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Judges 5:31
ESV "So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might." And the land had rest for forty years.
NIV "So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength." Then the land had peace forty years.
NASB May all Your enemies perish in this way, Lord; But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.' And the land was at rest for forty years.
CSB Lord, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love him be like the rising of the sun in its strength. And the land had peace for forty years.
NLT 'Lord, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!' Then there was peace in the land for forty years.
KJV So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
NKJV “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.

What does Judges 5:31 mean?

Deborah's victory song (Judges 5:1) ends with a prayer to the Lord. She returns to her emphasis that this triumph was God's. He brought it about, from the deluge that flooded the river and rendered Sisera's iron chariots helpless (Judges 5:19–22) to the grotesque way in which Sisera died at the hands of a woman used by the Lord to bring justice (Judges 5:24–27).

The prophetess (Judges 4:4–5) concludes by asking the Lord to bring such death to all His enemies. She doesn't call them "her" enemies or even "Israel's" enemies, but God's enemies. He brings justice to those who stand opposed to Him. In the same way, she asks the Lord that those who honor Him be like the sun: rising in might, bringing heat and light while remaining untouchable.

Within Deborah's words are echoes of God's own covenant promises to Israel. These were made exclusively to that people, in that time. If they will remain His friends by doing what is right before Him, He will bless them. If they choose to rebel against Him and make themselves His enemies once more, He will bring suffering and death (Deuteronomy 30:15–18). Sadly, the next verse reveals the choice Israel will make, once more, to continue the downward spiral of the book of Judges (Judges 2:11–19).

The last phrase of this verse is not part of Deborah's song. Rather, it's the conclusion of this cycle in Israel's history. After the defeat of Canaan, Sisera, and Jabin (Judges 4:1–3), Israel will see peace for an entire generation: forty years. Then the pattern will repeat (Judges 6:1).
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