The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
-God's doings for His people from the time of their entrance into Canaan until the setting up of the sanctuary in Zion.
Verse 11. The Lord gave the word - which ensured victory to Israel.
Great was the company of those that published it. Translate as Hebrew ( hamªbasrowt (H1319)), 'great is the company of the female-heralds of the good news'-namely, the procession of 'damsels' who celebrate in song and dance the victory (Exodus 15:20-21; 1 Samuel 18:6-7; Judges 5:12; Judges 11:34; especially Psalms 68:25, below, which explains it). All the separate choirs united on such occasions.
Verse 12. Kings of armies did flee apace - literally, did flee, flee; i:e., in most hasty flight.
And she that tarried at home divided the spoil. Whereas in Deborah's song the mother and wise ladies of Sisera, in their home, awaited his return in triumph, that they might get 'a prey of divers colours of needle-work ... meet for the necks of them that take the spoil' (Judges 5:30), it was the Israelite women tarrying at home (Titus 2:5) who got their share of the spoil. The ulterior reference is to Israel, regarded as the Church of God, dwelling again peacefully at home after the flight of the kings (Judges 5:31; Judges 8:28). Also the Christian Church dwelling in her Father's home (Psalms 68:6, margin) after the overthrow of her enemies.
Verse 13. Though ye have lien (i:e., lain) among the pots - in the places where pots or caldrons are set over the fire-places where ye have been blackened by the sullying smoke. An image to express their degradation in Egypt (cf. Lamentations 4:8). In Ezekiel 40:43, the only other place where the Hebrew occurs х shªpataayim (H8240)], it means the hooks and irons, or two hearthstones, on which the flesh was suspended for roasting. Hengstenberg translates, 'When ye rest between the boundaries,' or 'in the sheepfolds' (Judges 5:16), denoting a state of peaceful rest. I prefer the English version, which forms a beautiful contrast to what follows.
(Yet shall ye be as) the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold - alluding to the golden colour at one time and silver at another reflected from the outspread wings of doves, according to the direction in which the sunshine is seen to fall on them.
Verse 14. When the Almighty scattered kings in it - in the land. God, as "the Almighty" (see note, Psalms 91:1), alone could thus scatter mighty kings, as Cushan, Jabin, Agag.
It was (white) as snow in Salmon. The brightness of prosperity, after the gloom of the conflict was like the glittering white snow which covers dark Salmon, with its black forests (Judges 9:48). "Salmon" means shady, dark. It was a high mountain near the Jordan (Psalms 51:7; Mark 9:3; cf. Matthew 17:2).