Studying Judges 4, specifically 4-10, 14, & 21-22
We’ve moved into a new quarter of Uniform Series lessons, that are organized by the theme “the testimony of faithful witnesses.” We’re beginning that study with Judges 4 (specifically, vv4-10, 14, and 21-22 – but seriously, maybe we should just read the whole chapter), focusing on the faithful witnesses Deborah, Barak, and Jael.
We studied the first part of Judges 4 many years ago (some notes from that time are here). But here are a few notes on the chapter this time around:
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
We are reading a text near the beginning of the book of Judges. Hopefully, we’ll remember that Judges itself is near the beginning of the set of books that make up “the Deuteronomistic history” [Joshua – Judges – 1&2 Samuel – 1&2 Kings], a version of the history of Israel from the time of the entry into the land of Canaan through the final deportation to Babylonia, that presents a distinctive perspective on that history. The perspective of “the Deuteronomist” – the name people often give to whoever was the author of the Deuteronomistic history – is distinctive, in particular, compared to that of “the Chronicler” (see 1&2 Chronicles, and possibly Ezra-Nehemiah), and also compared to that of the author of the book of Ruth. They may or may not be the same author or editor who is responsible for much of the book of Deuteronomy; people have thought they might be, on the grounds of some seeming similarities in the texts.
Perhaps the most vital similarity is the message that Adonai, the God of Israel, rewards faithfulness, and punishes unfaithfulness. Israelite misfortunes like being oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan have been brought about by God, as a consequence of the Israelites having done evil in God’s sight. We see the same pattern in the blessings and curses God commands to be recited regularly from Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerazim in Deuteronomy (27:11-14, but see through 28:68 for the substance of the blessings and curses). We see it in the Deuteronomist’s verdict on the Babylonian disaster (2 Kings 24:3-4). And we see it all through the book of Judges, when things take a fearsome turn every time the people start to do evil in the eyes of God, and bad things happen, and then God hears their cry, and raises up a judge to bring them back and sort things out.
By the way, Marc Zvi Brettler has written a marvelous book on the book of Judges (reviewed here) which cautions readers against taking it as a “history” in our modern sense of that word. [That’s not the same as saying it’s not important sacred text to be studied, perhaps obviously.] Or, check out Vol. 1 of A People and a Land (reviewed here) – which treats the “narrative” of Judges 4 and the epic “poetry” of Judges 5 as two sides of a single, complex tale.
Generally speaking, “the time of the judges” in which the entire book takes place is sometime between the end of the book of Joshua (say roughly 1400 BCE) and the early monarchy (say roughly 1050 or so BCE). BibleHub has a more precise but still approximate timeline here which puts Deborah and Barak around 1375 BCE. In academic world historical terms, that’s getting towards the end of the Bronze Age (dated say 3300 – 1200 BCE) but not there yet, which makes Sisera’s 900 iron chariots in v3 some advanced military technology, definitely worth mentioning.
The place names in the story can be confusing. In particular, the place name “Kedesh” appears in Judges 4:6 as Barak’s starting point, again in Judges 4:10, this time as a mustering point, and yet again in Judges 4:11 as the reference point for the location of the vitally important tent of Heber the Kenite. There is good reason to think that the Kedesh in v6, if it is the Kedesh Naphtali that is north of the Sea of Galilee, is NOT the Kedesh mentioned later on, mainly because that would be a long distance for the troops, and the fleeing Sisera, to travel before and after a pitched battle. The thinking is that there is another location, much nearer the Wadi Kishon and Mount Tabor, that is being referred to at least in vv10 and 11. [One possibility, Tell Abu Kudeis, is described here; a map using that location, along with a long and imaginative analysis of the battle, is here.]
Judges 4:1-7 is a lectionary option for the Season after Pentecost (A), which means that most of this story, and definitely the part about Jael, is something we’d never know was in the Bible if all we knew were the lectionary! So, Bible Content Examinees, be warned, and everyone else, just look at what we’d be missing.
CLOSER READING
Our lesson plan skips over vv1-3, which set the scene: again the Israelites (sons of Israel) do evil in the eyes of YHWH; the God of Israel sold them (a striking verb) into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan; Jabin, whose name could mean something like “God discerns,” rules from Hazor, which seems to mean something like “bunch of villages.”
He has a chief or prince of his “army” – which is probably not quite like an army these days, but more like a troop of folks bound to the leader by varying social ties, whether kinship or personal loyalty or economic arrangement – who is Sisera. If this were an episode of Gunsmoke [which it seriously could be, come to think of it, with minimal editing] Sisera would be wearing the black hat.
Sisera – whose name might have something to do with horse – resides in Harosheth-hagoyim, a place whose name identifies it as non-Israelite, and might have something to do with engraving or carving – again, perhaps, a reference to the iron and the chariots. A formidable enemy, we should presumably be thinking.
Vv4-5 tells us about Deborah (whose name means “bee” or perhaps “wasp”). V4 relentlessly emphasizes her feminine gender: Deborah, a woman prophet, “woman of lappidoth,” she was judging. She she she she. NRSV translates her identifying marker as “wife of Lappidoth,” as if Lappidoth were obviously a proper name. But there is a strong case to be made for thinking the word lappidoth , which is a feminine plural noun which would mean “torches” if it were in any other context, is not a proper name, but rather a description of some kind. In that case, we’d read the text as meaning Deborah is “a woman of torches” or “a woman of fire.” That would fit.
V5 locates her with reference to some well-known places, Ramah and Beth-el, in a place of her own, the palm of Deborah, in the hill country of Ephraim. People are, over some period of time, coming to her for judgment. That is, she has an established position before the incident in the story.
Vv6-10 then begin the action of the story, with Deborah’s sending and calling Barak – which means “lightning,” surely rather auspicious, and also a nice complement to Deborah’s own fiery-torchy identity – and questioning him about a command from God. The grammar in the Hebrew text reads “Has not he commanded, the Holy One, the God of Israel, go and draw out at Mount Tabor, and take with you …” – so we might get the impression that Barak has been a bit less than lightning-fast to answer this command – evidently to muster 10,000 troops from Naphtali and Zebulun.
God, for God’s part, will draw out Sisera along with the chariots and troops and will give them into Barak’s hand. We have confidence God can do this, because before this God has given Israel into the hand of King Jabin. God decides whose hand is going to hold on to whom.
Barak’s answer in v8 uses just one verb, go (literally, “walk”), over and over. If Deborah will go, he will; if she won’t, he won’t. [Whether or not this is a model answer to a divine command is genuinely debatable. It’s not without precedent – see for example Exodus 33:15-16.] And there’s lots of textual evidence that the Israelites appreciated a person or other token of God’s presence when conducting battles. On the other hand, Barak has come in for a lot of criticism for this response.]
Deborah’s answer in v9 may or may not be a rebuke. [See the discussion here.] It is, however, prophetic. And once again, we [fore]see the God of Israel selling someone into someone else’s hand. This time, it will be Sisera, into the hand of a woman.
Our select verses skip over v11, which serves the vital “meanwhile, elsewhere …” function of getting Heber the Kenite into position so that Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, can be in the right place at the right time to stretch out her hand to take hold of what the God of Israel is planning to put into it.
They also skip over vv12-13, which fill in the indispensable step of Sisera summoning his troops and heading up to the Wadi Kishon, which God had already (v7) designated as the site of the battle.
We pick up with v14, Deborah’s call to attack. Which once again contains that questioning “Hasn’t the HOLY ONE gone out before you?” Either this is the way Deborah talks, or something about the way Barak responds to things, or both. At any rate, now Barak charges down Mount Tabor into battle …
And then we skip the vital and surely significant v15, in which the HOLY ONE throws Sisera’s army into a panic, they all flee before Israel, and Sisera, notably, got down from his chariot and fled on foot. Notably, surely, since Sisera, Mr. High-Horse, has been militarily superior for the past 20 years because of those chariots. Now God has stripped him of that advantage. So that in v16, Barak and his guys win the day.
Vv17-22, then, contain the story of Sisera’s fatal confrontation with Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite (Mrs. “meanwhile, elsewhere …”). Our verses pick up the story in v21, which is too bad, because we miss out on the narrative richness of the first part of the story-telling, just dropping in for the gruesome climax.
V17 reminds us that Sisera is on foot (not his strength), and brings him up to the tent of Jael (whose name might mean something like “useful, profitable”). The location seems reassuring to Sisera, evidently, because “There is peace between King Jabin and the clan of Heber.”
Jael comes out (v18) and calls to Sisera and says “turn, my lord, turn to me, do not fear.” Which he does. And it’s worth noting that in Hebrew the word “turn” here sounds a bit like Sisera’s own name, and a bit like the way we’d talk to a little cat we’re trying to get to come into the house at night (sss – sss – sss). Another commentator has pointed out that saying “don’t be afraid” is typically said in the Bible by the greater to the lesser, the angels to the mortals, etc. So there’s already a suggestion in the dialog that there’s been a shift in the balance of power. As if we didn’t already know this from Sisera’s being on foot.
He turns in, with her, and Jael covers him with … something. Whatever it is, there’s only this single mention of it in the Hebrew Bible. Some translators say “rug,” which sounds pretty heavy, although maybe that would make sense if you’re trying to hide something. But, as big as a soldier? Other translators say “blanket,” which sounds a bit more believable, maybe. Either way, there are hints of maternal comfort and care here, as well as hints of sexual invitation, all presumably written into the storytelling here on purpose.
Sisera says “Give me a drink” – which is an order, but he does then also say please, and then specifies water; and adds that he’s thirsty, a relatively rare expression, that suggests a person in extremity. Jael gives him milk from a skin. Again with the maternal care and comfort imagery, perhaps. Then he orders her to stand in the door of the tent, and tells her what to say if anyone comes and asks “is there a man in there?” Namely, “no.”
And then, in v21 where we pick up the story, Jael doesn’t follow those orders. Instead, she gets a tent peg and a hammer in her hand – there’s that “hand” again – and drives the peg into his temple (literally, a “thin” place). She must be very strong – this is the implication of the text. The references to Sisera’s having been fast asleep and weary help explain why he doesn’t resist, but also point towards his now being dead. Both of those words have some connotations of “death,” at least in figurative contexts.
In v22, Jael reprises her going out to meet a man of war, this time Barak, and takes him in and shows him Sisera, dead, with the tent peg …
Those of us with a consistent ethic of life may find this a challenging model of faithful witness. Or, we may thank heaven we do not live in the Bronze Age. Nevertheless, according to the text (Judges 5:24-27) Jael is a hero, twice “most blessed,” and a mighty deliverer of the oppressed, thanks to the God of Israel’s giving the enemy into her hand.
Some questions on the text are here.
Image: “Jael and Sisera,” An image by Artemisia Gentileschi [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
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Matters of Interpretation
