Focused Passage

Judges 4:17-22

Deborah, Barak, and Jael: The LORD Routes Canaan's Chariots

Judges 4 moves from Israel's renewed evil and twenty years of Canaanite oppression, through Deborah's prophetic command and Barak's qualified obedience, to the LORD's routing of Sisera's chariots and Jael's unexpected completion of the deliverance.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

17Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18Jael 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.

19Sisera said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again.

20“Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’”

21But as he lay sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She drove the peg through his temple and into the ground, and he died.

22When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man you are seeking.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg through his temple.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 17

Original words

Meanwhile, Siseraוְסִֽיסְרָא֙H5516Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularhad fledנָ֣סH5127Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularon footבְּרַגְלָ֔יוH7272Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe tentאֹ֣הֶלH168Noun - masculine singular constructof Jaelיָעֵ֔לH3278Noun - proper - feminine singularthe wifeאֵ֖שֶּׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructof Heberחֶ֣בֶרH2268Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Keniteהַקֵּינִ֑יH7017Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthere was peaceשָׁל֗וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singularbetweenבֵּ֚יןH996PrepositionJabinיָבִ֣יןH2985Noun - proper - masculine singularkingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Hazorחָצ֔וֹרH2674Noun - proper - feminine singularandוּבֵ֕יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe houseבֵּ֖יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Heberחֶ֥בֶרH2268Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Keniteהַקֵּינִֽי׃H7017Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Jaelיָעֵל֮H3278Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .לִקְרַ֣אתH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwent out to greetוַתֵּצֵ֣אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularSiseraסִֽיסְרָא֒H5516Noun - proper - masculine singularand saidוַתֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularto himאֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularCome inסוּרָ֧הH5493Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularmy lordאֲדֹנִ֛יH113Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularCome inסוּרָ֥הH5493Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularwith meאֵלַ֖יH413Preposition | first person common singularDo notאַל־H408Adverbbe afraidתִּירָ֑אH3372Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularSo he enteredוַיָּ֤סַרH5493Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙H413Preposition | third person feminine singularher tentהָאֹ֔הֱלָהH168Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularand she covered himוַתְּכַסֵּ֖הוּH3680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singularwith a blanketבַּשְּׂמִיכָֽה׃H8063Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 19

Original words

[Sisera] saidוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto herאֵלֶ֛יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularPleaseנָ֥אH4994Interjectiongive me a littleמְעַט־H4592Adjective - masculine singular constructwaterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralto drinkהַשְׁקִינִי־H8248Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular | first person common singularforכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionI am thirstyצָמֵ֑אתִיH6770Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularSo she openedוַתִּפְתַּ֞חH6605Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markera containerנֹ֧אודH4997Noun - masculine singular constructof milkהֶחָלָ֛בH2461Article | Noun - masculine singulargave him a drinkוַתַּשְׁקֵ֖הוּH8248Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singularand covered him againוַתְּכַסֵּֽהוּ׃H3680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Standעֲמֹ֖דH5975Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularat the entranceפֶּ֣תַחH6607Noun - masculine singular constructto the tentהָאֹ֑הֶלH168Article | Noun - masculine singularhe saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֵלֶ֔יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularandוְהָיָה֩H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularifאִם־H518Conjunctionanyoneאִ֨ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularcomesיָב֜וֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand asks youוּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְH7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person feminine singularIs thereהֲיֵֽשׁ־H3426Adverba manאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .וְאָמַ֥רְתְּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singularhereפֹּ֥הH6311Adverbsayוְאָמַ֛רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularNoאָֽיִן׃H369Adverb
Verse 21

Original words

But as heוְהֽוּא־H1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularlay sleepingנִרְדָּ֥םH7290Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularfrom exhaustionוַיָּ֖עַףH5888Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularHeber’sחֶ֠בֶרH2268Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwifeאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular constructJaelיָעֵ֣לH3278Noun - proper - feminine singulartookוַתִּקַּ֣חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singulara tentהָאֹ֜הֶלH168Article | Noun - masculine singularpegיְתַ֨דH3489Noun - feminine singular constructgrabbedוַתָּ֧שֶׂםH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markera hammerהַמַּקֶּ֣בֶתH4718Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .בְּיָדָ֗הּH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularand wentוַתָּב֤וֹאH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularsilentlyבַּלָּ֔אטH3814Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularto Siseraאֵלָיו֙H413Preposition | third person masculine singularShe droveוַתִּתְקַ֤עH8628Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe pegהַיָּתֵד֙H3489Article | Noun - feminine singularthrough his templeבְּרַקָּת֔וֹH7541Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular[and]וַתִּצְנַ֖חH6795Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularinto the groundבָּאָ֑רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularand he diedוַיָּמֹֽת׃H4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

וְהִנֵּ֣הוְהִנֵּ֣הH2009Conjunctive waw | InterjectionWhen Barakבָרָק֮H1301Noun - proper - masculine singulararrived in pursuit ofרֹדֵ֣ףH7291Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerSiseraסִֽיסְרָא֒H5516Noun - proper - masculine singularJaelיָעֵל֙H3278Noun - proper - feminine singularwent outוַתֵּצֵ֤אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularto greet himלִקְרָאת֔וֹH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularand saidוַתֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularto himל֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularComeלֵ֣ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularand I will show youוְאַרְאֶ֔ךָּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe manהָאִ֖ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeyouאַתָּ֣הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare seekingמְבַקֵּ֑שׁH1245Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularSo he went inוַיָּבֹ֣אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwith herאֵלֶ֔יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularand thereוְהִנֵּ֤הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionlayנֹפֵ֣לH5307Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularSiseraסִֽיסְרָא֙H5516Noun - proper - masculine singulardeadמֵ֔תH4191Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwith a tent pegוְהַיָּתֵ֖דH3489Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularthrough his templeבְּרַקָּתֽוֹ׃H7541Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.