What Does Judges 5:3 Mean in the King James?
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The rulers are summoned to hear and respond, while the singer’s repeated “I” directs two distinct acts of song toward the LORD.
THE MEANING
You hear the call reach even the rulers: power, too, is addressed as a listener. The singer speaks as “I” twice and directs both song and musical praise to the LORD, the God of Israel. The line places public authority beneath the attention and honor given to God.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This verse undoes the belief that rulers stand above listening: they are summoned to hear, and the singer directs praise to the LORD.
THE ROOT
שִׁמְעוּ
shimʿu
GROWS FROM
שמע
Hear, listen, attend; where response is implied, hear and respond.
“Hear” in this verse is shimʿu. The call draws the rulers into responsive attention, not just the reception of sound. The same root can describe hearing that becomes a response, so the verse addresses power as answerable.
ALSO GROWS
shema: Hear and respond
שְׁמַע
This familiar form shows the responsive force carried by the call to hear.
shemuʿah: Report, news; something heard
שְׁמוּעָה
A report is what has been heard and carried onward, showing hearing as something that can move into the world.
אָשִׁירָה
ashirah
GROWS FROM
שיר
Sing, make a song.
The first “sing” comes from שיר, the root of song and singing. The next line uses a different Hebrew verb, so the verse moves from singing into another, more musical form of praise.
ALSO GROWS
shir: Song
שִׁיר
The noun names the song that grows from the verb in this verse.
shiru: Sing
שִׁירוּ
This plural verb shows the same root as an act of singing shared by a group.
אֲזַמֵּר
azammer
GROWS FROM
זמר
Make music, sing praise.
“Sing praise” in this verse is azammer. English repeats “sing,” but this second verb comes from זמר, which carries the sense of musical praise. The Hebrew line deepens its song: vocal expression becomes a sounding answer directed to the LORD.
ALSO GROWS
mizmor: Psalm, song
מִזְמוֹר
The word for a psalm grows from the same root as the singer’s musical praise.
zemirah: Song, melody
זְמִירָה
This branch makes audible the musical quality in the verse’s second act of praise.
THE PATTERN
The verse gives rulers a listening posture and directs public honor to God.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.THE THREAD
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.The Hebrew behind “obeying” and “obey” is שָׁמַע (shama, hear and respond), the same root as the kings’ “hear” here. That link gives the summons its force: hearing is an answerable posture, not sound passing by.
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