The Skeptics Annotated Bible (229 page)

12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.

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.

20 They fought from heaven;
the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

(5.20)
“The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.”
Unless astrology is true, how can the stars affect the outcome of a battle?
4 Does the bible condemn astrology?

21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

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.

(5.24-27) For murdering her guest while he slept, Jael is “blessed above women.” (Hail Jael, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women….?)

24
Blessed above women shall Jael
the wife of Heber the Kenite
be, blessed shall she be above women
in the tent.

(5.24) “Blessed above women shall Jael … be, blessed shall she be above women.”

25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

26
She put her hand to the nail
, 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.

(5.26) “She put her hand to the nail … and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.”

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.

(5.27)
“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.”
171 Was Sisera asleep when he was murdered?

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30 Have they not sped?
have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two
; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

(5.30)
“Have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two?”

31 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.
And the land had rest forty years.

(5.31a)
“Let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.”
(Let them all have their temples pierced by blessed women.)