Deborah’s song shifts to survey the Israelites who participated in the fierce battle against Sisera. The narrative reflects on the tribes' past glories while highlighting the extraordinary makeup of the forces, where spiritual leaders and intellectuals stood shoulder to shoulder with traditional warriors.
The historical survey begins with Ephraim and Benjamin, drawing a profound historical line. Ephraim's legacy is rooted in Joshua, the tribal leader who spearheaded the nation's very first military campaign against Amalek [רש"י, מצודת דוד, רלב"ג, רד"ק]. Looking to the future, a prophetic vision reveals that Benjamin will follow this exact path, pointing to King Saul, who will eventually lead a massive army of two hundred thousand soldiers to continue the war against Amalek [רש"י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Alternatively, Benjamin's presence alongside the nation highlights how families from the tribe journeyed to join the current battle despite the geographic distance [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A deep spiritual tradition underpins this history: the nation of Amalek, descended from Esau, is destined to fall specifically at the hands of Rachel's descendants, namely the tribes of Joseph and Benjamin. Since Esau has no claim of a stolen birthright against Rachel's children, leaders from these tribes—from Joshua to Saul, and later Mordecai—are uniquely empowered to defeat them [צוארי שלל, אהבת יהונתן].
However, a contrasting perspective views the mention of these tribes not as praise, but as a sharp rebuke. According to this approach, Ephraim and Benjamin failed to appear for the battle against Sisera. Deborah challenges them, questioning whether they consider themselves greater than Joshua, their ancestor, who willingly risked his life in combat. Ephraim's failure to mobilize ultimately dragged Benjamin down with them, leading both tribes to stay away [אלשיך]. Even though they had produced great heroes in the past, they failed to send any capable warriors to this crucial fight [מלבי"ם].
In stark contrast to those who stayed behind, the song elevates the profound dedication of the tribes that volunteered. These groups sent not just common soldiers, but their spiritual and intellectual elite. From the family of Machir, part of the half-tribe of Manasseh residing across the Jordan River, great ministers and wise men deeply versed in religious law descended to the battlefield [רש"י, רד"ק, מלבי"ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Similarly, from the northern tribe of Zebulun came multitudes of scribes and scholars. These were men unaccustomed to war, wielding the scribe's pen rather than swords and shields [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד"ק, מלבי"ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Zebulun's association with scribes also echoes their proud tradition of financially supporting the tribe of Issachar so they could dedicate themselves to study [אהבת יהונתן].
The remarkable participation of these scholars from Machir and Zebulun serves as the ultimate counterargument to the absent tribes. If Ephraim and Benjamin were to excuse their absence by claiming they were scholars rather than seasoned fighters, the battlefield reality dismantled their defense. The greatest minds and writers of Machir and Zebulun willingly left their books behind and marched to the front lines to fight for God, proving that intellectual or spiritual pursuits offer no exemption from standing with the nation in its time of need [אלשיך].