Judges 5:28-30

A picture of frustrated hope 5:28-30

Deborah put herself in the shoes of Sisera’s mother (cf. Judges 5:7) and imagined what she must have been thinking as she anticipated his victorious return. However, deep in her heart the mother of the commander wondered if he would return. Instead of wearing a beautiful garment she ended up wearing sackcloth and ashes.

"The word for ’girl’ [or maiden] (raham, Judges 5:30) normally means ’womb,’ brusquely suggesting the lustful treatment each one could expect." [Note: Wolf, p. 416.]

This touch is added confirmation that Jael was defending herself from a potential rapist when she killed Sisera. As noted earlier, this song is full of contrasts. The simplicity of Jael’s tent (Judges 5:24) also contrasts with the mother of Sisera’s palace (Judges 5:28). [Note: Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Poetry, p. 45.]