The Meaning of Judges 5:28 Explained

Judges 5:28

KJV: The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

YLT: Through the window she hath looked out -- Yea, she crieth out -- the mother of Sisera, Through the lattice: Wherefore is his chariot delaying to come? Wherefore tarried have the steps of his chariot?

Darby: "Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sis'era gazed through the lattice: 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?'

ASV: Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The mother  of Sisera  looked  out at a window,  and cried  through the lattice,  Why is his chariot  [so] long  in coming?  why tarry  the wheels  of his chariots? 

What does Judges 5:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 5:24-31 - At The Mercy Of Midian
What a contrast our reading suggests between those that love the Lord and go from strength to strength in the undimming luster and influence of their life, and the evil that once more brought the tyrant's yoke upon this neck of Israel! Yet these alternations have too often befallen us. At one moment Sisera and his hosts are chased before us as sheep before the dog; then a reaction sets in and the hand of Midian prevails against us. Why are we not always glad, strong, and victorious? Is it not because we look to our moods, we relax our close walk with God, and we set up the images of Baal in our hearts? We are then reduced to the plight described here and in Haggai 1:6. Why are there not more conversions in the Church? Why is there so little difference between the Church and the world? Why is so much of our Sunday-school teaching ineffective? Ah, the Midianite is in our midst and we acquiesce! The urgent, primal need of the present day is for the Church to realize her true condition, and cry mightily unto God for help. Note Judges 6:6 and Joel 1:14, etc. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 5

1  The Song of Deborah and Barak

What do the individual words in Judges 5:28 mean?

Through the window looked and cried out the mother of Sisera through the lattice why is [so] long his chariot in coming why tarries the clatter of his chariots
בְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָֽאֶשְׁנָ֑ב מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ ؟ לָב֔וֹא מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י ؟ מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו

בְּעַד֩  Through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּעַד 
Sense: behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about.
הַחַלּ֨וֹן  the  window 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: חַלֹּון 
Sense: window (piercing of the wall).
נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה  looked 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁקַף  
Sense: to overlook, look down or out, overhang, look out and down.
וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב  and  cried  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָבַב  
Sense: (Piel) to cry, cry shrilly.
אֵ֥ם  the  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
סִֽיסְרָ֖א  of  Sisera 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: סִיסְרָא  
Sense: the conquering general under king Jabin of Hazor and slain by Jael.
בְּעַ֣ד  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּעַד 
Sense: behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about.
הָֽאֶשְׁנָ֑ב  the  lattice 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶשְׁנָב  
Sense: window-lattice.
מַדּ֗וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
בֹּשֵׁ֤שׁ  is  [so]  long 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
רִכְבּוֹ֙  his  chariot 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
؟ לָב֔וֹא  in  coming 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מַדּ֣וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
אֶֽחֱר֔וּ  tarries 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָחַר  
Sense: to delay, hesitate, tarry, defer, remain behind.
פַּעֲמֵ֖י  the  clatter 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
؟ מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו  of  his  chariots 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.