Keraia
Judges 4

Judges 4:18

Jael Kills Sisera · Judges 4:17–24
Read Judges 4

Translations

Modern
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
Traditional
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
Literal
And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me. Fear not.” And he turned aside with her into the tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
Latin
Egressa igitur Jahel in occursum Sisaræ, dixit ad eum: Intra ad me, domine mi: intra, ne timeas. Qui ingressus tabernaculum ejus, et opertus ab ea pallio,

Original

Hebrew
English
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

Notes

Judges 4:17–20

Sisera believed he was among friends (see Judges 4:11). A woman whose husband was away would typically invite a man into her tent only for intimate reasons. However, Sisera saw this invitation as a chance for safety. Jael did not disturb his trust as she hid and refreshed him.

Judges 4:1–5:31

The story of Deborah and Barak, found in both prose (Judges 4) and poetry (Judges 5), describes a major military operation against a significant Canaanite enemy after the initial conquest. Another king named Jabin, who also ruled in Hazor, was defeated earlier by Joshua along with a large northern alliance, and Hazor was burned (see Joshua 11:1–15). Although Joshua 11 and Judges 4–5 are often compared, they have too many differences to be considered accounts of the same battle. Instead, Jabin is likely a dynastic name; it appears in the Mari texts for an even earlier king of Hazor, around 1800 BC.

Theme notes and profiles

Deborah

Events

People

Jael: Wife of Heber; killed Sisera, the Canaanite commander Sisera: Canaanite commander defeated by Deborah and Barak

Glossary

Armageddon Asher (Tribe) Barak Deborah Education Family Life and Relations Hazor Heber Jabin Jael Judges, Book of Kishon Mount Tabor Sisera Song of Deborah Tribe of Naphtali Woman Zaanannim

Topics

Canaanites: Defeated by the Israelites Courage: Personal Bravery: Jael, in Killing Sisera Hypocrisy: Jael Jael: Wife of Heber, and the One Who Killed Sisera Kenites: Jael, One of The, Betrays and Kills Sisera Treachery of Jael