Judges 5 · Verse 14

Judges 5:14

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.
Judges 5:14, King James Version

Judges 5:14 in other translations

BSBSome came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun.
WEBThose whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
ASVOut of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek; After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples; Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal’s staff.
YLTOut of Ephraim their root is against Amalek. After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a writer.
DARBYOut of Ephraim came those whose root was in Amalek; After thee was Benjamin among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handled the staff of the ruler.
BBEOut of Ephraim they came down into the valley; after you, Benjamin, among your tribesmen; from Machir came down the captains, and from Zebulun those in whose hand is the ruler's rod.
WebsterOut 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.

What does Judges 5:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 5:11-14

11-14. The wells which are at a little distance from towns in the East, are, in unsettled times, places of danger. But in peace they are scenes of pleasant and joyous resort. The poetess anticipates that this song may be sung, and the righteous acts of the Lord rehearsed at these now tranquil "places of drawing water." Deborah now rouses herself to describe, in terms suitable to the occasion, the preparation and the…

Read the full comment on Judges 5:11-14 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Out of Ephraim - a root of them - Deborah probably means that out of Ephraim and Benjamin came eminent warriors. Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, routed the Amalekites a short time after the Israelites came out of Egypt, Exo 17:10. Ehud, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, slew Eglon, and defeated the Moabites, the friends and allies of the Ammonites and Amalekites. Machir, in the land of Gilead, produced eminent warriors; and Zebulun produced eminent statesmen, and men of literature. Probably Deborah speaks here of the past wars, and not of any thing that was done on this occasion; for we know that no persons from Gilead were present in the war between Jabin and Israel. See Jdg 5:17. Gilead abode beyond Jordan.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 5:12-23

Deborah called on her own soul to be in earnest. He that will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. Praising God is a work we should awake to, and awake ourselves unto. She notices who fought against Israel, who fought for them, and who kept away. Who fought against them. They were obstinate enemies to God's people, therefore the more dangerous. Who fought for…

Read the full comment on Judges 5:12-23 →

Judges 5:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִנִּ֣יmi.Nisome ofH4480
אֶפְרַ֗יִם'ef.Ra.yimEphraimH669
שָׁרְשָׁם֙sha.re.Shamroot theirH8328
בַּעֲמָלֵ֔קba.'a.ma.Lek[was] in AmalekH6002
אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ'a.cha.Rei.khaafter youH310
בִנְיָמִ֖יןvin.ya.MinBenjaminH1144
בַּֽעֲמָמֶ֑יךָba.'a.ma.Mei.kha[was] among people<s> yourH5971
מִנִּ֣יmi.NifromH4480
מָכִ֗ירma.KhirMakirH4353
יָֽרְדוּ֙ya.re.Duthey came downH3381
מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔יםme.Cho.ke.KimcommandersH2710
וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ןu.Mi.ze.vu.Lunand from ZebulunH2074
מֹשְׁכִ֖יםmo.she.Khim[those who] marchH4900
בְּשֵׁ֥בֶטbe.She.vetwith [the] staff ofH7626
סֹפֵֽר\׃so.Fera muster-officerH5608

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 5:14

  • Numbers 32:39-40

    And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it. And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.

  • Judges 3:13

    And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

  • Judges 12:15

    And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

  • Judges 3:27

    And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

  • Judges 4:10

    And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

  • Judges 4:14

    And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

  • Judges 4:5-6

    And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth–el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh–naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

  • Exodus 17:8-16

    Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
of Ephraim.
3:27; 4:5,6
Amalek.
3:13; Ex 17:8-16
after.
4:10,14
Machir.
Nu 32:39,40
handle the pen. Heb. draw with the pen.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 5:13

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

  • Judges 5:14

    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.

  • Judges 5:15

    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.

Read all of Judges 5

Judges 5:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		De Ephraim salió su raíz contra Amalec tras ti, Benjamín, contra tus pueblos; de Machîr descendieron príncipes, y de Zabulón los que solían manejar punzón de escribiente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		D’Éphraïm sont venus ceux dont la racine est en Amalek; derrière toi vient Benjamin, au milieu de tes peuples. De Makir sont descendus les gouverneurs, et de Zabulon sont venus ceux qui tiennent le bâton du commandant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Von Ephraim zogen hinab, deren Stammsitz unter Amalek ist; hinter dir her Benjamin, unter deinen Völkern; von Makir zogen hinab die Führer, und von Sebulon, die den Feldherrnstab halten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ex Ephraim delevit eos in Amalec, et post eum ex Benjamin in populos tuos, o Amalec: de Machir principes descenderunt, et de Zabulon qui exercitum ducerent ad bellandum.