Judges 5:28-31 meaning

In Judges 5:28-31, a new character appears in Deborah’s victory song. Deborah and Barak have just praised Jael for her valiant act of killing the enemy general Sisera. Verse 28, however, turns to another woman close to the general:

“Out of the window she looked and lamented,
The mother of Sisera through the lattice (v 28).

Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite king Jabin’s army, met his end at the hands of Jael. Sisera had long terrorized Israel with his iron chariots, centered near Harosheth-hagoyim in the northern regions of Canaan. Now, as the news of his death has not reached home, the singers in Judges 5 describe his mother looking anxiously from her vantage point—through the lattice—eager to see the return of what she believes will be a triumphant son.

‘Why does his chariot delay in coming?
Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’ (v 28), she says.

From the introduction of Sisera in Judges 4, he and his armies have been characterized by the strength of their chariots (Judges 4:3). The specific mention of Midian’s great number of chariots presumes that they have an advantage in this way over Israel. The singers show Sisera’s mother waiting in expectation for what she thought would be victorious chariots. Sisera’s mother faces an unending silence. Her questions betray her expectation that victory would be swift and sure. But the LORD’s judgment has already fallen, revealing that human strength and oppression cannot stand before God’s deliverance. Like all who oppose the Almighty, Sisera’s strength proves vain:

“Her wise princesses would answer her,
Indeed she repeats her words to herself (v 29).

The noblewomen surrounding Sisera’s mother attempt to console her. Perhaps they speculate that the delay means a grander victory, more plunder, more time needed to divide the spoils. But even as they speak, the mother’s doubt lingers and she repeats her words to herself (v 29), trying to rationalize the delay. Self-deception and denial become her comfort, but none of the words she repeats to herself can alter the truth of Sisera’s demise.

‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil?
A maiden, two maidens for every warrior;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed work,
A spoil of dyed work embroidered,
Dyed work of double embroidery on the neck of the spoiler?’ (v 30).

The mother imagines Sisera and his men joyously dividing the spoil. She pictures them capturing a maiden, two maidens for every warrior, implying the brutal oppression and shameful enslavement that Sisera’s army would have inflicted on the Israelites, had Sisera been victorious. She imagines dyed work embroidered, precious cloth meant to adorn the spoiler’s neck, a costly trophy plundered from the defeated, symbolizing wealth and pride. However, these assumptions only highlight the moral emptiness of Sisera’s exploits. In reality, the LORD has turned the evil plans of Sisera back upon him, bringing the oppressor down.

The people of Hazor sought the treasures of the world—beautiful maidens and the spoil of dyed work embroidered—to glorify themselves and their earthly kingdom. But God’s promise to protect His people when they live in obedience to Him is shown in His faithfulness to them in the outcome of this battle (Deuteronomy 28: 1, 2, 7).

Deborah and Barak conclude the song, departing from the imagery of Sisera’s mother, and looking to the greatness of the LORD: 

“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD;
But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might” (v 31).

The defeat of the army of Hazor is not a mere battle outcome, but a demonstration that those who oppose God will perish. This echoes God’s justice seen throughout Scripture: prideful powers fall, while faithful believers flourish. The prayer that those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might prefigures Christ, the true Light of the world (John 1:4-5), whose resurrection shines like the dawn and ensures that all who belong to Him share in His victory. As the enemies of God fall, His faithful people rise.

Another verse appears after the song to finally conclude the events of Judges 4 & 5:

And the land was undisturbed for forty years (v 31).

The defeat of Sisera ushers in forty years of peace in the land—a full generation of rest and stability. The cyclical pattern in Judges shows that when God’s people trust in Him, He grants rest. But when the Israelites turn from God’s ways and practice evil, they will again suffer oppression from a neighboring tribe. After this forty years of peace in the land, the people of Israel will act wickedly, and will suffer attacks from the Midianites. Again, as is the pattern of the book of Judges, a new judge will be raised up by God to point the people back to their Suzerain/ruler, the Lord of Hosts, who will deliver them from their sin and death if they put their trust in Him (Isaiah 54:5-8, Deuteronomy 33:29).