Judges 5:17
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
Gilead stayed east of the Jordan while Dan stayed with its ships and Asher stayed by the seashore and its inlets instead of joining the battle. The song in which this stands is a triumph poem celebrating Israel's deliverance from Jabin king of Canaan after twenty years of oppression, when faith overcame Sisera's army with its nine hundred iron chariots. Their absence is rebuked as failure to help and lack of interest in the Lord's cause while their brethren fought, in contrast to those who came to the help of the Lord and to Zebulun and Naphtali who risked their lives. It warns God's people not to stay idle when called to free their brethren, dividing those who discern the time and give themselves to the work from those who do not discern God's providence and bring a curse on themselves like Meroz. Joined to the song's ascribing of all glory for deliverance to God and not to men or idols, the battle at Megiddo stands as an object lesson for the final gathering of the nations at Armageddon under the sixth plague.
Setting in Deborah's Song
The verse belongs to the song in Judges 5:1-31, the triumph poem and triumphant song of Deborah and Barak celebrating Israel's victory over Sisera's army and the Canaanites. It is reckoned as the earliest poetry of Israel, which rose among the hills of Galilee to celebrate the triumph of Barak of Naphtali over the Canaanites. It thus vindicates the honor of Galilee for the intellectual vigor and mental freshness and force of its people above the narrow South. As part of that song it proves God has used a woman in a public capacity to His glory, as He has done in all ages.
The song recounts Israel's deliverance from Jabin, king of Canaan, after twenty years of oppression, including Jael's part in that deliverance. It shows that Israel could overcome even Sisera's army with nine hundred iron chariots when the people acted in faith. The victory was won in the battle at Megiddo by Barak and Deborah, by which the Israelites first gained possession of the Plain of Jezreel. That victory over Sisera and his forces effectually subdued the Canaanites, and after this the land had peace forty years, but prosperity did not bring Israel nearer to God.
The verse stands within Judges 3-17, one composite record of Israel's backsliding from God and consequent suffering, oppression, captivity and servitude, followed by returning to God, forgiveness and deliverance. That record shows the perversity and unbelief of the people and the long-suffering and goodness of God amid the awful moral surroundings and demoralizing influences of the tribes Israel permitted to remain in the promised land. As part of Deborah's sublime and impassioned song celebrating the triumph of Israel, the verse joins in ascribing all the glory of deliverance to God and bidding the people praise Him for His wonderful works. It calls upon the kings and princes of surrounding nations to hear what God wrought for Israel and to take warning not to harm them, showing that honor and power belong to God and not to men or to their idols.
It portrays the awful exhibitions of divine power and majesty displayed at Sinai, and sets before Israel their helpless and distressed condition under the oppression of their enemies while relating the history of their deliverance. In plain sense it names Gilead, Dan, and Asher among the tribes that did not join the fight. Gilead abode and stayed beyond the Jordan, Dan remained with its ships, and Asher continued on the seashore and abode in its inlets or breaches, staying along the coast and by the sea rather than joining the battle.
Rebuke and Warning
Gilead abode beyond the Jordan, Dan remained with its ships, and Asher continued on the seashore and abode in its inlets or breaches by the sea and coast rather than joining the battle. Their absence was a failure to help and a lack of interest in the Lord's cause, for which they were rebuked for remaining safe while their fellow Israelites fought, in contrast to the tribes that came to help. Those who held it named the rebuked as Gad, Asher, and Dan, with Dan remaining with his ships and Asher staying by the coast.
The verse exposes a crisis in the Lord's work between one class who discerned the importance of the time, accepted the message God sent, justified God, and brought salvation to themselves and the people, and another class who could not discern God's providence nor believe His testimony. That other class did not see the importance of giving themselves to the work and coming to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and brought a curse on themselves, to whom belongs the message to curse Meroz bitterly and its inhabitants because they came not to the help of the Lord. Those who held back stand in contrast to Jael, a tender-hearted woman of a tender-hearted family on friendly terms with the enemy who yet defended God's cause by killing Israel's enemy and was blessed above women in the tent. They stand likewise in contrast to Zebulun and Naphtali who jeoparded their lives unto death in the high places of the field.
The verse serves as a warning that God's people should not stay idle when called to support His work but should help free their brethren. The song to which the verse belongs proves God has used a woman in a public capacity to His glory in all ages. Its account of the battle at Megiddo serves as an object lesson connected with the final gathering of the nations at Armageddon under the sixth plague, making the chapter important to study in connection with the sixth and seventh plagues. It belongs to the earliest poetry of Israel, which rose among the hills of Galilee to celebrate the triumph of Barak of Naphtali over the Canaanites, and it vindicates the honor of Galilee for the intellectual vigor and mental freshness and force of its people above the narrow South.