Invisible Threads

In the case of Judges 4–5, we encounter a fascinating phenomenon of the Old Testament: both chapters – first in narrative prose and then in poetic form – present the oppression of Israel by a Canaanite city-state named Hazor, while recounting a military episode that concludes with Israel’s victory. These events are set during the period of the prophetess Deborah. The two accounts do not exhibit substantial differences in terms of characters or the basic events described; however, notable differences emerge in genre and in certain plot details. While the phenomenon of parallel accounts is not unknown in the Hebrew Bible, Judges 4 and 5 stand out as exceptional, since the same episode of Israel’s recorded history is presented both in prose and in poetic form. This paper aims to discuss the literary interrelationship between these two accounts. The first section of this study contains the Hungarian translation of Judges 4–5. This is followed by an analysis of the content of the chapters, outlining the material common to both accounts, distinguishing their unique elements, and then addressing sections where they appear to be in tension or contradiction. Subsequently, the paper surveys scholarly theories concerning the relationship between the two texts. These fall into four major categories: 1. The Song of Deborah in Chapter 5 predates and forms the basis for the later prose account; 2. The two chapters derive from independent traditions; 3. Both accounts are the product of a single author; 4. The texts influenced each other at different stages of their development. Particular attention is paid to three key episodes, which are central to the comparative analysis, as they exhibit significant – sometimes irreconcilable – differences that inform and shape the interpretive models proposed by scholars: the call to battle, the battle scene itself, and the circumstances surrounding the death of Sisera. The final chapter critically evaluates their previously presented theories and, taking their insights into account, argues for the most plausible model.