Judges 5:12-23
This passage is a massive expansion compared with the account in chapter 4. We have a long list of tribes who all came out to fight with Barak and Deborah. Some, however, are noted for not coming out, e.g. Reuben, v. 16.
v. 23 - most likely Meroz was an Israelite village, quite close to the site of the battle, from whom Deborah and Barak should have expected support, but received none.
All classes of people are included in those who fought and achieved this victory.
vv. 20-21 - this exalted language reminds us that the Lord fought with and for his people. The Canaanites who worshipped nature gods (sun, moon and stars) are reminded in this song that the Lord is the Creator of all and all creation serves his glorious purposes.
Judges 5:24-31
Here the imagination of the poet is given full reign. The murder of Sisera is described with great rhythm and power, but with a sparseness of detail.
Again vv. 28-30, imagine a scene that an Israelite poet could never have seen. The despair which Sisera has brought to many homes is now brought to his.
v. 31 - the victory is the Lord's and the glory is his.
Showing posts with label Judges 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Judges 5. Show all posts
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Judges 5:1-11
It is very hard to divide this poem into sections, but I'll try to follow obvious paragraph, or strophe divisions.
Judges 5:1-3
This is the introduction to the poem.
v. 2 - the leaders are praised for leading and the people for following. Remember Barak's reluctance to go into battle unless Deborah would go with him. Would he sing this verse with some hesitancy or shame?
v. 3 - the kings are told to listen carefully to this song, which will remind them that the victory is the Lord's and not their's.
Judges 5:4-11
vv. 4-5 - Seir and Edom are trans-Jordan, from which the Lord moved when he led the people into Canaan.
vv. 6-9 - brings us close to the present event, the troubles known by the people are recorded and then Deborah arises and leads the people. v. 8 tells us of the sin of the people and the trouble it brought into the land.
Judges 5:10-11
Those who ride (the rich) and those who walk (the poor) are to bear witness to the deliverance God achieves for his people.
Notice how little of these verses is reflected in chapter 4.
Judges 5:1-3
This is the introduction to the poem.
v. 2 - the leaders are praised for leading and the people for following. Remember Barak's reluctance to go into battle unless Deborah would go with him. Would he sing this verse with some hesitancy or shame?
v. 3 - the kings are told to listen carefully to this song, which will remind them that the victory is the Lord's and not their's.
Judges 5:4-11
vv. 4-5 - Seir and Edom are trans-Jordan, from which the Lord moved when he led the people into Canaan.
vv. 6-9 - brings us close to the present event, the troubles known by the people are recorded and then Deborah arises and leads the people. v. 8 tells us of the sin of the people and the trouble it brought into the land.
Judges 5:10-11
Those who ride (the rich) and those who walk (the poor) are to bear witness to the deliverance God achieves for his people.
Notice how little of these verses is reflected in chapter 4.
Judges 5
Judges 5 is a poem. This is the one key fact that must be noted if this chapter is to be properly understood. Some elements of poetry are important:
Imagination - the event which the poet reflects upon happened, but in his presentation he uses his imagination to shape his words.
Focus - poetry focuses on aspects of a story, some details are magnified, some are omitted.
Poetry is not science of any kind, i.e. it is not the social science of history.
Purpose - while there are forms of poetry the purpose of which is to record and maintain historical accounts, e.g. a saga, other forms of poetry have the purpose of celebration or lamentation, the reader or hearer of the poem is intended to respond emotionally to the text.
In Hebrew poetry rhyme is too easy and is not an element, features such as repetition (parallelism), rhythm, metre feature prominently and give a heightened style to a poem in contrast to a prose account.
Imagination - the event which the poet reflects upon happened, but in his presentation he uses his imagination to shape his words.
Focus - poetry focuses on aspects of a story, some details are magnified, some are omitted.
Poetry is not science of any kind, i.e. it is not the social science of history.
Purpose - while there are forms of poetry the purpose of which is to record and maintain historical accounts, e.g. a saga, other forms of poetry have the purpose of celebration or lamentation, the reader or hearer of the poem is intended to respond emotionally to the text.
In Hebrew poetry rhyme is too easy and is not an element, features such as repetition (parallelism), rhythm, metre feature prominently and give a heightened style to a poem in contrast to a prose account.
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