Judges 4:17 kjv
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.
Judges 4:17 nkjv
However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Judges 4:17 niv
Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.
Judges 4:17 esv
But Sisera fled away on foot 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.
Judges 4:17 nlt
Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber's family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor.
Judges 4 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 68:1 | Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered… | Enemies scattered by God's presence. |
| Psa 92:9 | For behold, your enemies, O Lord… shall perish. | Enemies of God face destruction. |
| Rom 16:20 | The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. | God crushes spiritual and literal enemies. |
| Luke 1:71 | deliverance from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; | God provides deliverance from oppressors. |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; | God uses unexpected and seemingly weak means. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | for My power is made perfect in weakness. | God's strength perfected in human weakness. |
| 1 Sam 17:50 | So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone... | An unexpected victor overcomes a powerful foe. |
| Jdg 4:9 | "...the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” | Fulfillment of Deborah's prophecy. |
| Jdg 5:24 | “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite…" | Jael's act is praised by God. |
| Prov 11:3 | The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. | Deception and treachery often lead to downfall. |
| Prov 26:27 | Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. | Sisera seeks refuge, finds doom. |
| Esth 7:10 | So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. | Divine irony: the oppressor meets an unexpected end. |
| Psa 55:21 | His words were smoother than butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. | Betrayal where trust was expected. |
| Jer 9:8 | …their tongue is a deadly arrow; they speak deceitfully... | The deceptive nature of promises/words. |
| Psa 5:9 | …their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue. | False sense of security from deceitful speech. |
| Luke 11:50 | that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; | Accountability for past injustices. |
| Prov 1:32 | For the turning away of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; | Sisera's complacency in thinking he was safe. |
| Heb 13:2 | Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. | The virtue of hospitality, starkly contrasted here. |
| Luke 1:45 | Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! | Women playing a crucial role in God's plan. |
| Gen 19:8 | ...here are my two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you and do to them as you please... | Hospitality can be complex or perverted, contrasting with Jael's specific violation. |
Judges 4 verses
Judges 4 17 Meaning
Judges 4:17 details the immediate aftermath of Sisera's defeat, explaining how he, the commander of Jabin's army, fled his destroyed forces on foot. He sought refuge specifically in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. This decision was rooted in a pre-existing peace treaty between Sisera's overlord, Jabin, king of Hazor, and the nomadic house of Heber the Kenite, making the tent appear to be a safe haven. This sets the stage for a dramatic subversion of expectations and a pivotal moment in Israel's deliverance.
Judges 4 17 Context
Judges chapter 4 details Israel's oppressive twenty-year servitude under Jabin, the Canaanite king of Hazor, and his formidable army, led by Sisera with 900 iron chariots. The prophetess Deborah and military commander Barak arise to deliver Israel. Deborah prophesies that the Lord will "sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" (Jdg 4:9), challenging Barak's desire for personal glory. After Sisera's army is routed by God-induced chaos and a sudden storm that bogged down his chariots, Sisera, the powerful general, flees on foot. Verse 17 thus sets up the dramatic fulfillment of Deborah's prophecy, explaining why Sisera went to Jael's tent. The Kenites, a nomadic clan descended from Moses' father-in-law (Jdg 1:16, 4:11), were known for their general peaceable relations, often with Israel, but here are specified as having a treaty with King Jabin, providing Sisera with a false sense of security.
Judges 4 17 Word analysis
- But: Signals a stark contrast and sudden shift in Sisera’s circumstances from leading a mighty army to fleeing as a fugitive.
- Sisera: The formidable Canaanite general, now stripped of his power and fleeing for his life.
- had fled away: From Hebrew, nas (נָס), meaning to flee, escape, or run for refuge. It conveys speed and desperation, a complete reversal of his previous authoritative stance.
- on foot: Highly significant for a chariot commander; a humiliating mode of escape that signifies utter defeat and vulnerability. It is a sign of his desperate state.
- to the tent: Hebrew ohel (אֹהֶל), indicating a nomadic dwelling, specifically associated with domesticity and a woman's domain in this context. A tent, in ancient Near Eastern culture, symbolized a private and typically safe, inviolable space for guests.
- of Jael: Hebrew Ya'el (יָעֵל), meaning "mountain goat." Her name suggests a robust, independent, and agile nature, ironically foreshadowing her active role despite her domestic setting. She is about to become a deliverer.
- the wife of Heber the Kenite: Identifies Jael by her social status and tribal affiliation. The Kenites (Qeini - קֵינִי) were often metalworkers and distinct from the Israelites, historically allied with Moses' family (Exod 18, Num 10:29). Their neutral status in the broader conflict is critical to the narrative.
- for there was peace: Hebrew shalom (שָׁלוֹם), meaning peace, completeness, welfare. This indicates a state of non-aggression and diplomatic relations, the very basis for Sisera's trust. It implies a perceived, but ultimately false, sanctuary for Sisera.
- between Jabin the king of Hazor: Sisera’s overlord and Israel’s primary oppressor.
- and the house of Heber the Kenite: Signifies the clan or family unit of Heber, representing a specific treaty or alliance.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "But Sisera had fled away on foot": This phrase dramatically shifts Sisera from his previous position of power and authority to one of complete helplessness and ignominy. A powerful general fleeing on foot underscores the decisive victory God had given to Israel, demonstrating that human strength is futile against divine intervention.
- "to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite": This designates his unlikely place of refuge. The "tent" usually implies a safe, domestic space, and his choice of Jael's tent highlights his desperation and the cultural expectation of hospitality, even from neutral parties. It also foreshadows the prophecy that a woman would bring about his end.
- "for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite": This crucial phrase explains Sisera's fatal miscalculation. He enters the tent assuming his safety is guaranteed by a diplomatic treaty, relying on external political agreements rather than discernment of Jael’s personal convictions or God’s greater plan. This highlights his blindness and complacency.
Judges 4 17 Bonus section
The story of Jael in Judges 4 and 5 challenges ancient Near Eastern gender norms, presenting a woman who actively engages in decisive action within a context of war and deliverance, typically reserved for men. Her act also raises complex ethical questions regarding the violation of sacred guest-right in ancient cultures. However, the biblical text does not condemn her method but rather celebrates her faithfulness in delivering Israel from a brutal oppressor. Jael's commitment to Israel's cause, despite her clan's treaty with the Canaanites, showcases a loyalty to the God of Israel above pragmatic tribal allegiances. This also underlines the sovereignty of God, who orchestrates events and uses various individuals, irrespective of their societal position or conventional roles, to bring about His will and victory.
Judges 4 17 Commentary
Judges 4:17 is pivotal for its profound irony and dramatic tension. Sisera, the formidable oppressor of Israel, falls not by the sword of Barak in battle, but flees in humiliation to a place he deems safe: a woman's tent, within a clan with whom his king maintains peace. This choice demonstrates Sisera’s ultimate defeat, stripping him of his military glory and reducing him to a desperate refugee. His reliance on the peace treaty with the Kenites becomes his fatal error, as he fails to recognize the shift in allegiance Jael would make in favor of God's people. The "peace" that was supposed to protect him ultimately sets the stage for his betrayal and death at the hand of a woman, precisely fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy (Jdg 4:9). The narrative highlights that God uses unconventional means and instruments—even those outside the immediate covenant community, like a Kenite woman, and circumstances involving ethical complexities like a breach of hospitality—to bring about His sovereign purposes and deliver His people.