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?’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Deborah sings this line as part of the victory song, describing the battle's aftermath while Sisera’s mother waits in vain.

The words — רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם (ra.cha.ma.Ta.yim) literally means “two wombs,” and שָׁלָ֗ל (sha.Lal) means “plunder,” describing the spoils warriors would claim.

The thread — The division of spoils echoes the enemy’s declaration in Exodus 15:9, while the mention of dyed and embroidered garments parallels the special robes given to Joseph in Genesis 37:3 and worn by Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:18.

Why it lands — The text states that warriors would claim one girl or two per man and dyed garments for the defeated commander, then asks readers to recognize how the anticipated plunder contrasts with the actual outcome of divine judgment.

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

הֲלֹ֨אha./Lo'¿/ not יִמְצְא֜וּyim.tze.'Uare they finding יְחַלְּק֣וּye.cha.le.Kuare they dividing up?שָׁלָ֗לsha.Lalplunder רַ֤חַםRa.chama womb רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם֙ra.cha.ma.Ta.yimtwo wombs לְרֹ֣אשׁle./Roshfor/ [the] head of גֶּ֔בֶרGe.vera man שְׁלַ֤לshe.Lalplunder of צְבָעִים֙tze.va.'Imcolored cloth<s>לְסִ֣יסְרָ֔אle./Si.se.Ra'for/ Sisera שְׁלַ֥לshe.Lalplunder of צְבָעִ֖יםtze.va.'Imcolored cloth<s>רִקְמָ֑הrik.Mahembroidered material צֶ֥בַעTze.va'colored cloth רִקְמָתַ֖יִםrik.ma.Ta.yimembroidered material<s>לְצַוְּארֵ֥יle./tza.ve.Reifor/ [the] necks of שָׁלָֽל׃sha.Lalplunder

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?

Cross-references

Exodus 15:9 The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
2 Samuel 13:18 So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
Job 20:5 the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
Psalms 45:14 In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you.

People named

Sisera