only approaches a representation of the reality which it purports to describe. But, of course, this is the case with any historical narrative.100 Thus M. Fishbane correctly perceives that: in the Hebrew Bible historical narrative is always narrative history, and so is necessarily mediated by language and its effects. It is thus language in its artistic deployment that produces the received biblical history.101 The seven episodes of 10:28–39, like any historical account, are figurative. These episodes