Judges 5:2

“Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, etc.] The injuries done to Israel by any of their enemies, and particularly what wrongs had been done them by Jabin, king of Canaan, for twenty years past; though some understand it of the vengeance God took on Israel for their sins; and though praise is not given directly for that, yet inasmuch as, when that was the case, there were some whose spirits were stirred up to engage voluntarily in the deliverance of them from the oppression of their enemies, it was matter of praise: when the people willingly offered themselves: to go and fight for Israel against their enemies, particularly those of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, (<070518>Judges…”

“The meaning is obscurely seen in our version; it has been better rendered thus, "Praise ye Jehovah; for the free are freed in Israel--the people have willingly offered themselves" [ROBINSON].”

“Render “For the leading of the leaders in Israel (the princes), for the willingness of the people (to follow them) bless ye the Lord.” See Deuteronomy 32:42 note, and compare Judges 5:9 and Judges 5:13, where the nobles and the people are again contrasted. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The Lord - Give him the praise who hath done the work. The people - Chiefly Zebulun and Naphtali. Offered themselves - When neither Deborah nor Barak had any power to compel them. Judges 5:3”

“for the avenging: Deu 32:43; Sa2 22:47, Sa2 22:48; Psa 18:47, Psa 48:11, Psa 94:1, Psa 97:8, Psa 136:15, Psa 136:19, Psa 136:20; Psa 149:6-9; Rev 16:5, Rev 16:6, Rev 18:20, Rev 19:2 when: Jdg 5:9; Ch2 17:16; Neh 11:2; Psa 110:3; Co1 9:17; Co2 8:12, Co2 9:7; Phi 2:13; Plm 1:14 Judges 5:3”

“2 That the strong in Israel showed themselves strong, That the people willingly offered themselves, Praise ye the Lord! The meaning of פּרע and פּרעות is a subject of dispute. According to the Septuagint rendering, and that of Theodot., ἐν τῷ ἄρξασθαι ἀρχηγοὺς ἐν Ἰσραήλ, many give it the meaning to begin or to lead, and endeavour to establish this meaning from an Arabic word signifying to find one's self at the head of an affair. But this meaning cannot be established in Hebrew. פּרע has no other meaning than to let loose from something, to let a person loose or free (see at Lev 10:6); and in the only other passage where פּרעות occurs ( Deu 32:42), it does not refer to a leader,…”