1. Judges 5:30 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does Sisera's mother and her princesses say about the Israelite women?

Judges 5:30 (ESV)

30 ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil? A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?’

Sisera’s mother and her princesses depict the Israelite women expected to be taken captive as doubly dehumanized; they are not only property to be divided up by men like bits of cloth, but they are also wombs, valued only for their erotic and reproductive potential.1

Their commentary is revealing. A paraphrase is offered by Davis: You know it takes time to divide up all the spoil; and they’ll likely rape some girls; and think of how many lovely additions to your wardrobe Sisera will be collecting! (Oddly enough, at that very moment Sisera was in a wardrobe, Jael’s – dead.)2