Exploring the Meaning of Judges 5
Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth
Judges 5: The Song of Deborah.
This chapter is a song of victory, describing the events of Judges 4 in poetic and exuberant language. Throughout, there is a sense of exhorting the people to turn to the Lord and praise Him for the victory. Singing this kind of song was a customary way for Israel to rejoice after a major victory.
The spiritual meaning of singing has to do with our overall joy and affection for spiritual things: joy for what is true, for the Word, and for everything about the Lord. Affection is not merely knowing spiritual truths; it is our heart’s response to them, which goes far beyond words.
This is why the lyrics of sacred songs such as Judges Chapter 5 are very eloquent and passionate. They are not simply an account of what took place, but more an outburst of praise and gratitude in recounting the story. We experience the same inner ‘music’ when our heart feels a deep spiritual affection, and is stirred up with praise to the Lord. Just as Deborah and Barak sang after a battle, our songs of gratitude will generally be felt after the Lord delivers us from a period of temptation during regeneration (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 8265).
The song itself frequently acknowledges the Lord’s part in Israel’s victory:
In verse 4: “Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the field of Edom.”
In verse 11: “There they shall recount the righteous acts of the Lord for his villagers in Israel.”
And in verse 13: “Then the Lord came down for me against the mighty.”
These references serve to remind us that everything is the Lord’s doing. We must do what is good as though our actions make the difference, but we are to affirm that the Lord brings about all that is good. This acknowledgement allows us to act from free will, while still understanding the spiritual truth that all goodness comes from the Lord (Arcana Caelestia 9193).
This is emphasized through the song whenever Deborah praises her own actions, as well as those of Barak and Jael. For example:
In verse 7: “Village life ceased in Israel until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.”
In verse 12: “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!”
And in verses 24-27, when Jael receives full praise for her actions.
Another theme in the song is a lament over those tribes which did not come to the aid of Israel, although only Issachar and Zebulun were called to battle. A town called Meroz is roundly cursed for failing to help. The name ‘Meroz’ comes from a verb meaning “to withdraw” or “to hide” (see Swedenborg’s work, Heaven and Hell 18). This lament reminds us that our intentions to serve the Lord and to fight our spiritual battles can be hindered by our own divided wills.
Judges 3
1
Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:
3
[namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4
They were [left], to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
5
The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
6
and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
7
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8
Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
9
When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10
The Spirit of Yahweh came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
11
The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
13
He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14
The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15
But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16
Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.
18
When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute.
19
But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret errand to you, king." The king said, "Keep silence!" All who stood by him went out from him.
20
Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God to you." He arose out of his seat.
21
Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:
22
and the handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.
23
Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24
Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room."
25
They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn't open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened [them], and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26
Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.
27
It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he before them.
28
He said to them, "Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn't allow any man to pass over.
29
They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.
30
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. The land had rest eighty years.
31
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck of the Philistines six hundred men with an oxgoad: and he also saved Israel.
