Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 68:12

"Kings of armies flee, they flee; And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil." — Psalms 68:12 (ASV)

Kings of armies did flee apace—the margin, reflecting the Hebrew, reads did flee, did flee. This repetition is the Hebrew way of expressing what is emphatic or superlative; it is achieved by simply repeating the word. The idea is that they fled speedily; they fled at once and in alarm.

Psalms 68:12–13 are marked by DeWette as a quotation, and he supposes the language to be the substance of the song sung by the women, as referred to in Psalm 68:11. This supposition is not improbable. The reference is undoubtedly to the former victories achieved by the people of God when they went out to war. The idea is that when the command came, when God gave the word (Psalms 68:11), their foes fled in consternation.

And she that tarried at home divided the spoil—this refers to the women remaining in their homes while the men went out to war. On them fell the task of dividing the plunder and of giving the proper portions to each of the victors. They would take an interest in the battle, receive the booty, and assign the portion due to each of the brave soldiers—all the more acceptable as given to them by female hands.

Possibly, however, the meaning may be that the victors would bring the plunder home and lay it at the feet of their wives and daughters to be divided among the women themselves. The dividing of the spoils of battle after a victory was always an important act. Compare to Judges 5:30; Joshua 7:21; 1 Chronicles 26:27; and Hebrews 7:4.