Jael

17But Sisera ran on foot to the tent of Jael. She was the wife of Heber the Kenite. King Jabin of Hazor and Heber's family were at peace with each other.

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

NoteAt peace means two groups had promised not to fight each other. That is why Sisera thought Jael's tent was a safe place.

18Jael went out to meet Sisera. She said, "Come in, sir. Come in here with me. Do not be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

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.

Note"My lord" was a polite way to speak to an important man, like saying sir. The blanket was a thick cloak or rug.

19He said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink. I am thirsty." She opened a leather bag of milk and gave him a drink. Then she covered him again.

And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

NotePeople had no glass bottles then. They carried water and milk in bags sewn from animal skin.

20He said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks you, 'Is there a man here?' say no."

Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21Sisera was worn out and fell fast asleep. Then Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer. She walked to him quietly. She drove the peg through the side of his head and into the ground. So he died.

Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

NoteA tent peg is a sharp wooden stake. You hammer it into the ground to hold the tent ropes tight. Women usually put up the tents, so Jael knew how to use these tools. The temple is the soft place on the side of your head.

22Barak came by, still chasing Sisera. Jael went out to meet him. She said, "Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for." He went into her tent. There lay Sisera, dead, with the tent peg through his head.

And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

23That day God defeated Jabin, the king of Canaan, for the people of Israel.

So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

NoteThe old words say God "subdued" Jabin. Subdued means beaten and made weak.

24The people of Israel grew stronger and stronger against King Jabin. They kept on until Jabin, the king of Canaan, was destroyed.

And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

24May Jael be blessed more than other women. She is the wife of Heber the Kenite. Bless her above all the women who live in tents.

Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

NoteThe Kenites were a small group who moved around and lived in tents. To bless someone is to say good things about them. It means wishing them good.

25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. She brought him thick, soured milk in a fine bowl.

He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

NoteThick soured milk is a little like yogurt. It was a kind thing to give a tired guest. The fine bowl was the best dish she owned.

26She reached out her hand for a tent peg. Her right hand took the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his head. She drove the peg through the side of his head.

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

NoteA tent peg is a sharp stake hammered into the ground. It holds the ropes that keep a tent standing. Jael lived in a tent, so she used pegs and a hammer often.

27He sank down at her feet. He fell and lay still. He sank down at her feet and fell. Where he sank down, there he fell dead.

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28Sisera's mother looked out of her window. She called through the wooden screen, "Why is his chariot so late? Why do I not hear his wheels?"

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

NoteA chariot is a light cart pulled by horses in battle. Sisera's mother is waiting at home for her son. The wooden screen is a window cover with small holes. She could look out without being seen.

29Her wisest women answered her. And she kept saying the same thing to herself:

Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,

30"They must be sharing out what they took. A girl or two for each soldier. Fine dyed cloth for Sisera. Beautiful cloth with sewn designs, for the neck of the winner."

Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?

NoteAfter a battle, soldiers divided up everything they took. That included cloth, gold and even captured people. Cloth with color and sewn designs cost a lot back then.

31May all your enemies end like this, LORD. But may those who love you shine like the sun at its brightest. Then the land was at peace for forty years.

So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

NoteForty years of peace means no war for a very long time.