Bible Commentaries
Judges 5

Verses 1-31

Judges 5:4-5 Comments - God’s Descent Upon Mount Sinai - Joshua 5:4-5 refers to God’s descent upon Mount Sinai, when there was a thunderstorm and an earthquake as Moses and the children of Israel encamped about it. These verses are similar to Psalms 68:7-8.

Psalms 68:7-8, “O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.”

Judges 5:6-7 Comments Flight to Security - Judges 5:6-7 means that everyone sought security in fortified cities. Life in the unsecured villages came to a halt.

Judges 5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

Judges 5:8 “was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?” - Comments - Neither did the children of Israel have swords and spears in the time of King Saul.

1 Samuel 13:22, “So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.”

Judges 5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Judges 5:10 Comments - There are Old Testament kings and leaders that sat upon a donkey.

1. Jair, a judge in Israel, had thirty sons that rode on donkeys:

Judges 10:4, “And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.”

2. Adbon, a judge in Israel, had forty sons and thirty nephews that rode on donkeys:

Judges 12:14, “And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.”

3. King Solomon rode on David's mule for his inauguration as King. This story is similar to how Jesus rode into Jerusalem:

1 Kings 1:33, “The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:”

1 Kings 1:38, “So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.”

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Luke 12:14).

John 12:14, “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,”