Judges 5:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, when the Jews needed to capture horses from their adversaries under Joshua, he commanded that the veins of these horses be severed to render them unusable (Num. 11:9). Donkeys, especially those that are rare and white, were the steeds of the affluent and noble class, as illustrated in Judges 10:4, citing the 32 sons of Jair who rode donkeys. A similar mention occurs regarding the 40 sons and 30 grandsons of Abdon in Judges 12:14.

Next, Deborah refers to those 'sitting on carpets'—wealthy merchants involved in trade with the Phoenicians. Finally, she alludes to 'they that walk by the way'—the common folk, who can now traverse the city without fear, as opposed to the secretive, winding paths they previously navigated (v. 6).

Previously, we commented on the inaccuracies of the Greek translation and attributed those discrepancies to the lack of vowel markings in the Hebrew text utilized by the LXX translators, leading to varied readings. One significant point for biblical interpreters to consider is this. Now, it is essential to address another observation. In verse 10, following the phrase 'riding on white donkeys' in the Slavonic text, an additional word appears: 'at noon.' The question arises as to the origin of this term. It is absent from the Hebrew text; surely, Deborah would not suggest that a nobleman riding a white donkey at midnight would not be summoned to exalt the truth of Yahweh.

Could the Greek translators have appended this phrase? In response, we must acknowledge that we lack a definitive record of the LXX's original translation, making it impossible to ascertain whether what we read aligns with the work of the Alexandrian translators or to identify later additions. Concerning inserts like 'at noon,' they were likely added by scribes aiming to clarify the meaning of the scripture with marginal notes that were later incorporated into the text. The scholar who inserted the phrase 'at noon' might have intended to elucidate how donkeys could be perceived as white, as we noted that no truly white donkeys exist; they could appear so under the direct sunlight at midday. This rationale aligns with Blessed Jerome's description of them as brilliant. Similarly, the phrase 'at noon' could have aimed to clarify the origin of such splendidly white donkeys and their prior existence before arriving in Judea. An anonymous commentator noted that they lived 'in the midday,' suggesting they hailed from the southern regions, specifically Ethiopia.

To comprehend the differences between the Greek and Hebrew texts, it is crucial to recognize the presence of explanatory inserts initially noted in the margins and later incorporated into the main body of the text. Let us also consider why in the Slavonic version of the same tenth verse it reads 'sitting on judgments' rather than 'sitting on carpets.' The Greek translators misconstrued the term: middin refers to carpets, derived from mid in plural form, where the letter n—a Chaldean influence—was mistakenly retained, suitable only in poetic contexts; the correct plural ending would be im. The Greek translators misinterpreted middin as originating from mdun, meaning to judge, leading to the term 'judging.'