Book Of Judges Analysis

The book of Judges is cyclical in terms of what occurs throughout the narratives. To begin with, the Israelites break the covenant and they worship other gods. Yahweh then gives them over to the hands of the enemy. Yahweh in turn shows mercy on his people and raises a judge. This judge leads the Israelites out of misfortune. The cycle then starts over. Judges are often associated with a judicial system. It is important to make note that the Hebrew Bible judges are charismatic military leaders and do not make court of law decisions. In the fourth chapter of Judges, there is no direct judge but rather a link. Verses seventeen through twenty-three tell the story of Jael and Sisera. Jael is the direct link to the Israelites being led out of misfortune. As a whole, Judges has many themes and stories that are violent …show more content…
This warrants further interest. Milk has been known to have soothing effects. It can relax a person and essentially put them in a deeper sleep than usual. This shows quick wit on Jael’s part. Jael’s level of hospitality towards Israel’s enemy is intriguing, to say the least. In verse twenty, Sisera tells Jael to guard the tent and to deny he is there if someone asks. It is not known if Jael actually guarded the tent for any amount of time. It more than likely took Sisera some time to fall asleep. Some sources agree that this is where that sexual theme comes into play. There is a level of ambiguity regarding what actually happened with Jael and Sisera. In verse twenty-one, the text says that she went “softly” to him. This can imply some kind of sexuality. She was gentle with him, so he was more than likely willing to succumb to her gestures. He was relaxed and she caught him off guard. If there was something sexual in nature happening between Jael and Sisera, this along with the milk, more than likely put him into a deeper sleep. Jael’s actions prove that she is smart, yet