This is especially the case with regard to those
narratives which are preserved to us in a double form. These are
not frequent in Judges, but they do occur. A very simple case
of the kind is seen on comparing chap. iv. with chap. v.
The Canaanites again lift their heads under their great king
Sisera, and from their towns in the plains harass the hill
villages of the new settlers. Deborah unites the Hebrew tribes
for the contest. From the North and from the South the hosts of
Jehovah descend before our eyes towards Jezreel, the prophetess
Deborah at their head, the warrior Barak at her side. The conflict
takes place at the brook Kishon, and ends with the defeat of the
kings of Canaan. Sisera himself is killed in the flight by Jael,
the wife of a nomad Kenite. Such are the contents of the song in
chap. v. In the preceding narrative (chap. iv.) we should
expect to find a historical commentary on the song, but we find a
mere reproduction in which the special features of the story are
blurred and falsified. Instead of the kings of Canaan we have the
king of Canaan, as if Canaan had been a kingdom.
Pages:
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545