Judges 4 20

Judges 4:20 kjv

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

Judges 4:20 nkjv

And he said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.' "

Judges 4:20 niv

"Stand in the doorway of the tent," he told her. "If someone comes by and asks you, 'Is anyone in there?' say 'No.'?"

Judges 4:20 esv

And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say, 'No.'"

Judges 4:20 nlt

"Stand at the door of the tent," he told her. "If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no."

Judges 4 verses

Judges 4 20 Meaning

Judges 4:20 describes a critical moment of deception immediately following Sisera's defeat by the Israelites. Utterly exhausted and in desperate flight, Sisera, seeking refuge, instructs Jael, "He said to her, 'Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' you are to say, 'No.'" This verse reveals Sisera's deep fear and his attempt to secure his hiding place through Jael's testimony, placing his trust entirely in her hands to conceal his presence from his pursuers. It sets the stage for Jael's pivotal, yet deceptive, act.

Judges 4 20 Context

Judges chapter 4 details the Israelites' oppression under King Jabin of Hazor, whose commander was Sisera. Under the prophetic leadership of Deborah, and with Barak as their military leader, Israel confronts Sisera's superior army, which includes 900 iron chariots. Through divine intervention, a torrential rain renders Sisera's chariots useless, leading to his decisive defeat. As Sisera flees on foot, he seeks refuge with Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, whose clan had a treaty with King Jabin. Verse 20 occurs just after Jael has given Sisera milk, promising him safety. Sisera, exhausted and vulnerable, attempts to secure his hiding place through this explicit instruction to Jael, indicating his complete reliance on her deceptive act to avoid capture by Barak and the Israelite army pursuing him. This instruction foreshadows Jael's subsequent treachery.

Judges 4 20 Word analysis

• He said to her (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ - vayyo'mer 'eleiha): The standard Hebrew verb for "to say," highlighting direct, authoritative instruction from Sisera. "To her" explicitly directs the command to Jael, emphasizing her individual responsibility and the trust Sisera places in her.

• Stand (עֲמֹד - 'amod): An imperative verb, a direct command. It conveys urgency and requires Jael to take a specific physical posture and position, not just an abstract action.

• at the entrance of the tent (פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל - pethach ha'ohel): Specifies a highly strategic location. The "entrance" (doorway/opening) is where potential pursuers would first appear and question. The "tent" (ohel) is Jael's home, a symbol of domesticity, making Sisera's trust in it even more significant. Culturally, tents, especially women's tents, were seen as places of sanctuary and private space.

• and if anyone comes (וְהָיָה אִם יָבֹא אִישׁ - v'hayah im yavo' 'ish): "Anyone" (אִישׁ - 'ish) typically refers to a "man," but in this context signifies any individual or potential pursuer. The phrasing prepares Jael for a hypothetical, yet anticipated, event.

• and asks you (וְשָׁאֵלֵךְ - v'sha'elekh): "Asks" implies a direct inquiry for information. Sisera anticipates being specifically sought out.

• 'Is anyone here?' (הֲיֵשׁ פֹּה אִישׁ - hayesh poh 'ish): A direct quote of the anticipated question. "Is there here a man?" (literal Hebrew) signifies Sisera himself, highlighting his vulnerable state and the simplicity of the expected inquiry.

• you are to say (וְאָמַרְתְּ - v'amart): Another imperative, a clear command for Jael's specific response. This reinforces Sisera's reliance on her verbal deception.

• 'No.' (אֵין - 'ayn): A strong, unequivocal negation in Hebrew, meaning "there is not" or "none." This single word is crucial; it is the lynchpin of Sisera's attempt at concealment and directly sets up Jael's betrayal.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "He said to her, 'Stand at the entrance of the tent'": This is a clear order establishing the physical act and location of deception. It highlights Sisera's planning and desperation to evade capture. The choice of the tent entrance emphasizes the frontline of the deception.
  • "and if anyone comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?'": This anticipates the specific scenario of being sought. It reveals Sisera's acute awareness of being pursued and his paranoia regarding discovery. The simplicity of the anticipated question ("Is anyone here?") shows his focus on merely denying presence, not complex storytelling.
  • "you are to say, 'No.'": This provides the exact, concise, and crucial deceptive instruction. It illustrates the complete reliance Sisera places on Jael's simple but ultimately fatal act of verbal betrayal. It’s a direct lie requested from a trusting position.

Judges 4 20 Bonus section

The passive position Sisera instructs Jael to take – merely denying his presence rather than actively diverting or complexly lying – shows his perceived need for discreet and simple deception. This trust highlights Sisera's misjudgment of Jael's true allegiance, failing to see her potential role in Yahweh's plan for deliverance. The irony lies in a mighty warrior depending on a woman's word to hide, a trust that God would use to orchestrate his ultimate, ignominious demise. The verse is an echo of divine reversal: the one who oppressed Israel is now the one desperately seeking to avoid detection, only to be betrayed by an unexpected instrument.

Judges 4 20 Commentary

Judges 4:20 encapsulates Sisera's dire vulnerability and his complete, fatal trust in Jael. Having fled from divine wrath manifested through the Israelite army, Sisera attempts to control the narrative of his presence through Jael. His precise instructions for her to stand guard and issue a categorical denial underscore his desperate need for concealment and reliance on her deceptive cooperation. The verse demonstrates that the battle against Sisera was not just fought on the battlefield, but extended into the domestic sphere, where Jael's deceptive promise of safety would seal his doom. Sisera sought refuge in a seemingly neutral, woman's tent, underestimating the power of a woman moved by God to deliver His people. It reveals the ironic shift of power: the mighty commander reduced to trusting a woman with his life, only for her to use that trust to execute divine judgment.