14 “Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder, while you sleep among the camp fires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold. When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.
- Psalms 118:8-12 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off. They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.
- Revelation 17:12-14 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast. These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”
- Revelation 19:19 I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain They won nothing, but lost all.
They won nothing, but lost all.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jdg 5:19 The kings came [and] fought, then fought…
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.
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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.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The kings; either confederate with him, or subject to…
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 Israel’s 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.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The kings came,.... Who were with Sisera, as the…
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 Gill 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:
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The kings - There were divers petty kings in…
The kings - There were divers petty kings in those parts who were subject to Jabin. Megiddo - Taanah and Megiddo were two eminent cities, not far from mount Tabor, nor from the river Kishon. No gain - 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 Israel's spoils.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 19. The kings came and fought] It is…
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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jdg 5:19. The kings came and fought — There…
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 Israel’s 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 lucre’s sake; namely, to enrich themselves with the spoils; but the Israelites fought for liberty.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The Canaanite hosts are now described, led to battle…
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).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Spoils. So far from it, they even lost their…
Spoils. So far from it, they even lost their lives. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "they took no piece (or gain) of money." If we understand this of the Israelites , we nay say that they stopped not to plunder the slain, nor would they suffer any to redeem their life by the promise of a great ransom. Whatever riches they found afterwards, they consecrated to the Lord, in testimony of their gratitude. (Calmet) (Numbers xxxi. 54.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain describes the scene of battle and the issue. It…
describes the scene of battle and the issue. It would seem (Jdg 5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaanite princes. The battlefield was near Taanach (now Ta'annuk), on a tell or mound in the level plain of Megiddo (now Leijun), on its southwestern extremity, by the left bank of the Kishon.
they took no gain of money--They obtained no plunder.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 19. There came kings — Canaanitish kings or princes…
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.
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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.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 19. the kings of Canaan] the chiefs of the…
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.
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They took no gain of money] They expected spoil (Jdg_5:30, cf. Exo_15:9), but their expectations were disappointed.
19–22. The battle.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (19) The kings.—Comp. Jos_11:1. Jabin did not stand alone.
(19) The kings.—Comp. Jos_11:1. Jabin did not stand alone.
In Taanach.—See Jdg_1:27. The word means “sandy soil.”
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By the waters of Megiddo.—The affluents of the Kishon, or the swollen waves of the river itself. There is a copious spring at Lejjûn, the ancient Megiddo, which in rainy seasons rapidly turns the plain into a morass (Thomson’s 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.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The kings came and fought. (cf. Jos_11:1, Jos_11:2, Jos_11:5)…
The kings came and fought. (cf. Jos_11:1, Jos_11:2, Jos_11:5) They took no gain of money. These words may mean,
(1) they did not stop to plunder, they were intent only upon slaughter; or,
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(2) they took no ransom for their enemies" lives; or,
(3) they got nothing by their fighting, for they were all killed themselves.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain The Defeat and Death of Sisera
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.
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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.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 The kings came, they fought ... the kings of…
The kings came, they fought ... the kings of Canaan fought
The king of a people group is used to refer to himself and the army he commands. AT: "The kings and their armies came and fought ... the kings of Canaan and their armies fought" (See: Synecdoche)
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they fought ... fought
The word "us" is understood. AT: "they fought us ... fought us" (See: Ellipsis)
Taanach ... Megiddo
Translate the names of these places as you did in Judges 1:27.
no silver as plunder
Here "silver" represents any treasure in general. AT: "no silver or other treasures as plunder" (See: Synecdoche)
plunder
things taken by force, usually in battle or by thieves
From heaven the stars fought, from their paths across the heavens they fought against Sisera
Yahweh helping the Israelite to defeat Sisera and his army is spoken of as if the stars themselves fought against Sisera and his army. This may refer to Yahweh using natural elements, specifically rain storms, to defeat Sisera. (See: Personification)
against Sisera
Here "Sisera" represents himself and his whole army. AT: "Sisera and his army" (See: Synecdoche)
Sisera
See how you translated this name in Judges 4:2.
translationWords
king
Canaan
water
silver
heaven
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.