This isn't just a historical recap; the psalmist is invoking powerful precedents to tell God, "Remember how you've crushed Your enemies before, and do it again!" The specific mention of the "river Kishon" isn't just a location but evokes the dramatic defeat and rout that happened there, a vivid picture of divine judgment.
Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is calling on God to intervene in a present crisis where enemies are threatening the people of God. He recalls two pivotal moments in Israel's history when God powerfully delivered them: the defeat of the Midianites by Gideon and the victory over Sisera and King Jabin at the river Kishon. This prayer implores God to act with the same decisive power against their current adversaries as He did against these ancient foes.
When facing overwhelming odds, where do you turn for encouragement? This verse points to a powerful strategy: remembering God's past interventions.
A Tapestry of Divine Deliverance
The psalmist is calling on God to act against his enemies, but not just with a vague plea. He invokes specific, awe-inspiring victories from Israel's history:
These weren't just isolated events; they were monumental acts of God demonstrating His power and faithfulness to His people. The psalmist is reminding himself, and perhaps God, of this track record, essentially saying, 'You've done this before, Lord, do it again!'
The prayer isn't just for victory, but for a specific kind of defeat for the enemy. What does this specific historical recall reveal about God's justice?
More Than Just Defeat
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The historical events mentioned in Psalms 83:9 weren't simply about one army winning and another losing. They highlight how God confounds and utterly destroys His enemies:
The psalmist is asking God to replicate this pattern of judgment – not necessarily the exact methods, but the decisive and confounding nature of the defeat. It's a prayer for God's justice to be fully displayed.
Understand the original words
šā-maḏ · Hebrew Verb
To bring to nothing, to annihilate, or to ruin; used in reference to God’s judgment upon the wicked or enemies of His people.
dō-men · Hebrew Noun
Refuse or excrement; used here metaphorically to describe the complete humiliation, worthlessness, and ignominious end of those who opposed God.
nadib · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to leaders of high rank or social status; in this context, it denotes the powerful figures opposing God's people.
nasik · Hebrew Noun
A title for individuals in positions of authority or leadership over a group or nation; here it refers to the enemies of Israel.
The psalmist invokes two pivotal moments in Israel's history when God dramatically delivered His people from overwhelming enemies. These historical victories served as powerful reminders of God's faithfulness and ability to save, encouraging the people to trust Him in their own present struggles.
c. 1170 BC
Gideon defeats the Midianites
The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, heavily oppressed Israel. Gideon, with a remarkably small army of 300 men, achieved a decisive victory, leading to the collapse of Midianite power.
c. 1100 BC— this verse
Deborah and Barak defeat Jabin and Sisera
Jabin, king of Canaan, oppressed Israel for twenty years. Under the leadership of the prophetess Deborah and the warrior Barak, the Israelites won a great victory against Jabin's army, led by his general Sisera, near the Kishon River.
c. 10th century BC
Davidic Kingdom
This period saw the consolidation of Israelite power under kings like David and Solomon, establishing a unified kingdom and a central place of worship in Jerusalem.
c. 730s-722 BC
Assyrian Conquest
The Assyrian Empire rose to prominence, conquering many nations in the region, including the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC.
586 BC
Babylonian Conquest of Jerusalem
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling a significant portion of the Judean population.
This passage recounts Gideon's miraculous victory over the Midianites with a vastly outnumbered force, mirroring the psalmist's plea for a similar divine intervention.
Judges 4:1-24This chapter details the defeat of Sisera and Jabin by Barak and Deborah, an event the psalmist specifically invokes as a precedent for God's judgment.
2 Chronicles 20:1-30This narrative shows God delivering Judah from a massive invading army, echoing the prayer in Psalms 83 and highlighting God's power to overthrow vast coalitions of enemies.
Isaiah 9:4This prophecy directly references the victory over Midian as a symbol of future deliverance and God's decisive action against oppressors.
Psalm 106:10-12This psalm also recalls God's deliverance of Israel from their enemies, specifically mentioning the salvation at the Red Sea and the defeat of the Egyptians, which serves as a broader example of God's faithfulness in rescuing His people.
clarkePsalms 83:9: "Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:"
Do unto them as unto the Midianites - Who were utterly defeated by Gideon, Judges 7:21 , Judges 7:22 . As to Sisera - Captain of the army of Jabin, king of Canaan, who was totally defeated by Deborah and Barak, near Mount Tabor, by the river Kishon; and himself, after having fled from the battle, slain by Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite. See Judges 4:15, etc.
ellicottPsalms 83:9: "Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:"
(9-12) For the historical allusion see references in margin. The splendid victories of Barak and Gideon were the constant theme of poets and prophets when trying to encourage their own generation by the examples of the past. (See Isaiah 9:4 ; Isaiah 10:26 ; Habakkuk 3:7 .)
This isn't just a historical recap; the psalmist is invoking powerful precedents to tell God, "Remember how you've crushed Your enemies before, and do it again!" The specific mention of the "river Kishon" isn't just a location but evokes the dramatic defeat and rout that happened there, a vivid picture of divine judgment.
The psalmist is calling on God to intervene in a present crisis where enemies are threatening the people of God. He recalls two pivotal moments in Israel's history when God powerfully delivered them: the defeat of the Midianites by Gideon and the victory over Sisera and King Jabin at the river Kishon. This prayer implores God to act with the same decisive power against their current adversaries as He did against these ancient foes.
The psalmist is calling on God to intervene in a present crisis where enemies are threatening the people of God. He recalls two pivotal moments in Israel's history when God powerfully delivered them: the defeat of the Midianites by Gideon and the victory over Sisera and King Jabin at the river Kishon. This prayer implores God to act with the same decisive power against their current adversaries as He did against these ancient foes.
"Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmu…" — This isn't just a historical recap; the psalmist is invoking powerful precedents to tell God, "Remember how you've crushed Your enemies before, and do it again!" The specific mention of the "river Ki…
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Last reviewed October 2026
