Bible Strands
Judges 5:19
Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — This verse appears within a poetic battle narrative that immediately follows the account of Zebulun and Naphtali risking their lives on the battlefield. It records the movement of opposing armies at a specific geographic location during a campaign against Israelite forces.
The words — מְלָכִים (me.la.Khim) translates as kings, and נִלְחָ֔מוּ (nil.Cha.mu) translates as they fought. These terms establish the opposing actors and the violent action described in the text.
The thread — Taanach and Megiddo reappear in Judges 1:27 as locations where Manasseh failed to drive out inhabitants, and in 1 Kings 4:12 as administrative districts under Baana. The theme of military plunder resurfaces in Judges 5:30, where the expected division of spoils is explicitly described.
Why it lands — The text states that the allied kings fought at Taanach but took no silver, directly preceding the statement that celestial bodies fought against Sisera. It asks the reader to recognize the contrast between organized human military campaigns and the actual outcome dictated by divine action.
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
The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
Cross-references
- Judges 1:27 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
- Judges 5:30 ‘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?’
- 1 Kings 4:12 Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
- Genesis 4:16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
- Genesis 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
- Joshua 10:22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
- Joshua 11:1 Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard about these things, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon; to the kings of Shimron and Achshaph;
- Judges 4:13 he summoned all nine hundred of his iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the River Kishon.
- Psalms 44:12 You sell Your people for nothing; no profit do You gain from their sale.
- Psalms 48:4 For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together.