Judges 5:23

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, Because they came not to the help of Jehovah, To the help of Jehovah against the mighty.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

א֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃

Transliteration

Arar Meroz, amar malak of-YHWH, arar aror inhabitants-of-her because not they-came to-help-of YHWH, to-help-of YHWH among-the-gibborim

Grammar Details

*Arar*: Qal imperative, masculine plural - curse!
*Meroz*: proper name - Meroz
*amar*: Qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - said
*malak*: noun, masculine singular construct - angel/messenger of
*YHWH*: divine name
*arar*: Qal imperative, masculine plural - curse!
*aror*: absolute infinitive - utterly curse
יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ: Qal participle, masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix - her inhabitants
כִּ֤י: conjunction - because
לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙: negative particle + Qal perfect, 3rd common plural - they did not come
לְעֶזְרַ֣ת: preposition ל + noun, feminine singular construct - to help of
לְעֶזְרַ֥ת: preposition ל + noun, feminine singular construct - to help of
בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים: preposition ב + definite article + adjective, masculine plural - among the mighty ones

Word Meanings

*arar*: curse/bind with a curse
*amar*: say/speak/command
*malak*: messenger/angel
*aror*: utterly curse
*gibborim*: mighty ones/warriors/heroes

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Judg 21:9-9 : 9 For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there. 10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
1 Sam 17:47 : 47 and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand.
1 Sam 18:17 : 17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
1 Sam 25:28 : 28 Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of Jehovah; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.
1 Sam 26:19 : 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
Neh 3:5 : 5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their lord.
Jer 48:10 : 10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.
Matt 25:41 : 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
Rom 15:18 : 18 For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
1 Cor 3:9 : 9 For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry, God's building.
1 Cor 16:22 : 22 If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Maranatha.
2 Cor 6:1 : 1 And working together [with him] we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain
Judg 2:1 : 1 And the angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you:
Judg 4:6 : 6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Has not Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded, [saying], Go and draw unto mountain Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun?
Judg 6:11 : 11 And the angel of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Judg 13:3 : 3 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Judg 5:24
72%
24Blessed above women shall Jael be, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Judg 5:22
70%
22Then did the horsehoofs stamp By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.
Jer 48:10
68%
10Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.
Num 22:6
68%
6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
Num 23:7-8
2 verses
67%
7And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel.
8How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?
Deut 29:27
67%
27therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curse that is written in this book;
Judg 5:20
67%
20From heaven fought the stars, From their courses they fought against Sisera.
Ps 83:9
67%
9Do thou unto them as unto Midian, As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;
Judg 9:57
67%
57and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Judg 2:15
67%
15Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken, and as Jehovah had sworn unto them: and they were sore distressed.
Lam 3:65
66%
65Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.
Mic 1:12
66%
12For the inhabitant of Maroth waiteth anxiously for good, because evil is come down from Jehovah unto the gate of Jerusalem.
Jer 11:3
66%
3and say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant,
Deut 28:20
66%
20Jehovah will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
Exod 23:23
66%
23For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off.
Judg 6:12
66%
12And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him, and said unto him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
Joel 3:11
66%
11Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah.
Josh 7:12
65%
12Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except ye destroy the devoted thing from among you.
Judg 6:3-4
2 verses
65%
3And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;
4and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
Judg 4:15
65%
15And Jehovah defeated Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
Judg 4:2-3
2 verses
65%
2And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.
3And the sons of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the sons of Israel.
Zech 10:5
65%
5And they shall be as mighty men, treading down [their enemies] in the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Jehovah is with them; and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
Isa 34:5
65%
5For my sword hath drunk its fill in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
Deut 28:16
65%
16Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
Num 22:11-12
2 verses
65%
11Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.
12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.
Isa 31:2
65%
2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
Judg 4:17
65%
17But Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Job 3:8
65%
8Let them curse it that curse the day, Who are ready to rouse up leviathan.
Num 14:43
65%
43For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned back from following Jehovah, therefore Jehovah will not be with you.
Jer 6:23
65%
23They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.
Jer 17:5
65%
5Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.
Judg 4:7
65%
7And I will draw unto you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.
Num 22:32
65%
32And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me:
Job 30:13
65%
13They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, [Even] men that have no helper.
Deut 23:4-5
2 verses
65%
4because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
5Nevertheless Jehovah thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but Jehovah thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because Jehovah thy God loved thee.
Deut 11:28
65%
28and the curse, if ye shall not hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
Num 23:13
64%
13And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
Deut 29:23
64%
23[ and that] the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, [and] a burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
Prov 3:33
64%
33The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.