She went out to meet him, surprised to find that Sisera himself was approaching, dirty and bleeding. "The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth" (Isaiah 33:8). Behind the story of Jael and the death of Sisera is a God who promised never to forget his people and who holds to that promise. Then Jael went out, and meeting Barak going after Sisera, said to him, Come, and I will let you see the man you are searching for. 43-57) by Susan Niditch in, From Gender Reversal to Genderf***: Reading Jael through a Lesbian Lens (pp.9-44) by Deryn Guest from. And we are given very little information about the woman, Jael, leaving a fair amount of her intentions up to speculation. The sight of a man running, then stumbling toward her interrupted her thoughts. Others render it "the helper," and suppose that Ehud, or Shamgar, is referred to. As they advanced via the Kishon River, a river prone to flash floods, the chariots wheels (the supposed advantage the Canaanites had over Israel) became stuck in the mud. Used with permission. 6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. Isaiah 33:8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man. Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent-pin and a hammer and went up to him quietly, driving the pin into his head, and it went through his head into the earth, for he was in a deep sleep from weariness; and so he came to his end. Why would that covering need to be repeated? Discusses Adam's sorrow and death. Yael: Bible | Jewish Women's Archive Answer Jael in the Bible was the wife of a man named Heber, who was a Kenite. English Standard Version In verse Judges 4:14, Barak and his army went up on Mt. The context of a verse might put a very different slant on what the verse seems to say. Jael went on to show Sisera every possible kindness. Judges 5:26 says, She smote his head off. That word (Heb. Don't be afraid." 2023, Tidings Publishing Committee. Don't be afraid," she welcomed him. Quotes available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. "The land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned" (Zechariah 7:14). Jael's treachery and Deborah's gloating strike us as bloodthirsty, all the more so because we don't usually attribute such behavior to women. A soldier fleeing? Would you like to read this article in %%? Jael or Yael ( Hebrew: Yl) is a heroine in the Hebrew Bible 's Book of Judges who delivers Israel from the army of King Jabin of Canaan. And yet, no mention of Judah whatsoever in these two chapters. Instead of a Kenite woman, she would be lauded and honoured as a heroine of Israel. Rebekah, commanding the obedience of her younger son in spite of his protests, engineered a reminder to Isaac of which son was to be blessed. His very name indicates that he was born and bred for war. Im thirsty, he said. Judges 5:24 Meaning. She then covered him with a blanket. In the days of Jael.--It has been thought so strange that Deborah should mention the name of the Bedouin chieftainess as marking the epoch, that some have supposed "Jael" to be the name of some unknown judge; and some have even proposed to read Jair. 3.) Don't be afraid." So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. Each verse includes a link to the chapter and verse of the book where it is found in the bible. When hope seems dim and the prospect of victory seems close to impossible, God is at work, bringing about his plan. Resources to help your ecclesia provide a safe, abuse-free environment and glorify our God. Please ask for permission before reproducing any material. Tabor. The highways were unoccupied.--Literally, kept holiday. say 'No.' say 'No.' Had their God, she wonderd, been asleep these many years? I'll show you the man you're looking for." So he went in with her, and there was Sisera on the ground, dead, with the tent peg through his head. Judges 5:27 says, At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down. The word for lay down is the Hebrew shakab. We arent told where Heber was at the time. 8 Bible Verses About Jael - QuotesCosmos He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, saith the Lord. Sisera, she knew, had marched to Tabor. This page was last modified on September 15, 2017, at 4:33 AM. Jael's role is also heralded: "Most blessed of women be Jael, / the wife of Heber the Kenite, / most blessed of tent-dwelling women" (verse 24). she wondered. But by the standards of ancient warfare, both were heroes. She went out to meet him, surprised to find that Sisera himself was approaching, dirty and bleeding. 3 Top bible verses about Jael, with videos, images and related topics. He may have raped Jael. I want to remind you of the type of man Sisera was. She set them back up at the end of the day's journey. When you have a friend that you are considering inviting to come to Sunday morning worship services, what might make you hesitate to do so? Once again, it is the people who are not necessarily warriors who respond to Baraks call. The people of Israel during the time of the judges must have worn God to exasperation with their continual wavering. When he asked for water she gave him a banquet bowl of curdled milk to drink. Jael. Israel had none. She pulled down and packed the tents when they traveled to another place. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. Then maybe a few weeks later, we find ourselves faltering and unsure just how to deal with circumstances thrown our way. At her . Governors (or lawgivers), not warriors, responding to Baraks call to fight. To fully understand what transpired in Jaels tent, Judges 4-5 needs to be read side-by-side because each chapter only provides snippets of the account. Start for FREE. Click here to download the manuscript for this lesson. Jael's actions are worth singing about. Jael's primary job, though, was to pitch tents, and she had become an expert in all phases of making, pitching, and striking such dwellings. Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person feminine singular, Heber -- a Kenite, also several Israelites, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular, Kenite -- members of the tribe of Kenites, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: Judges 5:24 Jael shall be blessed above women (Jd Judg. And six tribes stayed behind. But even so, they were still willing to go forth and fight. Here are 8 verses related to Jael. Had their God, she wonderd, been asleep these many years? The words used in Scripture are pierced or shattered, smote, and stricken through. Jael would have been covered in blood, from head to toe, much like our Savior was when he hung on that cross. Seizing the advantage, Barak ran down from the mountain with his men, forcing the Canaanites to flee and pursue them. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Sisera exposed parts of her that none but her husband were meant to see. If someone comes by and asks you, Is anyone in there? say No., Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael. note that the women listed on this site are listed in the order they appear in scripture (for example, women in Genesis chapter 1 are listed . Like a piece of canvas fixed in place, Sisera, the great general, lay dead, slain by a woman's hand, just as Deborah had prophesied to Barak. But instead of condemning her the Bible tells Jael's story a second time, this time in the form of an epic poem. Jdg). Start your free trial today! The grass grew on them; there was no one to occupy them. "Joshua, Judges, and Ruth." Click here to download the PowerPoint for this lesson. Your input is important for us to improve it. The record also tells us there was peace between the king of Canaan and the house of Heber, seeming to imply that Heber may have been a traitor to the Israelites. In the headlong rout which followed the defeat of the Canaanites by Barak, at Megiddo on the plain of Esdraelon, Sisera, their general, fled to the tent of the Kenite chieftainess, at Kedesh in Naphtali, four miles northwest of Lake Merom. Judges 5:14-18 gives an account of the responses of the various tribes: Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek: Some of the Ephraimites who followed Barak into battle were still dealing with the threat of the Amalekites, a nomadic people who had attacked the Israelites back when they first left Egypt. Have reminders sent directly to your email, Pause your devotional at any time to read at your own pace. God showed his love for us, for he sent his only Son into the world that through him we might have life. But what if someone besides the husband uncovered the bride? - Judges 5:24-27. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. ( Jg 4:10, 11, 17, 21; see KEDESH No. Jael - JW.ORG Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways. 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. Jael, the Most Blessed of Women - Tidings Always willing to forgive. 43-57) by Susan Niditch in Gender and Difference in Ancient Israel edited by Peggy L. Day (1989), Murder and Difference: Genre, Gender, and Scholarship on Siseras Death by Mieke Bal (1988), From Gender Reversal to Genderf***: Reading Jael through a Lesbian Lens (pp.9-44) by Deryn Guest from Bible Trouble: Queer Readings at the Boundaries of Biblical Scholarship edited by Teresa J. Hornsby and Ken Stone (2011). Sisera was a man who took great pleasure in defiling the women of the cities he conquered. She covered him with a rug to hide and comfort him. The Bible is in the public domain and available world-wide. Both may have been defiled in unspeakable ways. Explore the King James Bible (kjv) and discover new insights. Why shouldn't he take refuge in the tent of a woman uninvolved in the war? Was he Israelite or Canaanite? I dont think these were the words of a coward. The Kenites were related to the Midianites. Was Jael a hero, an opportunist, or merely a treacherous woman? But (1) Jael is essentially a woman's name (see Judges 4:17; Proverbs 5:19); (2) she is mentioned prominently in this very song as having put the finishing stroke to the victory of Israel; and (3) she may have been--and various incidents in the history lead us to suppose that she was--a woman of great importance and influence, even . Here are 3 Bible verses about Jael from the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), sorted from the most relevant to the least relevant. "Come, my lord, come right in. The commander of Jabins army was Sisera. His identity might reveal the way the winds of battle were blowing. That word is used only five times in Scripture, three in this account, the other two in Song of Solomon 4:3 and 6:7: The unveiling of the bride by the bridegroom represented the concluding step of the marriage, the uncovering of the bride by her husband. She used those difficult situations to glorify Him. New Living Translation Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. Jael is mentioned in 2 books. The favorite verses page is a list of popular bible verses. But its always important to consider the language being used in these accounts. Jael (3/29/2021) - Women of the Bible - Bible Gateway Devotionals BibleGateway+ less than $5/mo. Her arm was steady, her aim sure. 4.3 God Keeps His Word 4.4 Act on the Opportunities God Gives You 5 Jael In The Bible Just who was Jael in the Bible? Quickly, she thrust the peg through his temple and into the ground. Judges 5:24 "Blessed above women shall Jael the": Translation, Meaning The story of the wavering of God's people continues even today. "Stand in the doorway of the tent," he told her. Jael's people were at peace with his. Its so much easier to blame whats going on around us for whats going on internally. Let it be our most earnest study to dwell upon the life and example of Jesus. As Barak followed her into the tent, he may have realized he wasnt really seeking Sisera. But we can look to Judges 5 to see who wanted relief from the oppression of sin and who may not have minded it so much. Only then do we run to God for help. Certainly Barak and Deborah approved of her, singing: Most blessed of women be Jael,the wife of Heber the Kenite,most blessed of tent-dwelling women.He asked for water, and she gave him milk;in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.Her hand reached for the tent peg,her right hand for the workman's hammer.She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,she shattered and pierced his temple.At her feet he sank,he fell; there he lay.At her feet he sank, he fell;where he sank, there he felldead. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come in, sir; come into my tent. With her husband, Jael tented near Kedesh, and there was peace between Heber and the Canaanite oppressors. Above women in the tent.--The honour paid to her because of her deed would raise her far above the common mass of ignorant and downtrodden nomad women. The Second Book of Adam and Eve. Sometimes I even blame my geographic location: Im just not in an area where I can be making a difference, I say. They were to meet Sisera in battle and God would defeat Sisera and his "invincible" chariots. Or perhaps she merely wanted to curry favor with the Israelites, the day's clear winners. 2Chronicles 15:5; Lamentations 1:4; Lamentations 4:18.) But she knew the type of man she was inviting into her tent, and she knew what it might mean for her to be alone with this powerful, renowned commander of a sinful nation. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. But that doesnt mean Judah wasnt represented! By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. ? Reading Jael's story in a women's prison | The Christian Century It is as if the text knows that Jael's actions are open to misinterpretation, and so the text is explicit. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Both were decisive and courageous women who helped God's people at a critical moment in history. In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were not used, and travellers went by side roads. What does the Bible say about Jael? Bible Verses About Jael: Jael occurs 7 times in the Basic English Bible and is discussed most often in Judges (6) and Genesis (1). Sound like anyone you know? In Judges 4: 8, before the battle even started, Barak said to Deborah. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. New International Version (NIV). In Judges 5:24, Jael is called blessed above women, the identical praise given by the angel, Michael, to Mary, the mother of the Messiah: Elizabeth repeated this same phrase in verse 42: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.. But, while the rest of Siseras army fled from the Israelites in the direction of Harosheth-hagoyim, Sisera fled in the opposite directiontowards the home of Heber and Jael. The majority of the times that particular word occurs, is in reference to sexual relations. This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Judges 5:6 Meaning. Her name means: "A Wild or Mountain Goat", Her character: Decisive and courageous, she seized the opportunity to slay an enemy of God's people.Her sorrow: To be lauded by Deborah and Barak for her part in a decisive victory.Key Scriptures: Judges 4-5. If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go., I will surely go with you. Jael | Women in the Bible Juges 4,Jueces 4 LSG;NVI - Les enfants d'Isral firent - Bible Gateway Still, she remembered the stories of Moses and the people he had led across the wilderness. Jael Judges 4:21ESV / 12 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. But our Scriptural role models didnt do that. She commanded Barak to fight against Jabin's army in the Valley of Jezreel along the Kishon River. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. The wife of Heber the Kenite, hence a non-Israelite, and slayer of the Canaanite army chief Sisera. The home of Heber and Jael was about 5 miles away from Mt. Entre usted por aqu. mahaq) means to utterly destroy or blot out. She nailed it right to the ground after she was violated in the most vulgar way. She and her husband, Heber, were Kenites, members of a nomadic tribe whose survival depended on its ability to stay clear of local disputes. Translation by S.H. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The World English Bible was produced to provide speakers of modern English with a version of the Bible that is easily understood. And Jael went out to Sisera, and said to him, Come in, my lord, come in to me without fear. Then Jael, Hebers wife, took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her right hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground, and when she had pierced and stricken through his temples, she smote off his head: for he was fast asleep and weary. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. When hope seems dim and the prospect of victory seems close to impossible, God is at work, bringing about his plan. Key Scriptures: Judges 4-5 Her Story. Jdg). Start for FREE. We are given a good look into his character. As His chosen, He has expectations of uswe have serious responsibilities to be holy, to. Joshua had fully obeyed Gods command to strike this city and exterminate its people. it is the people who are not necessarily warriors who respond to Baraks call. If writing out the full name does not work, simply type in Samaritan and see if The Samaritan Woman appears. But (1) Jael is essentially a woman's name (see Judges 4:17; Proverbs 5:19); (2) she is mentioned prominently in this very song as having put the finishing stroke to the victory of Israel; and (3) she may have been--and various incidents in the history lead us to suppose that she was--a woman of great importance and influence, even independently of her murder of Sisera.