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Selected Verse: Judges 4:17 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Jud 4:17	Strong Concordance	Howbeit Sisera [05516] fled away [05127] on his feet [07272] to the tent [0168] of Jael [03278] the wife [0802] of Heber [02268] the Kenite [07017]: for there was peace [07965] between Jabin [02985] the king [04428] of Hazor [02674] and the house [01004] of Heber [02268] the Kenite [07017].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Sisera fled . . . to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of receiving the stranger in the sheik's absence devolves on his wife, and the moment the stranger is admitted into his tent, his claim to be defended or concealed from his pursuers is established.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Sisera fled . . . to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of receiving the stranger in the sheik's absence devolves on his wife, and the moment the stranger is admitted into his tent, his claim to be defended or concealed from his pursuers is established.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Sisera went, not to Heber's tent, but to Joel's, as more secure from pursuit. Women occupied a separate tent. Gen 18:6, Gen 18:10; Gen 24:67.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Sisera took refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, to escape the sword of the Israelites, as king Jabin lived at peace with the house of Heber, i.e., with this branch of the Kenites. Jdg 4:18 Jael received the fugitive into her tent in the usual form of oriental hospitality (סוּר, as in Gen 19:2-3, to turn aside from the road and approach a person), and covered him with a covering (שׂמיכה, ἁπ. λεγ., covering, or rug), that he might be able to sleep, as he was thoroughly exhausted with his flight. Jdg 4:19 On his asking for water to drink, as he was thirsty (צמתּי, defective form for צמאתּי), she handed him milk from her bottle, and covered him up again. She gave him milk instead of water, as Deborah emphatically mentions in her song in Jdg 5:25, no doubt merely for the purpose of giving to her guest a friendly and hospitable reception. When Josephus affirms, in his account of this event (Ant. v. 5, 4), that she gave him milk that was already spoiled (διεφθορὸς ἤδη), i.e., had turned sour, and R. Tanchum supposes that such milk intoxicated the weary man, these are merely later decorations of the simple fact, that have no historical worth whatever. Jdg 4:20-21 In order to be quite sure, Sisera entreated his hostess to stand before the door and turn any one away who might come to her to seek for one of the fugitives. עמד is the imperative for עמדי rof , as the syntax proves that the word cannot be an infinitive. The anomaly apparent in the use of the gender may be accounted for on the ground that the masculine was the more general form, and might therefore be used for the more definite feminine. There are not sufficient grounds for altering it into עמוד, the inf. abs. Whether Jael complied with this wish is not stated; but in the place of anything further, the chief fact alone is given in Jdg 4:21, namely, that Jael took a tent-plug, and went with a hammer in her hand to Sisera, who had fallen through exhaustion into a deep sleep, and drove the plug into his temples, so that it penetrated into the earth, or the floor. The words ויּעף והוּא־נרדּם are introduced as explanatory of the course of the events: "but he was fallen into a deep sleep, and exhausted," i.e., had fallen fast asleep through exhaustion. "And so he died." ויּמת is attached as a consequence to וגו התּצנח ... ותּתקע, whereas ויּעף belongs to the parenthetical clause נרדּם והוּא. This is the explanation adopted by Rosenmller, and also in the remark of Kimchi: "the words ויּעף נרדּם indicate the reason why Sisera neither heard Jael approach him, nor was conscious of the blow inflicted upon him." For the combination of ויּעף with ויּמת, "then he became exhausted and died," which Stud. and Bertheau support, does not give any intelligible thought at all. A man who has a tent-peg driven with a hammer into his temples, so that the peg passes through his head into the ground, does not become exhausted before he dies, but dies instantaneously. And ויּעף, from עוּף, equivalent to עיף (Jer 4:31), or יעף, and written with Patach in the last syllable, to distinguish it from עוּף, volare, has no other meaning than to be exhausted, in any of the passages in which it occurs (see Sa1 14:28, Sa1 14:31; Sa2 21:15). The rendering adopted by the lxx, ἐσκοτώθη, cannot be grammatically sustained. Jdg 4:22 When Barak, who was in pursuit of Sisera, arrived at Jael's tent, she went to meet him, to show him the deed which he had performed. Thus was Deborah's prediction to Barak (Jdg 4:9) fulfilled. The Lord had sold Sisera into the hand of a woman, and deprived Barak of the glory of the victory. Nevertheless the act itself was not morally justified, either by this prophetic announcement, or by the fact that it is commemorated in the song of Deborah in Jdg 5:24. Even though there can be no doubt that Jael acted under the influence of religious enthusiasm for the cause of Israel and its God, and that she was prompted by religious motives to regard the connection of her tribe with Israel, the people of the Lord, as higher and more sacred, not only than the bond of peace, in which her tribe was living with Jabin the Canaanitish king, but even than the duties of hospitality, which are so universally sacred to an oriental mind, her heroic deed cannot be acquitted of the sins of lying, treachery, and assassination, which were associated with it, by assuming as Calovius, Buddeus, and others have done, that when Jael invited Sisera into her tent, and promised him safety, and quenched this thirst with milk, she was acting with perfect sincerity, and without any thought of killing him, and that it was not till after he was fast asleep that she was instigated and impelled instinctu Dei arcano to perform the deed. For Jehovah, the God of Israel, not only abhors lying lips (Pro 12:22), but hates wickedness and deception of every kind. It is true, He punishes the ungodly at the hand of sinners; but the sinners whom He employs as the instruments of His penal justice in carrying out the plans of His kingdom, are not instigated to the performance of wicked deeds by an inward and secret impulse from Him. God had no doubt so ordered it, that Sisera should meet with his death in Jael's tent, where he had taken refuge; but this divine purpose did not justify Jael in giving to the enemy of Israel a hospitable reception into her tent, making him feel secure both by word and deed, and then murdering him secretly while he was asleep. Such conduct as that was not the operation of the Spirit of God, but the fruit of a heroism inspired by flesh and blood; and even in Deborah's song (Jdg 5:24.) it is not lauded as a divine act.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Sisera took refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, to escape the sword of the Israelites, as king Jabin lived at peace with the house of Heber, i.e., with this branch of the Kenites.

Jdg 4:18

Jael received the fugitive into her tent in the usual form of oriental hospitality (סוּר, as in Gen 19:2-3, to turn aside from the road and approach a person), and covered him with a covering (שׂמיכה, ἁπ. λεγ., covering, or rug), that he might be able to sleep, as he was thoroughly exhausted with his flight.

Jdg 4:19

On his asking for water to drink, as he was thirsty (צמתּי, defective form for צמאתּי), she handed him milk from her bottle, and covered him up again. She gave him milk instead of water, as Deborah emphatically mentions in her song in Jdg 5:25, no doubt merely for the purpose of giving to her guest a friendly and hospitable reception. When Josephus affirms, in his account of this event (Ant. v. 5, 4), that she gave him milk that was already spoiled (διεφθορὸς ἤδη), i.e., had turned sour, and R. Tanchum supposes that such milk intoxicated the weary man, these are merely later decorations of the simple fact, that have no historical worth whatever.

Jdg 4:20-21

In order to be quite sure, Sisera entreated his hostess to stand before the door and turn any one away who might come to her to seek for one of the fugitives. עמד is the imperative for עמדי rof , as the syntax proves that the word cannot be an infinitive. The anomaly apparent in the use of the gender may be accounted for on the ground that the masculine was the more general form, and might therefore be used for the more definite feminine. There are not sufficient grounds for altering it into עמוד, the inf. abs. Whether Jael complied with this wish is not stated; but in the place of anything further, the chief fact alone is given in Jdg 4:21, namely, that Jael took a tent-plug, and went with a hammer in her hand to Sisera, who had fallen through exhaustion into a deep sleep, and drove the plug into his temples, so that it penetrated into the earth, or the floor. The words ויּעף והוּא־נרדּם are introduced as explanatory of the course of the events: "but he was fallen into a deep sleep, and exhausted," i.e., had fallen fast asleep through exhaustion. "And so he died." ויּמת is attached as a consequence to וגו התּצנח ... ותּתקע, whereas ויּעף belongs to the parenthetical clause נרדּם והוּא. This is the explanation adopted by Rosenmller, and also in the remark of Kimchi: "the words ויּעף נרדּם indicate the reason why Sisera neither heard Jael approach him, nor was conscious of the blow inflicted upon him." For the combination of ויּעף with ויּמת, "then he became exhausted and died," which Stud. and Bertheau support, does not give any intelligible thought at all. A man who has a tent-peg driven with a hammer into his temples, so that the peg passes through his head into the ground, does not become exhausted before he dies, but dies instantaneously. And ויּעף, from עוּף, equivalent to עיף (Jer 4:31), or יעף, and written with Patach in the last syllable, to distinguish it from עוּף, volare, has no other meaning than to be exhausted, in any of the passages in which it occurs (see Sa1 14:28, Sa1 14:31; Sa2 21:15). The rendering adopted by the lxx, ἐσκοτώθη, cannot be grammatically sustained.

Jdg 4:22

When Barak, who was in pursuit of Sisera, arrived at Jael's tent, she went to meet him, to show him the deed which he had performed. Thus was Deborah's prediction to Barak (Jdg 4:9) fulfilled. The Lord had sold Sisera into the hand of a woman, and deprived Barak of the glory of the victory. Nevertheless the act itself was not morally justified, either by this prophetic announcement, or by the fact that it is commemorated in the song of Deborah in Jdg 5:24. Even though there can be no doubt that Jael acted under the influence of religious enthusiasm for the cause of Israel and its God, and that she was prompted by religious motives to regard the connection of her tribe with Israel, the people of the Lord, as higher and more sacred, not only than the bond of peace, in which her tribe was living with Jabin the Canaanitish king, but even than the duties of hospitality, which are so universally sacred to an oriental mind, her heroic deed cannot be acquitted of the sins of lying, treachery, and assassination, which were associated with it, by assuming as Calovius, Buddeus, and others have done, that when Jael invited Sisera into her tent, and promised him safety, and quenched this thirst with milk, she was acting with perfect sincerity, and without any thought of killing him, and that it was not till after he was fast asleep that she was instigated and impelled instinctu Dei arcano to perform the deed. For Jehovah, the God of Israel, not only abhors lying lips (Pro 12:22), but hates wickedness and deception of every kind. It is true, He punishes the ungodly at the hand of sinners; but the sinners whom He employs as the instruments of His penal justice in carrying out the plans of His kingdom, are not instigated to the performance of wicked deeds by an inward and secret impulse from Him. God had no doubt so ordered it, that Sisera should meet with his death in Jael's tent, where he had taken refuge; but this divine purpose did not justify Jael in giving to the enemy of Israel a hospitable reception into her tent, making him feel secure both by word and deed, and then murdering him secretly while he was asleep. Such conduct as that was not the operation of the Spirit of God, but the fruit of a heroism inspired by flesh and blood; and even in Deborah's song (Jdg 5:24.) it is not lauded as a divine act.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The tent of Jael - For women had their tents apart from their husbands. And here he thought to lurk more securely than in her husband's tent. Peace - Not a covenant of friendship, which they were forbidden to make with that cursed people, but only a cessation of hostilities, which he afforded them because they were peaceable people, abhorring war, and wholly minding pasturage, and were not Israelites, with whom his principal quarrel was; and especially by God's over - ruling disposal of his heart to favour them who were careful to keep themselves uncorrupted with Israel's sins, and therefore preserved from their plagues.

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⁶⁷ And Isaac [03327] brought her [0935] into his mother [0517] Sarah's [08283] tent [0168], and took [03947] Rebekah [07259], and she became his wife [0802]; and he loved [0157] her: and Isaac [03327] was comforted [05162] after [0310] his mother's [0517] death.

¹⁰ And he said [0559], I will certainly [07725] return [07725] unto thee according to the time [06256] of life [02416]; and, lo, Sarah [08283] thy wife [0802] shall have a son [01121]. And Sarah [08283] heard [08085] it in the tent [0168] door [06607], which was behind him [0310].

⁶ And Abraham [085] hastened [04116] into the tent [0168] unto Sarah [08283], and said [0559], Make ready quickly [04116] three [07969] measures [05429] of fine [05560] meal [07058], knead [03888] it, and make [06213] cakes [05692] upon the hearth [06213].

²⁴ Blessed [01288] above women [0802] shall Jael [03278] the wife [0802] of Heber [02268] the Kenite [07017] be, blessed [01288] shall she be above women [0802] in the tent [0168].

²² Lying [08267] lips [08193] are abomination [08441] to the LORD [03068]: but they that deal [06213] truly [0530] are his delight [07522].

²⁴ Blessed [01288] above women [0802] shall Jael [03278] the wife [0802] of Heber [02268] the Kenite [07017] be, blessed [01288] shall she be above women [0802] in the tent [0168].

⁹ And she said [0559], I will surely [01980] go [03212] with thee: notwithstanding [0657] the journey [01870] that thou takest [01980] shall not be for thine honour [08597]; for the LORD [03068] shall sell [04376] Sisera [05516] into the hand [03027] of a woman [0802]. And Deborah [01683] arose [06965], and went [03212] with Barak [01301] to Kedesh [06943].

²² And, behold, as Barak [01301] pursued [07291] Sisera [05516], Jael [03278] came out [03318] to meet [07125] him, and said [0559] unto him, Come [03212], and I will shew [07200] thee the man [0376] whom thou seekest [01245]. And when he came [0935] into her tent, behold, Sisera [05516] lay [05307] dead [04191], and the nail [03489] was in his temples [07541].

¹⁵ Moreover the Philistines [06430] had yet war [04421] again with Israel [03478]; and David [01732] went down [03381], and his servants [05650] with him, and fought [03898] against the Philistines [06430]: and David [01732] waxed faint [05774].

³¹ And they smote [05221] the Philistines [06430] that day [03117] from Michmash [04363] to Aijalon [0357]: and the people [05971] were very [03966] faint [05774].

²⁸ Then answered [06030] one [0376] of the people [05971], and said [0559], Thy father [01] straitly [07650] charged [07650] the people [05971] with an oath [07650], saying [0559], Cursed [0779] be the man [0376] that eateth [0398] any food [03899] this day [03117]. And the people [05971] were faint [05774].

³¹ For I have heard [08085] a voice [06963] as of a woman in travail [02470], and the anguish [06869] as of her that bringeth forth her first child [01069], the voice [06963] of the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726], that bewaileth [03306] herself, that spreadeth [06566] her hands [03709], saying, Woe [0188] is me now! for my soul [05315] is wearied [05888] because of murderers [02026].

²¹ Then Jael [03278] Heber's [02268] wife [0802] took [03947] a nail [03489] of the tent [0168], and took [07760] an hammer [04718] in her hand [03027], and went [0935] softly [03814] unto him, and smote [08628] the nail [03489] into his temples [07541], and fastened [06795] it into the ground [0776]: for he was fast asleep [07290] and weary [05774]. So he died [04191].

²⁰ Again he said [0559] unto her, Stand in [05975] the door [06607] of the tent [0168], and it shall be, when any man [0376] doth come [0935] and enquire [07592] of thee, and say [0559], Is there [03426] any man [0376] here [03426]? that thou shalt say [0559], No.
²¹ Then Jael [03278] Heber's [02268] wife [0802] took [03947] a nail [03489] of the tent [0168], and took [07760] an hammer [04718] in her hand [03027], and went [0935] softly [03814] unto him, and smote [08628] the nail [03489] into his temples [07541], and fastened [06795] it into the ground [0776]: for he was fast asleep [07290] and weary [05774]. So he died [04191].

²⁵ He asked [07592] water [04325], and she gave [05414] him milk [02461]; she brought forth [07126] butter [02529] in a lordly [0117] dish [05602].

¹⁹ And he said [0559] unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little [04592] water [04325] to drink [08248]; for I am thirsty [06770]. And she opened [06605] a bottle [04997] of milk [02461], and gave him drink [08248], and covered [03680] him.

² And he said [0559], Behold now, my lords [0113], turn in [05493], I pray you, into your servant's [05650] house [01004], and tarry all night [03885], and wash [07364] your feet [07272], and ye shall rise up early [07925], and go [01980] on your ways [01870]. And they said [0559], Nay; but we will abide [03885] in the street [07339] all night [03885].
³ And he pressed [06484] upon them greatly [03966]; and they turned in [05493] unto him, and entered [0935] into his house [01004]; and he made [06213] them a feast [04960], and did bake [0644] unleavened bread [04682], and they did eat [0398].

¹⁸ And Jael [03278] went out [03318] to meet [07125] Sisera [05516], and said [0559] unto him, Turn in [05493], my lord [0113], turn in [05493] to me; fear [03372] not. And when he had turned in [05493] unto her into the tent [0168], she covered [03680] him with a mantle [08063].