Judges 5
Dear RTB’ers,
I asked a couple of days ago whether the judges are deliverers for all of Israel or if they are more regional in their leadership. Today we see a very national Israel at war with Sisera and the Canaanites – national, except that not all tribes participated. First of all, Judah and Simeon are not mentioned. You may recall that these two tribes inherited the southern land, what became known as Judea, all the Promised Land basically south of Jerusalem. So this battle today is more northern in its perspective, defeating the Canaanites and their King Jabin who ruled from Hazor, a city just north of the Sea of Galilee. Second, we read yesterday of the leadership of Zebulun and Naphtali, who settled west and northwest of the Sea of Galilee. They were joined by Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh (Machir, v. 14 was Manasseh’s oldest son, and Issachar. Finally, Reuben, Gad (Gilead, v. 17), Dan and Asher are chided for staying home. So all twelve tribes are accounted for – truly a national war!
My Study Bible had a note explaining the Lord’s hand in delivering Israel in this battle: From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. (vv. 20-21a) Evidently Sisera, the leader of the Canaanite army did not understand the power of the Kishon river when God sent storms to defeat him. In 1799 the flooded Kishon River had also aided Napoleon in his defeat of a Turkish army. This incident brings to mind the Egyptians being swept away in the Red Sea when the waters closed back in on them.
Gideon is next. Any of you have a particular fleece you would like to set before the Lord?
Blessings!
See also: March 13 (2023) / Judges 3:7-5:31