“Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,
Parallel Translations
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“Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,
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Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
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(68-13) Kings of armies flee, they flee; and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Psalms 68:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Joshua 10:16 These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
- Judges 5:19 “The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
- Joshua 12:7-24 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one; the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one; the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.
- 1 Samuel 30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays with the baggage. They shall share alike.”
- Revelation 19:17-20 I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, “Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, small and great.” 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. The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
- Exodus 14:25 He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
- Numbers 31:8-9 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. The children of Israel took the women of Midian captive with their little ones; and all their livestock, all their flocks, and all their goods, they took as plunder.
- Numbers 31:27 and divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.
- Numbers 31:54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting for a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh.
- Joshua 10:42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
- 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?’
- Revelation 6:15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The prey was so great, that not only the…
The prey was so great, that not only the soldiers, but women also had part thereof.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and…
Psa 68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
Ver. 12. Kings of armies did flee apace] Heb. did flee, did flee. Or, shall flee, shall flee; which one interpreteth of devils (called principalities and powers), formerly using to give oracles; but after Christ’s birth ceasing to do so. As also of Licinius and other tyrants fleeing before Constantine, the first Christian emperor. See Rev 9:11. Antichrist is the king of locusts, and he fleeth daily before the Evangelici, the new gospellers, as he calleth them. Bellarmine complaineth, that ever since we held the Pope to be antichrist, non mode non crevit eius imperium, sed semper magis ac magis deerevit, his kingdom hath not only not increased, but more and more daily decreased (Lib. iii. de Pont. Rein., cap. 21).
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And she that tarried at home divided the spoil] That is, tota congregatio quae non pugnabat, says Kimchi. Or, the women also (those domi portae) came forth to pillage. These days of the gospel do abound with many godly matrons and holy virgins. And it is easy to observe that the New Testament affordeth more store of good women than the Old.
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 Kings of armies; the kings of Canaan and other…
Kings of armies; the kings of Canaan and other nations which came forth against the Israelites, accompanied with great and numerous armies.
The spoil was so much, that there was enough, not only for the proper use of those who took it, but also to be divided to their wives and children when they came home. This verse and that which follows may be taken, either,
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1. For the triumphant song sung by those publishers mentioned Psa 68:11. Or,
2. For the words of David, continuing the relation of the victories granted by God to Israel ever their enemies.
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 Kings of armies did flee apace,.... Or "they fled,…
Kings of armies did flee apace,.... Or "they fled, they fled" (y); or "they flee, they flee". This is either the subject matter of the word "published", the words of the publishers so saying; or the effect of the publication of the Gospel: for though some, by these kings of armies, understand the apostles either fleeing from place to place because of persecution, or running to and fro, as they interpret the words, to spread the Gospel; yet they rather intend the enemies of the Gospel, and the chief of them that opposed themselves to it; namely, Roman emperors and kings, and who fled before it; particularly at the time of the downfall of Paganism, when they fled to the mountains and hills, and called upon them to hide them from Christ, Rev 6:15;
and she that tarried at home divided the spoil; the church, compared to a woman that keeps at home, Tit 2:5, who shared in the spoils token out of the hands of Satan, and from among the Gentiles, even converted souls, brought unto her. What is promised to Christ, Isa 53:12; is said of the church; she being made more than a conqueror through him, and sharing in all his victories and spoils. It denotes the certain and easy success of the Gospel ministry, attended with a divine power, and the advantages thereof to the church of Christ; this was particularly true of the church in the times of Constantine.
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(y) "fugiebant, fugiebant", Pagninus, Montanus; "fugerunt, fugerunt", Tigurine version, Musculus.
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 Kings - The kings of Canaan, and other nations…
Kings - The kings of Canaan, and other nations who came forth against the Israelites, accompanied with great and numerous armies. The spoil - There was enough, not only for those who took it, but also to be divided to their wives and children, when they came home.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. Kings of armies did flee] Jabin and…
Verse 12. Kings of armies did flee] Jabin and the kings of the Canaanites, who united their forces to overwhelm the Israelites.
And she] Deborah the prophetess, a woman accustomed to tarry at home, and take care of the family; she divided the spoils, and vanquished their kings.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 68:12. Kings of armies — The kings of…
Psa 68:12. Kings of armies — The kings of the Midianites, of Canaan, and other nations, which came forth against the Israelites with numerous and powerful armies; did flee apace — Hebrew, ידדונ ידדונ, jiddodun, jiddodun, fled away, fled away, the reduplication of this word denoting their hasty flight and utter dispersion. They fled with their routed forces, and were pursued, overtaken, and destroyed by the victorious Israelites. She that tarried at home divided the spoil — The spoil was so much that there was enough, not only for the proper use of those that took it, but also to be divided to their wives and children when they came home. After the conquest of the Midianites, God ordered the prey which was taken from them to be divided between them who went out on that expedition, and the rest of the people who continued in their tents, Num 31:27; and therefore this was part of the damsels’ song, that the women, who had charge of the household affairs, were enriched by an equal division of the enemies’ spoils, in which their husbands and fathers had their share; and perhaps it is the victory over the Midianites which is here referred to.
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 Kings of armies did flee apace - Margin, as…
Kings of armies did flee apace - Margin, as in Hebrew, did flee, did flee. This is the Hebrew mode of expressing that which is emphatic or superlative. It is by simply repeating the word. The idea is, that they fled speedily; they fled at once, and in alarm. Psa 68:12-13 are marked by DeWette as a quotation, and the language is supposed by him to be the substance of the song that was sung by the women as referred to in Psa 68:11. This supposition is not improbable. The reference is, undoubtedly, to the former victories achieved by the people of God when they went out to war; and the idea is, that when the command came, when God gave the word Psa 68:11, their foes fled in consternation.
And she that tarried at home divided the spoil - The women remaining in their homes, while the men went out to war. On them devolved the office of dividing the plunder, and of giving the proper portions to each of the victors. They would take an interest in the battle, and receive the booty, and assign the portion due to each of the brave soldiers - the more acceptable as given to them by female hands. Possibly, however, the meaning may be, that the victors would bring the plunder home, and lay it at the feet of their wives and daughters to be divided among the women themselves. The dividing of the spoils of battle after a victory was always an important act. Compare Jdg 5:30; Jos 7:21; 1Ch 26:27; Heb 7:4.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Kings of armies--that is, with their armies.
Kings of armies--that is, with their armies.
she that . . . at home--Mostly women so remained, and the ease of victory appears in that such, without danger, quietly enjoyed the spoils.
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 12. Kings of armies—That is, kings with their armies.
12. Kings of armies—That is, kings with their armies.
Did flee apace— Hebrew, Shall flee, shall flee. The rout shall be total and irretrievable.
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She that tarried at home—That is, the housewife, as the words denote; she that dwelt in the house, as distinguished from the husband, who went out to battle.
Divided the spoil—Shared the spoil, which, by a law of equity, fell, by distribution, to her husband. See 1Sa_30:24; and compare Jdg_5:28-30. The wealth of the enemy shall enrich the households of the victors. The language is highly martial and oriental.
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 12. Kings of hosts do flee, do flee,
12. Kings of hosts do flee, do flee,
And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.
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Psa_68:12-14. contain allusions to the Song of Deborah and possibly to similar poems which have not been preserved to us. Many commentators regard them as the triumphal song of the women celebrating the victory; but it is better to take them as the continuation of the poet’s description of the victory. The verses run in pairs, and Psa_68:13 is parallel to Psa_68:12. The first line paints the scene in the battle-field—the pell-mell rout of the defeated kings: the second line depicts the scene at home when the warriors have returned with their spoils.
The unusual expression kings of hosts seems to be chosen with reference to the title Jehovah of hosts. Vast as their armies may be, they are powerless to resist One who has infinitely stronger armies at His command. The graphic repetition do flee, do flee recalls the form of Jdg_5:22; and the next line recalls the words of Jdg_5:30. The battle has been won; the warriors return home with their spoils; and the matron who has anxiously awaited the issue of the battle divides among her family the rich garments and ornaments taken from the enemy. Cp. Jdg_8:26; 2Sa_1:24; 2Ki_7:8; 2Ki_7:15.
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 (12) Kings of armies did flee apace.—Better, Kings of…
(12) Kings of armies did flee apace.—Better, Kings of armies flee, flee. This and the two next verses wear the air of being a fragment of those ancient battle-songs sung by the women after the defeat of the foe. The fact that they have thus been torn from their original context accounts for the great obscurity which hangs over them.
And she that tarried . . .—i.e., the woman keeping the house; so the Hebrew. (Comp. Jdg_5:24, “Women of the tent;” and the fond anticipations of Sisera’s mother, Psa_68:29.) So the Greeks called the mistress of the house οὶκουρός. (Eur. Herc. Fur. 45.)
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Though this sense thus gives a general description of war, and the women waiting eagerly for the victorious home-coming is a picture true to life, yet the next verse indicates that we must suppose a latent reference to some tribe or party who shirked the dangers of battle, and played the part of the stay-at-home.
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 Kings of armies did flee apace; literally, did flee…
Kings of armies did flee apace; literally, did flee did flee; i.e. fled repeatedly before Israel. (see Jos_8:19-22 Jos_10:19, 20 11:8, 9 Jud_1:3:10, 29 4:14-16 7:19-25 8:11, 12 11:29-33 15:14-16 1Sa_7:10, 11 11:11 14:47, 48 15:7, 8 17:52 2Sa_5:17-25 2Sa_8:1, 2Sa_8:2, 2Sa_8:4, 2Sa_8:5, 13 10:6-18, etc.) And she that tarried at home divided the spoil. The wives of the conquerors shared in the spoil when it was brought home. (Jud 5:28-30)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 12. Kings of armies did flee apace. The…
Ver. 12. Kings of armies did flee apace. The lords of hosts fled before the Lord of Hosts. No sooner did the ark advance than the enemy turned his back: even the princely leaders stayed not, but took to flight. The rout was complete, the retreat hurried and disorderly; --they "did flee, did flee; "helter skelter, pell mell, as we say.
"Where are the kings of mighty hosts?
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Fled far away, fled far and wide.
Their triumph and their trophied boasts
The damsels in their bowers divide."
And she that tarried at home divided the spoil. The women who had published the war cry shared the booty. The feeblest in Israel had a portion of the prey. Gallant warriors cast their spoils at the feet of the women and bade them array themselves in splendour, taking each one "a prey of divers colours, of divers colours of needlework on both sides." When the Lord gives success to his gospel, the very best of his saints are made glad and feel themselves partakers in the blessing.
Ver. 12. Kings of armies did flee apace. In the Hebrew it is, they fled, they fled; fled is twice. Why so? That is, they did flee very hastily, and they fled most confusedly, they fled all ways; they fled, they fled, noting the greatness of the flight. William Bridge.
Ver. 12. The kings of hosts shall flee. The "hosts" are the numerous well equipped armies which the kings of the heathens lead forth to the battle against the people of God. The unusual expression, "kings of hosts, "sounds very much like an ironically disparaging antithesis to the customary "Jahve of Hosts." Bottcher, quoted by Delitzsch.
Ver. 12. She that tarried at home. That is, all the noncombatants, saith Kimchi. Or, the women also (those domi portae) came forth to pillage. These days of the gospel do abound with many godly matrons and holy virgins. And it is easy to observe that the New Testament affords more store of good women than the old. John Trapp.
Ver. 12. Divided the spoil, not merely (as Hupfeld) "receives her portion of the spoil, "but rather, "distributes among her daughters and handmaidens, etc., the share of the spoil" which her husband has brought home. J. J. Stewart Perowne.
Ver. 12. (last clause). The church in redemption as a spouse tarrying at home; her home duties; the spoil of her Lord's glorious and finished work, and her dividing it.
Psalms 68:13*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.