Judges 5:30

New Living Translation

‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.'

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?'

Update Bible Version
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every [able-bodied] man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

English Revised Version
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? a damsel, two damsels to every man; to Sisera a spoil of divers colours, a spoil of divers colours of embroidery, of divers colours of embroidery on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

New Century Version
‘Surely they are robbing the people they defeated! Surely they are dividing those things among themselves! Each soldier is given a girl or two. Maybe Sisera is taking pieces of dyed cloth. Maybe they are even taking pieces of dyed, embroidered cloth for the necks of the victors!'

New English Translation
‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder— a girl or two for each man to rape! Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth, for the neck of the plunderer!'

Webster's Bible Translation
Have they not found; have they [not] divided the prey; to every man a damsel [or] two; to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors of needle-work, of divers colors of needle-work on both sides, [meet] for the necks of [them that take] the spoil?

World English Bible
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady, two ladies to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

Amplified Bible
'Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? A maiden (concubine) or two for every man; A spoil of dyed garments for Sisera, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Two pieces of dyed garments embroidered for the neck of the plunderer?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In hap now he departith spuylis, and the faireste of wymmen is chosun to hym; clothis of dyuerse colouris ben youun to Sisara in to prey, and dyuerse aray of houshold is gaderid to ourne neckis.

Young's Literal Translation
Do they not find? -- they apportion spoil, A female -- two females -- for every head, Spoil of finger-work for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered finger-work, Finger-work -- a pair of embroidered things, For the necks of the spoil!

Berean Standard Bible
'Are they not finding and dividing the spoil-a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?'

Contemporary English Version
"Sisera and his troops are finding treasures to bring back— a woman, or maybe two, for each man, and beautiful dresses for those women to wear."

American Standard Version
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

Bible in Basic English
Are they not getting, are they not parting the goods among them: a young girl or two to every man; and to Sisera robes of coloured needlework, worked in fair colours on this side and on that, for the neck of the queen?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Surely they haue found, they deuide the spoyles, euery man hath a damsell or two: Sisara hath a pray of diuers couloured garmentes, euen a pray of rayment dyed with sundry colours, and that are made of nedle worke: rayment of diuers colours and of nedle worke on both sydes, which is meete for him that is chiefe in distributing of ye spoyles.

Complete Jewish Bible
‘Of course! They're collecting and dividing the spoil — a girl, two girls for every warrior, for Sisra booty of dyed clothing, a plunder of colorfully embroidered garments, two embroidered scarves for every soldier's neck.'

Darby Translation
Have they not found, divided the booty, A damsel, two damsels, to each? A booty of dyed stuffs for Sisera, A booty of dyed stuffs of embroidery, Dyed stuff of double embroidery for the neck of a spoiler?

Easy-to-Read Version
‘I'm sure they won the war, and they are now taking things from the people they defeated. They are dividing those things among themselves. Each soldier is taking a girl or two. Maybe Sisera found a piece of dyed cloth. That's it! Sisera found a piece of fancy cloth, or maybe two, to wear around his neck in victory.'

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments of embroidery, two dyed garments of broidery for the neck of every spoiler?'

King James Version (1611)
Haue they not sped? haue they not diuided the pray to euery man a damosell or two? To Sisera a pray of diuers colours, a pray of diuers colours, of needle worke, of diuers colours of needle worke on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoile?

New Life Bible
'Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?'

New Revised Standard
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil?— A girl or two for every man; spoil of dyed stuffs for Sisera, spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Is it not They keep finding - dividing spoil, One damsel, two damsels, to every several hero, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment for Sisera, Spoil, of divers coloured raiment, embroidered, Coloured raiment richly embroidered, on the necks of them who are taken as spoil?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Haue they not gotten, and they deuide the spoyle? euery man hath a mayde or two. Sisera hath a praye of diuers coloured garmentes, a pray of sundry colours made of needle worke: of diuers colours of needle worke on both sides, for the chiefe of the spoyle.

George Lamsa Translation
Perhaps he went and found great spoil, dividing the prey, giving to every man a mule and great booty, and to Sisera a prey of diverse colors of needlework and divers colors of embroidered work, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil.

Good News Translation
"They are only finding things to capture and divide, a woman or two for every soldier, rich cloth for Sisera, embroidered pieces for the neck of the queen."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the fairest of the women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped together to adorn necks.

Revised Standard Version
'Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? --A maiden or two for every man; spoil of dyed stuffs for Sis'era, spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?'

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Will they not find him dividing the spoil? he will surely be gracious to every man: there are spoils of dyed garments for Sisara, spoils of various dyed garments, dyed embroidered garments, they are the spoils for his neck.

Christian Standard Bible®
“Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior,the spoil of colored garments for Sisera,the spoil of an embroidered garment or two for my neck?”

Hebrew Names Version
Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady, two ladies to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
‘Are they not finding and dividing the plunder? A bedmate or two bedmates for every man; colorful garments for Sisera, plunder of colorful garments, beautifully finished colorful garments, on the neck of the plunderer?'

Literal Translation
Do they not find and divide the plunder? A womb, two wombs to each man's head; a plunder of dyed garments to Sisera, a plunder of embroidered dyed garments , two embroidereddyed garments for the necks of theplunderers?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Shulde they not finde & deuide the spoyle, vnto euery man a fayre mayde or two for a pray, & partye coloured garmetes of nedle worke to Sissera for a spoyle, partye coloured garmentes of nedle worke aboute the necke for a pray?

New American Standard Bible
'Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoils? A concubine, two concubines for every warrior; To Sisera a spoil of dyed cloth, A spoil of dyed cloth embroidered, Dyed cloth of double embroidery on the neck of the plunderer?'

New King James Version
"Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: To every man a girl or two; For Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, Plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, Two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'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?'

Legacy Standard Bible
Hulle het seker buit gevind en verdeel dit: een slavin, twee slavinne vir elke man; 'n buit van bont klere vir Sísera, 'n buit van bont klere, veelkleurige; 'n bont doek, twee veelkleuriges as buit vir my hals.

Contextual Overview

²⁴ "Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. ²⁵ Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt. ²⁶ Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. ²⁷ He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died. ²⁸ "From the window Sisera's mother looked out. Through the window she watched for his return, saying, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't we hear the sound of chariot wheels?' ²⁹ "Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself: ³⁰ ‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.' ³¹ " Lord , may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!" Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Have they not sped: Exodus 15:9, Job 20:5

every man: Heb. the head of a man

of divers: Genesis 37:3, 2 Samuel 13:18, Psalms 45:14

Reciprocal: Exodus 27:16 - needlework Judges 5:19 - they took Judges 15:14 - the Philistines 2 Samuel 1:24 - General 1 Kings 2:9 - hold him 2 Kings 3:23 - now therefore Psalms 124:6 - who hath not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Have they not sped?.... Or "found" u the enemy, Barak and his army, or the spoil of them? no doubt they have:

have they not divided the prey? doubtless they have, which being large, and the captives many, has taken up much of their time to look over, and make an equal and proper division of, and that most certainly is the cause of the delay:

to every man a damsel or two? or "a womb or two w", using both unchaste and contemptuous language x, and pleasing themselves with the virgins of Israel being abused by the common soldiers, which was too frequently the case with the Heathens at gaining a victory:

to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides; suits of clothes of different colours, such as were the works of the women of Sidon y, and those curiously interwoven or wrought with a needle, and that on both sides of the silk or material of which they were made; and so such as were of great worth and esteem, and such it was expected, and with confidence and assurance of it, Sisera would bring with him, and make presents of to his mother and her ladies, or which he would have for his own wear and use, or both:

meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? the general of the army, and the chief men to whom the spoil was brought, and then divided suitably to the rank and quality of every soldier. Pliny z says, the Phrygians first invented the art of needlework; hence the garments wrought, and those that made them, were called after their name; but it is certain it was known by the ancient Hebrews and Canaanites, see

Exodus 26:36.

u הלא ימצאו "nonne invenient", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Vatablus w רחם רחמתים "vulvam vulvas duas", Piscator. x Vid. R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 59. 1. y Julian. Opera, par. 1. crat. 2. p. 94. Vid. Homer. Iliad. 6. ver. 289, 290. z Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 48.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Render the latter part of the verse “a booty of dyed garments for Sisera, a booty of dyed garments and of party-colored cloth, a dyed garment and two party-colored clothes for the necks of the booty,” the spoil or booty being either captive damsels, or captive cattle on whose necks these clothes are to be placed (either as ornament or as a burden; compare Judges 8:21, Judges 8:26). But possibly “the necks of the booty” may mean the backs or shoulders (of men or beasts) laden with booty.