Judges 5:19-20
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This verse reveals a crucial detail often missed: the Canaanite kings didn't just fight; they fought "for no fragment of silver." This suggests they came anticipating plunder, possibly even selling captives, but their ambition for wealth was utterly thwarted by their defeat, highlighting a stark contrast to Israel's fight for freedom.
“The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of Deborah's powerful song of victory, recounting a pivotal battle against the Canaanite oppressor, Sisera, and his allies. The song describes how various kings, reinforcements for Sisera's army, gathered their forces to fight near Taanach and Megiddo, anticipating a rich spoil from the defeated Israelites. However, their hope for plunder was dashed as God routed them in this very battle.
The Bible doesn't shy away from detailing the enemies Israel faced. This verse highlights the organized opposition arrayed against God's people.
Verse 19 mentions 'the kings' and 'the kings of Canaan.' This wasn't just one powerful ruler, but a coalition of local rulers, likely vassals or allies of Jabin, king of Hazor.
Victory in battle doesn't always mean material gain. This verse points to a surprising outcome for the aggressors.
The phrase 'they got no spoils of silver' is striking. It tells us about the immediate result of this battle for the Canaanite kings.
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Understand the original words
Kena'an · Hebrew Noun
The land west of the Jordan, historically associated with the enemies of Israel, characterized by idolatry and resistance to God's chosen people.
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, 'heaven' refers to the realm where God dwells, the expanse of the sky, or the celestial sphere. It is the locus of divine authority and from where God governs human history.
kokabim · Hebrew Noun
Often representing the celestial bodies created by God, but in poetic/prophetic contexts, they can refer to heavenly hosts, angelic beings, or divine manifestations that execute God’s will upon the earth.
Sisera · Hebrew Proper Noun
A commander or leader of an army; in this specific context, it refers to the historical adversary of Israel mentioned in the narrative of Deborah and Barak.
This verse captures the height of the conflict against Sisera's formidable coalition. The mention of 'kings' highlights the organized, multi-city Canaanite resistance, while the 'no gain of money' underscores their failed ambition for plunder and the devastating defeat they suffered.
c. 1250 BC
Canaanite Kings Consolidate Power
Following the decline of Egyptian influence, various Canaanite city-states, often ruled by kings, solidified their control over the land, sometimes forming alliances for mutual defense or expansion.
c. 1250-1200 BC
Israelites Suffer Under Canaanite Oppression
For twenty years, the Israelites endured harsh oppression by Jabin, the king of Canaan who reigned in Hazor, with his powerful general Sisera commanding a chariot force.
During the period of oppression
Sisera Gathers Allied Kings
Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, mustered a coalition of Canaanite kings from various cities, including Taanach and Megiddo, to crush any Israelite resistance.
During the period of oppression— this verse
Battle at Taanach and Megiddo
The decisive battle against Sisera and his allied kings took place in the strategic plain of Megiddo, near the waters of the Kishon River and the cities of Taanach and Megiddo.
After the battle
Disastrous Defeat for Canaanite Kings
The combined forces of the Canaanite kings were utterly defeated by Barak and the Israelite army, suffering heavy losses and gaining no spoils or plunder as they had anticipated.
After the battle
Twenty Years of Peace for Israel
The victory at Megiddo brought about forty years of peace and security for Israel, marking a significant turning point in their struggle for freedom and dominion in the land.
This passage describes a similar coalition of kings led by another powerful Canaanite ruler, highlighting a recurring pattern of opposition to God's people.
Exodus 15:9This song of victory, sung after Israel's exodus from Egypt, also speaks of enemies expecting great plunder but being utterly defeated, echoing the futility of the Canaanite kings' ambitions.
Psalm 83:11-12This prayer against Israel's enemies references specific individuals and nations who sought to dominate Israel, similar to the confederacy mentioned in Judges 5, and acknowledges their desire for possession.
Judges 4:23This verse immediately following the battle describes God himself striking down Sisera and his chariots, reinforcing the divine intervention evident in the kings' failure to gain any spoil.
jfbJudges 5:19: "The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money."
19-22. describes the scene of battle and the issue. It would seem (Jud 5:19) that Jabin was reinforced by the troops of other Canaanite princes. The battlefield was near Taanach (now Ta'annuk), on a tell or mound in the level plain of Megiddo (now Leijun), on its southwestern extremity, by the left bank of the Kishon.they took no gain of money—They obtained…
ellicottJudges 5:19: "The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money."
(19) The kings.— Comp. Joshua 11:1 . Jabin did not stand alone. In Taanach.—See Judges 1:27. The word means “sandy soil.” By the waters of Megiddo.—The affluents of the Kishon, or the swollen waves of the river itself. There is a copious spring at Lejjûn, the ancient Megiddo, which in rainy seasons rapidly turns the plain into a morass (Thomson’s Land and Bo…
This verse reveals a crucial detail often missed: the Canaanite kings didn't just fight; they fought "for no fragment of silver." This suggests they came anticipating plunder, possibly even selling captives, but their ambition for wealth was utterly thwarted by their defeat, highlighting a stark contrast to Israel's fight for freedom.
This verse is part of Deborah's powerful song of victory, recounting a pivotal battle against the Canaanite oppressor, Sisera, and his allies. The song describes how various kings, reinforcements for Sisera's army, gathered their forces to fight near Taanach and Megiddo, anticipating a rich spoil from the defeated Israelites. However, their hope for plunder was dashed as God routed them in this very battle.
This verse is part of Deborah's powerful song of victory, recounting a pivotal battle against the Canaanite oppressor, Sisera, and his allies. The song describes how various kings, reinforcements for Sisera's army, gathered their forces to fight near Taanach and Megiddo, anticipating a rich spoil from the defeated Israelites. However, their hope for plunder was dashed as God routed them in this very battle.
"“The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera." — This verse reveals a crucial detail often missed: the Canaanite kings didn't just fight; they fought "for no fragment of silver." This suggests they came anticipating plunder, possibly even selling c…
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Last reviewed October 2026
