Bible Strands
Judges 5:14
Some 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Deborah and Barak sing a victory song to the LORD, cataloging the tribes that mobilized for battle against Sisera’s forces. The verse records the specific tribal contributions during the campaign in the Jezreel valley.
The words — The Hebrew מִנִּ֣י (mi.Ni) literally means "from" or "some of," introducing the roll call. The phrase שָׁרְשָׁם בַּעֲמָלֵק (sha.re.Sha/m ba.'a.ma.Lek) translates to "their root in Amalek," identifying Ephraim’s territorial or ancestral origin.
The thread — The reference to Machir aligns with Numbers 32:39, where his descendants settle Gilead, and Judges 3:27, where the horn is blown in Ephraim. The mention of Amalek echoes Judges 3:13, where Amalekites previously allied with Israel’s oppressors.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that collective tribal mobilization, rather than isolated leadership, produced the military outcome. It asks the reader to trace how each clan’s historical identity directly shaped the battle’s result.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 32:39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
- Judges 3:13 After enlisting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join forces with him, Eglon attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the City of Palms.
- Judges 3:27 On arriving in Seirah, he blew the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hills, and he became their leader.
- Judges 12:15 Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
- Exodus 17:8 After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
- Judges 4:5 And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.
- Judges 4:10 where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.
- Judges 4:14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Arise, for this is the day that the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.