고대 히브리 문학의 정수로 평가받는 사사기 5장

사사기 5장은 히브리어로 된 가장 오래된 시 중 하나입니다. 학자들은 이 시가 기원전 12~15세기의 고대 히브리 신 문체를 그대로 보존한 텍스트라고 평합니다. 고대 근동 문학의 살아있는 화석이라는 거죠.

 

드보라와 바락의 찬양

 

1. Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

2. "That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

3."Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4. "Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water.

5. The mountains quaked before the LORD, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.

 

 

드보라와 아비노엠의 아들 바락의 노래가 시작되나 봅니다. 여기서는 드보라가 주도하지만 바락을 배제하지 않으며 여성 중심 시임에도 남성 파트너십을 수용하는 문명적 균형을 보여준 것을 의미 있게 보는 것 같습니다. 리더들이 리드했다. 요즘 자주 쓰는 표현 같습니다. 이런 강조와 풍자 표현을 사용한 이유는 그동안 무능하고 수동적이었던 리더십에 대한 비판적 회복 선언을 의미합니다. 

 혼란과 무정부 상태

 

6. "In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travellers kept to the byways, 7 The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I , Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel, 8 WHEN new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord. 10 "Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. 11. To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.

 

길이 끊긴 시대 지배자들이 그쳤다. 6절에서 11절을 해석하면 현대 한국 정치 현실을 보는 기분이 듭니다. 길이 끊긴 시대에 새 길을 누가 놓을지 기대가 됩니다. 

 

 

사사기 4장 읽기

성경에서 가장 잔인한 살인 이야기, 사사기 4장

 

 

싸움은 시작되었다

 

12 Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam. 13 Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty. 14 From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with you kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff;

 

 

15 The princes of Issachar came with DEborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great serachings of heart. 17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. 18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. 19 "The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. 20 From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 21 The torrrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon, March on, my soul, with might!

 

싸움을 부추기고, 불참한 지파의 나열과 비판을 합니다. 민족적 위기 속에서 나몰라라 했던 자들을 고발하는 문구가 등장합니다. 그러면서 죽음을 무릅쓰고 싸운 스불론과 납달리 지파를 칭찬하기도 하고요. 가나안 왕들의 패배 등도 나오고 이 전쟁이 우주적 전쟁이었다고도 하는 것 같습니다. 

 전쟁의 진동

 

22 "Then loud beat the horses' hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. 23 "Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty. 24 "Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed. 25 He asked water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble's bowl. 26 She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen's mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 Between her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; between her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell dead. 28 "Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice; 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?' 29 Her wisest princesses answer, indeed, she answers herself, 30 'Have they not found and divided the spoil? A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?' 31 " So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might."

 

주의 사랑을 입은 자들은 해처럼 돋게 하소서, 란 문구가 인상적입니다. 이 시는 단지 승리를 넘어 빛의 도래, 구속의 새벽, 진정한 평화의 시작을 노래합니다. 그런데 이전에 가장 충격적인 문구는 시스라의 어머니입니다. 아들이 죽은 줄도 모르고 기다리고 있는데, 전장에서 승리했으니 여자 한 두 명 취하고 오겠지,라고 말하는 것에서 잔혹함을 드러냅니다. 당시에 만연했던 풍조라지만 정말 아이러니합니다.