They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
They that are delivered ..., х miqowl (H6963) mªchatstsiym (H2686)] - from the shouting either of archers [as the Targums render it, from chets, an arrow] or of those dividing [namely, the booty, from chaatsats, to divide].
In the places of drawing water, х mash'abiym (H4857)] - between or among the water-troughs. 'Near the wells and fountains the robber and assassin commonly took his station; and in time of war the enemy placed their ambush there, because the flocks and herds, in which the wealth of the country chiefly consisted, were twice every day collected to those places, and might be seized with less danger when the shepherds were busily engaged in drawing water. This circumstance is alluded to by Deborah. A perfect comment on her words is furnished by a historian of the crusades, who complains that, during the siege of Jerusalem by the Christian armies, numbers of their men were daily cut off, and their cattle driven away by the Saracens, who lay in ambush for this purpose pear all the fountains and watering-places' (Paxton's 'Illustrations of Scripture,' vol. 1:, p. 52.)
There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, х tsidqowt (H6666) ... pirzonow (H6520)] - the righteous acts of His rule in Israel; namely in the defeat of Jabin, and the restoration of Israel's freedom.
Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates - i:e., return to their cities in tranquillity and joy. The wells, which are at a little distance from towns in the East, are, in unsettled times, places of danger. But in peace they are scenes of pleasant and joyous resort. The poetess anticipates that this song may be sung, and "the righteous acts of the Lord" rehearsed, at these now tranquil "places of drawing water." Deborah, now rousing herself to describe, in terms suitable to the occasion, the preparation and the contest, calls, in a burst of poetic enthusiasm, on Barak to parade his prisoners in triumphal procession. Then follows a eulogistic enumeration of the tribes which raised the commanded levy, or volunteered their services-the soldiers of Ephraim, who dwelt near the mount of the Amalekites, the small quota of Benjamin; the "governors," valiant leaders "out of Machir," the western Manasseh; and out of Zebulun.