Limitless Word
So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
Judges 5:31 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB “So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.
  • BSB So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.
  • NKJV “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.
  • NASB “May all Your enemies perish in this way, Lord; But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was at rest for forty years.
  • NLT “Lord, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

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

The song closes praying that all God's enemies perish while those who love Him shine like the rising sun, followed by forty years of peace.

Overview

Deborah's song ends with a prayer that contrasts the doom of God's enemies with the radiant flourishing of those who love Him. The promised rest of forty years shows God's faithfulness to deliver and bless His repentant people. The image of the rising sun anticipates the glory of the righteous, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the 'sun of righteousness' (Malachi 4:2).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 31

  • Ps 37:6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
  • 2 Sam 23:4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
  • Ps 19:4–5Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
  • Dan 12:3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
  • 1 Pet 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
  • 1 Cor 8:3But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
  • Ps 89:36His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
  • Ps 91:14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
  • Jas 1:12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
  • Ps 83:9–18Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
  • Judg 3:11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
  • Prov 4:18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
  • Matt 13:43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
  • Rom 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  • Hos 6:3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
  • Jas 2:5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
  • Ps 97:10Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
  • Ps 97:8Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
  • Exod 20:6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
  • Judg 3:30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
  • Deut 6:5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
  • Ps 58:10–11The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
  • Ps 92:9For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
  • Ps 48:4–5For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
  • Ps 68:1–3Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
  • Eph 6:24Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
  • 1 Jn 4:19–21We love him, because he first loved us.
  • 1 Jn 5:2–3By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
  • Rev 6:10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
  • Rev 19:2–3For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
  • Rev 18:20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Judges videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Judges 5:31YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JudgesMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 5:31 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.