From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
Parallel translations
- KJV They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
- BSB From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
- NKJV They fought from the heavens; The stars from their courses fought against Sisera.
- NASB “The stars fought from heaven, From their paths they fought against Sisera.
- NLT The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Even the stars from heaven are said to fight against Sisera.
Overview
The poetic image declares that the cosmos itself joined God's war against the enemy. Creation serves its Maker in defending His people, likely picturing the storm that aided Israel. The verse magnifies the LORD's command over heaven and earth in saving Israel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Josh 10:11As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, Yahweh hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.
- Judg 4:15Yahweh confused Sisera, all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled away on his feet.
- Ps 77:17–18The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.
- 1 Sam 7:10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 5:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.