敘述文與詩歌體的輪唱：底波拉之歌為例

Melodic Round between Prose and Poetry: Viewed from Song of Deborah

吳獻章(Timothy Wu)

《華神期刊》 2期 (2009/10) Pp. 98-117

https://doi.org/10.30147/CESJ.200910.0004

摘要

士師記第四章記載以色列得勝西西拉的史蹟，第五章用詩歌體來呈現這事件後敘述者的回味和慶祝。第四章共有二十四節記載得勝的過程，敘述者在第五章卻以三十一節經文吟詠歌頌，而且這段所採用的形式是舊約最古老的詩歌體。因這詩歌體的古老所連帶的問題，包括第五章的編撰、成書問題，文學架構與特徵，士師記五章與出埃及十五章的經文互涉（intertextuality），和婦女角色以及性道德問題（見下文）等，多年來屢屢吸引學者注意，是學者學術出版的「糧倉」。

並列摘要

Intriguing for its textual riddles, emotional intensity, psychological energy, and theological profundity, few texts in the historiographic writings of the Old Testament have engaged as much study in the past two or three decades as Judges 5. The relationship between Judges 4 and 5, especially the authorship and dating, has also seen a steady stream of publications. After the canonical and rhetorical criticism has come under the academic spotlight, the focus of the issues becomes how the different genres of these two chapters function in its context. The purpose of this paper is to see how the composer used both genres, namely, prose in Judges 4 and poetry in Judges 4, to describe the almighty acts of God who had saved Israel out of her struggles from surrounding enemies. Through this study, the readers (both original and later) can appreciate more how the principle of intertextuality is applied in adjacent chapters to fit the composer's didactic goal. Human words in prose alone are not enough to fully express the praise of God's people when great salvific events have been experienced. At such a time as this, poetry serves perfectly, as a melodic round does, in complementary echo of the prose, both expressing how the same God can still perform wonders to those who trust in Him.