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For Eglon, it says, went and struck the sons of Israel and inherited the city of palms ". and a little after: " and Eglon turned back from the idols that were in Gilgal. And Ehud said to Eglon: I have a secret word for you, O king ". But Gilgal is near Jericho. He called the iron part of the dagger a "flame," and the hilt a "guard." For this is what it says: " and he took his dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into Eglon's belly, and he also pushed in the hilt after the blade, and the fat closed over the guard ". X The history of Joshua also recounts the events concerning Jabin the king of Hazor. If, then, he was slain in his time, how did he rise up against Israel after a long time? That one was different and this one is different; but they were of the same name, having held the same kingdom. It is likely that this one was also the son of that one. For it is possible to find many 297 who have the names of their fathers; for instance, the first son of the emperor Constantine was named Constantine. XI But the history of Joshua said not only that Jabin was slain but also that Hazor was burned. It is not unlikely that it was destroyed then and rebuilt again. However, here it mentions Hazor, but it did not say that he lived in it, but in Harosheth. And this must also be noted, that he calls the descendants of Jethro Kenites. XII Why ever does a woman prophesy? Because the nature of men and women is one. For woman was formed from Adam and has a share in reason just as he does. For this reason the Apostle also says, " in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female ". Thus Moses too was a prophet and Miriam a prophetess. And I think that Deborah was deemed worthy of prophecy as a rebuke to the men of that time. For when none of them was found worthy of the grace, she obtained the gift of the most holy Spirit; and it was so clear that she had been deemed worthy of the grace from above that Barak did not dare to go out into battle without her; and she said this in her song: " The mighty ones failed in Israel, until Deborah arose, a mother in Israel ". And she also speaks of the impiety of her countrymen: " They chose new gods like a barley loaf ". She rebuked their great 298 foolishness through the image. For just as he is foolish who prefers barley loaves to those of wheat, so is he exceedingly stupid who puts false gods before the true one. And the faithfulness of her mind is also shown: " For if I see," she says, "forty thousand spearmen, my heart is for the commanders of Israel ". For the divine law declared these things. " For if you see," it says, "a multitude of enemies and chariots and horses, do not be afraid, for the Lord your God will fight for you ". And it commands not only the poor but also those who are proud of their wealth to praise God. " You mighty ones," it says, "of the people, bless the Lord, you who are mounted on beasts of burden, utter the voice of those striking up a tune in the midst of those who rejoice. There they will give righteousness to God". "Mosfathe" is interpreted as "fields," and "amadroth" as "blindness"; and also "to pray in strength." And we are taught through the history that the Lord God, using paternal affection, would hand over the transgressing people to foreigners; using them as a kind of rod and scourge, and again repenting, he would have mercy and deem them worthy of every kind of care. For instance, after the good deed through Deborah, when they had strayed into impiety, he handed them over to the Midianites. Then after the discipline, he deemed them worthy of help. And first he rebuked their impiety through a certain prophet. He also reminded them of the good deeds they had enjoyed; then through an angel 299 he encouraged Gideon and commanded him to prepare for battle against the enemies. XIII What is: " Go in this might of yours and you will save Israel from the hand of Midian "? Having been urged by the angel to be general and to be bold in the war, he said to him: " And if the Lord is with us, why have all these evils found us? And where are all his wonders that our fathers told us of, saying that he brought us up from Egypt

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ἐπορεύθη, γάρ φησιν, Ἐγλώμ, καὶ ἐπάταξε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐκληρονόμησε τὴν πόλιν τῶν φοινί κων ". καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· " καὶ Ἐγλὼμ ἀνέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων τῶν ἐν Γαλγάλοις. καὶ εἶπεν Ἀὼδ τῷ Ἐγλώμ· λόγος μοι κρύφιος πρὸς σέ, βασι λεῦ ". ἡ δὲ Γάλγαλα τῇ Ἰεριχὼ πελάζει. φλόγα δὲ τὸ σιδήριον τῆς μαχαίρας ὠνόμασε, παραξιφίδα δὲ τὴν λαβήν. τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει· " καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ μηροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ δεξιοῦ καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν Ἐγλὼμ καὶ ἐπεισήνεγκεν καὶ τὴν λαβὴν ὀπίσω τῆς φλογὸς καὶ ἀπέκλεισε τὸ στέαρ τὴν παρα ξιφίδα ". X Τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰαβὶν τὸν βασιλέα Ἀσὼρ ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία τοῦ Ἰησοῦεἰ τοίνυν ἐπ' ἐκείνου ἀνῃρέθη, πῶς μετὰ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπανέστη τῷ Ἰσ ραήλ; Ἄλλος ἦν ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἄλλος οὗτος· ὁμώνυμοι δὲ ἦσαν, τὴν αὐτὴν ἐσχηκότες βασιλείαν. εἰκὸς δὲ τοῦτον καὶ υἱὸν ἐκείνου γενέσθαι. ἔστι γὰρ πολλοὺς 297 εὑρεῖν τὰς τῶν πατέρων ἐσχηκότας προσηγορίας· αὐτίκα γοῦν Κωνσταν τίνου τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ πρῶτος υἱὸς Κωνσταντῖνος ὠνόμασται. XI Ἀλλ' ἡ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἱστορία οὐ μόνον τὸν Ἰαβὶν εἶπεν ἀνῃρῆσθαι ἀλλὰκαὶ τὴν Ἀσὼρ ἐμπρησθῆναι. Οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ τότε κατασκαφῆναι καὶ αὖθις οἰκοδομηθῆναι. πλὴν ἐνταῦθα μέμνηται μὲν τῆς Ἀσώρ, οὐ μὴν ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖν αὐτὸν ἔφησεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν Ἀσηρώθ. ἐπισημαντέον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι κιναίους τοὺς ἀπογό νους τοῦ Ἰοθὼρ καλεῖ. XII Τί δήποτε γυνὴ προφητεύει; Ἐπειδὴ ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν μία ἡ φύσις. ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ γύνη διεπλάσθη καὶ λόγου μετείληχεν ὡς ἐκεῖνος. διὸ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολός φησιν, " ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ". οὕτω καὶ Μωϋσῆς προφήτης καὶ Μαριὰμ προφῆτις. οἶμαι δὲ τὴν ∆εββώραν εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν τότε ἀνδρῶν τῆς προφητείας ἀξιωθῆναι. οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἐξ ἐκείνων εὑρεθέντος ἀξίου τῆς χάριτος, αὕτη τῆς τοῦ παναγίου πνεύ ματος τετύχηκε δωρεᾶς· καὶ οὕτω δήλη ἦν, ὅτι τῆς ἄνωθεν ἠξίωτο χάρι τος, ὡς τὸν Βαρὰκ μὴ τολμῆσαι δίχα ταύτης εἰς τὴν παράταξιν ἐξελθεῖν· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ αὐτῆς ἔφη· " ἐξέλιπον οἱ κρατοῦντες ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, ἕως οὗ ἐξανέστη ∆εββώρα μήτηρ ἐν Ἰσραήλ ". λέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἀσέβειαν· " ᾑρέ τισαν θεοὺς κενοὺς ὡς ἄρτον κρίθινον ". τὴν πολλὴν 298 αὐτῶν ἀφροσύνην διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἤλεγξεν. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀνόητος ὁ τῶν πυρίνων ἄρτων προτιμῶν τοὺς κριθίνους, οὕτως ἄγαν ἐμβρόντητος, ὁ τοὺς ψευδωνύμους θεοὺς τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ προτιθείς. δηλοῖ δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ πιστὸν τῆς γνώμης· " ἐὰν γὰρ ἴδω, φησί, σειρομαστῶν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδας, ἡ καρδία μου ἐπὶ τὰ διατεταγμένα τῷ Ἰσραήλ ". ταῦτα δὲ ὁ θεῖος διηγόρευσε νόμος. " ἐὰν γὰρ ἴδῃς, φησίν, πλῆθος πολεμίων καὶ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππον μὴ φοβηθῇς, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ ". κελεύει δὲ οὐ μόνον τοῖς πένησιν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐπὶ πλούτῳ μέγα φρονοῦσιν, ὑμνεῖν τὸν Θεόν. " οἱ δυ νάσται, γάρ φησι, τοῦ λαοῦ εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, ἐπιβεβηκότες ἐπὶ ὑποζυγίων φθέγξασθε φωνὴν ἀνακρουομένων ἀνὰ μέσον εὐφραινομένων. ἐκεῖ δώσουσι δικαιοσύνην τῷ Θεῷ". "μοσφαθὲ " δὲ " ἀγρ οὶ " ἑρμηνεύονται, " ἀμαδαρὼθ " δὲ " ἀβλεψία "· τὸ δὲ καὶ " ἀρᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ κραταιῷ ". διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὡς πατρικῇ φιλοστοργίᾳ κεχρημένος ὁ δεσπότης Θεὸς καὶ παρανομοῦντα τὸν λαὸν παρεδίδου τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις· οἷόν τινι ῥάβδῳ κεχρημένος καὶ μάστιγι καὶ πάλιν μεταμελόμενος ἐλέει, καὶ παντοδαπῆς ἠξίου κηδεμονίας αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τὴν διὰ τῆς ∆εββώρας εὐεργεσίαν, εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἐξοκεί λαντα μαδιηναίοις παρέδωκεν. εἶτα μετὰ τὴν παιδείαν, τῆς ἐπικουρίας ἠξίωσε. διά τινος δὲ τοῦ προφήτου πρῶτον ἐξήλεγξεν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν. ἀνέμνησε δὲ καὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ὧν ἀπήλαυσαν· εἶτα διά τινος ἀγγέλου 299 τὸν Γεδεὼν παραθαρρύνας παρατάξασθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐκέλευσεν. XIII Τί ἐστι· " πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου ταύτῃ καὶ σώσεις τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς Μαδιάμ "; Προτραπεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου στρατηγῆσαι, καὶ τοῦ πολέμου καταθαρ ρῆσαι, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· " καὶ εἰ ἔστι Κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν, ἵνα τί εὗρεν ἡμᾶς πάντα τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα; καὶ ποῦ ἐστι τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ, ὅσα διηγήσαντο ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, λέγοντες ὅτι ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀνήγα γεν ἡμᾶς