Judges 5:20
Judges 5:20 in Multiple Translations
From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
From heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera.
The stars from heaven were fighting; from their highways they were fighting against Sisera.
The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera.
From the heavens they fought: The stars from their highways fought with Sisera.
From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
War from heaven was made against them, the stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisara.
It was as though the stars in the sky fought for us and as though those stars in their paths fought against Sisera.
Berean Amplified Bible — Judges 5:20
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Judges 5:20 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
מִן
שָׁמַ֖יִם
נִלְחָ֑מוּ
הַ/כּֽוֹכָבִים֙
מִ/מְּסִלּוֹתָ֔/ם
נִלְחֲמ֖וּ
עִם
סִיסְרָֽא
מִן
min
H4480
from
Prep
שָׁמַ֖יִם
shâmayim
H8064
heaven
N-mp
נִלְחָ֑מוּ
lâcham
H3898
to fight
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
הַ/כּֽוֹכָבִים֙
kôwkâb
H3556
star
Art | N-mp
מִ/מְּסִלּוֹתָ֔/ם
mᵉçillâh
H4546
highway
Prep | N-fp | Suff
נִלְחֲמ֖וּ
lâcham
H3898
to fight
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
עִם
ʻim
H5973
with
Prep
סִיסְרָֽא
Çîyçᵉrâʼ
H5516
Sisera
N-proper
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Judges 5:20
מִן
min
H4480
"from"
Prep
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
שָׁמַ֖יִם
shâmayim
H8064
"heaven"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for heaven or sky, it refers to the visible universe and the abode of God. It is often used in the Bible to describe the dwelling place of celestial bodies.
Definition: 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible heavens, sky 1a1) as abode of the stars 1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc 1b) Heaven (as the abode of God) Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065)
Usage: Occurs in 395 OT verses. KJV: air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s). See also: Genesis 1:1; 1 Samuel 2:10; Job 28:21.
נִלְחָ֑מוּ
lâcham
H3898
"to fight"
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
In the Bible, this word means to feed on or consume something, often referring to eating food or battling against someone. It's used in stories like David's battles and the Israelites' struggles in the wilderness.
Definition: 1) to fight, do battle, make war 1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle 1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war
Usage: Occurs in 171 OT verses. KJV: devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring). See also: Exodus 1:10; 2 Samuel 8:10; Psalms 35:1.
הַ/כּֽוֹכָבִים֙
kôwkâb
H3556
"star"
Art | N-mp
A star is a round or shining celestial body, and can also symbolize a prince or leader. It is used figuratively in the Bible to describe the Messiah or God's omniscience.
Definition: 1) star 1a) of Messiah, brothers, youth, numerous progeny, personification, God's omniscience (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 37 OT verses. KJV: star(-gazer). See also: Genesis 1:16; Job 25:5; Psalms 8:4.
מִ/מְּסִלּוֹתָ֔/ם
mᵉçillâh
H4546
"highway"
Prep | N-fp | Suff
This word means a raised highway or public road, like the ones built by King Solomon. It is used in books like Numbers and Isaiah to describe paths and roadways.
Definition: highway, raised way, public road
Usage: Occurs in 26 OT verses. KJV: causeway, course, highway, path, terrace. See also: Numbers 20:19; Psalms 84:6; Proverbs 16:17.
נִלְחֲמ֖וּ
lâcham
H3898
"to fight"
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
In the Bible, this word means to feed on or consume something, often referring to eating food or battling against someone. It's used in stories like David's battles and the Israelites' struggles in the wilderness.
Definition: 1) to fight, do battle, make war 1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle 1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war
Usage: Occurs in 171 OT verses. KJV: devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring). See also: Exodus 1:10; 2 Samuel 8:10; Psalms 35:1.
עִם
ʻim
H5973
"with"
Prep
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Definition: 1) with 1a) with 1b) against 1c) toward 1d) as long as
Usage: Occurs in 919 OT verses. KJV: accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al). See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 29:11.
סִיסְרָֽא
Çîyçᵉrâʼ
H5516
"Sisera"
N-proper
Sisera was a Canaanite king and general who was slain by Jael. His name means battle array and he is mentioned in the Bible as a conquering general under king Jabin of Hazor.
Definition: A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.53 § Sisera = "battle array" 1) the conquering general under king Jabin of Hazor and slain by Jael 2) ancestor of a family of temple slaves who returned from exile with Zerubbabel
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: Sisera. See also: Judges 4:2; Judges 4:18; Psalms 83:10.
Study Notes — Judges 5:20
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Judges 5:20 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Judges 5:20
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 5:20
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 5:20
- Trapp's Commentary on Judges 5:20
- Ellicott's Commentary on Judges 5:20
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 5:20
- Cambridge Bible on Judges 5:20
- Barnes' Notes on Judges 5:20
- Whedon's Commentary on Judges 5:20
- Sermons on Judges 5:20
Context — The Song of Deborah and Barak
18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
19Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
20From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
21The River Kishon swept them away, the ancient river, the River Kishon. March on, O my soul, in strength! 22Then the hooves of horses thundered— the mad galloping of his stallions.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 10:11 | As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 7:10 | As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel. |
| 3 | Psalms 77:17–18 | The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. |
| 4 | Judges 4:15 | And in front of him the LORD routed with the sword Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. |
Judges 5:20 Summary
Judges 5:20 tells us that even the stars in the sky fought against Sisera, which is a poetic way of saying God used everything at His command to help the Israelites win. This shows us that God is all-powerful and cares about what happens to His people. Just like God helped the Israelites, He can help us in our struggles, as promised in Psalm 23:4, where it says God is with us even in the darkest valleys. This verse reminds us to trust in God's power and sovereignty over all things, including the natural world, as seen in Job 38:31, where God asks if we can command the constellations to come out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that the stars fought against Sisera in Judges 5:20?
This verse is using poetic language to describe God's intervention on behalf of the Israelites, similar to how He used natural elements to aid them in other battles, as seen in Exodus 14:21 where God used a strong east wind to part the Red Sea.
Is this verse suggesting that the stars actually moved from their courses to fight?
While the verse is not meant to be taken literally, it emphasizes God's control over all creation, including the stars, as stated in Psalm 147:4, where it says God determines the number of stars and calls them each by name.
How does this relate to the rest of the battle described in Judges 5?
The fighting of the stars against Sisera is part of the larger narrative of God's victory over the Canaanite kings, as described in Judges 5:19, where human kings came to fight but were defeated, highlighting God's superior power and intervention.
What message does this verse convey about God's involvement in human affairs?
This verse conveys that God is actively involved in human history, using all means, including natural phenomena, to accomplish His will and protect His people, as seen in Isaiah 55:10-11, where God's word is compared to rain and snow that accomplish His purpose.
Reflection Questions
- How does recognizing God's control over all creation, including the stars, affect my trust in His ability to care for me?
- In what ways can I see God fighting on my behalf in my current challenges, just as He fought for the Israelites against Sisera?
- What does this verse teach me about the nature of God's power and His willingness to intervene in human affairs?
- How can I apply the lesson of God's intervention in this battle to my own life, trusting in His power and sovereignty?
Gill's Exposition on Judges 5:20
They fought from heaven,.... Either the angels of heaven, afterwards called stars; or the heavens, the elements, fought for Israel, and against Sisera; a violent storm of rain and hail falling at
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 5:20
They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The stars in their courses fought - a fearful tempest burst upon them, and threw them into disorder.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 5:20
Or, they from heaven, or the heavenly host fought, by thunder, and lightning, and hailstones, possibly mingled with fire. Compare . The stars; which raised those storms by their influences, which they do naturally and ordinarily, but now far more, when God sharpened their influences, and disposed the air to receive and improve their impressions. In their courses, or, from their paths, or stations, or high places. As soldiers fight in their ranks and places assigned them, so did these, and that with advantage, as those enemies do which fight from the higher ground.
Trapp's Commentary on Judges 5:20
Judges 5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.Ver. 20. They fought from heaven.] Where the Lord of hosts hath his Magnleh cheloth, his upper forces, say the Rabbins, as on earth he hath his Matteh cheloth, his lower forces ready prest. And sins unpardoned can soon raise the posse comitatus, all the armies of God against men. The stars in their courses.] Like soldiers that observed both rank and file. Fought against Sisera,] s.c., By their extraordinary influences stirring up storms and tempests. See Joseph. "Antiq.," lib. v.
Ellicott's Commentary on Judges 5:20
(20) They fought from heaven.—The “they” is impersonal—the powers above. (Comp. Luke 12:20, Greek, and for the fact, Judges 4:22.) The stars in their courses.—This is probably a general reference to the providential storms which had secured the victory to Israel. To understand the “stars” as meaning “angels” is a mistaken inference from Job 38:7. There is a striking parallel in Claudian’s poem on the Consulship of Honorius:— “Oh nimium dilecte Deo, cui militat aether Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti.” Similarly, Æschylus represents “water and fire, in ruin reconciled,” fighting against the Greek fleet.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 5:20
Verse 20. They fought from heaven] The angels of God came to the assistance of Israel: and the stars in their orbits fought against Sisera; probably some thunder storm, or great inundation from the river Kishon, took place at that time, which in poetic language was attributed to the stars. So our poet sung relative to the storms which dispersed the Spanish armada in 1588: - "Both winds and waves at once conspire To aid old England-frustrate Spain's desire." Perhaps it means no more than this: the time which was measured and ruled by the heavenly bodies seemed only to exist for the destruction of the Canaanites. There may be also a reference to the sun and moon standing still in the days of Joshua.
Cambridge Bible on Judges 5:20
20. Render with a slight change of the stop: From heaven fought the stars: From their highways they fought with Sisera. The kings fought … The stars fought] A splendid contrast. Jehovah used the forces of nature as His allies and instruments; cf. Joshua 10:11; 1 Samuel 7:10; Psalms 18:14; Jeremiah 23:19. Here it was the tempest (Judges 5:4 f.), flooding the Kishon (Judges 5:21), which providentially helped the Israelites.
Barnes' Notes on Judges 5:20
God fought on the side of Israel, and gave them the victory. Josephus relates that, just as the battle began, a violent tempest came on with a great downfall of rain; and a hailstorm, which, driving
Whedon's Commentary on Judges 5:20
20. From heaven they fought — The elements of nature assisted in the strife. The violent thunder storm on which Jehovah rode over the fields of Edom was so terrible that the very heavens appeared to drop.
Sermons on Judges 5:20
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Joshua (Part 8): Victory Over Our Enemies by Richard Sipley | In this sermon, the speaker begins by discussing how Joshua and his army marched up from Gilgal with determination and strength. The speaker then shares his personal experience of |
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The Passing of the Beast by John Henry Jowett | John Henry Jowett preaches on the promise of restoration and divine protection in Ezekiel 34:23-31. He emphasizes that under the care of the Good Shepherd, beastly passions will be |
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Psalms 46:7 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith emphasizes that God is our refuge and strength, contrasting the peace and confidence that faith brings with the fear and anxiety that doubt fosters. He explores the con |
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Hopeless to Fight Against God by George Kulp | George Kulp preaches about the consequences of sin and the unwavering stance of God against unrepentant wrongdoers, emphasizing that God's holiness demands purity of heart and obed |
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Testimonies From Asia Harvest 05 by Paul Hattaway | In the video, the eyewitnesses describe the arrival of Major Thomas to the village of Sendinu. The villagers were instructed to greet him by shaking his hand and singing hymns as t |
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Joshua Leading the People in God's Victory by Bob Hoekstra | Bob Hoekstra preaches on the importance of fully yielding to the Lord as the divine Commander in our battles, just as Joshua did before the first battle at Jericho. Joshua's encoun |