Judges 4:21
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. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

New Living Translation
But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.

English Standard Version
But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died.

Berean Standard Bible
But 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.

King James Bible
Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

New King James Version
Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

New American Standard Bible
But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.

NASB 1995
But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.

NASB 1977
But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and placed a hammer in her hand and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.

Amplified Bible
But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand, and came up quietly to him and drove the peg through his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.

Christian Standard Bible
While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife, Jael, took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

American Standard Version
Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Anayl the wife of Khubar took a peg of the tent and she seized a mallet in her hand and she went into him when he slept and she knocked the peg into his temples and it sank into the ground as he slept and he was shattered and he died

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jael the wife of Chaber took a pin of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him, and fastened the pin in his temple, and it went through to the earth, and he fainted away, and darkness fell upon him and he died.

Contemporary English Version
Sisera was exhausted and soon fell fast asleep. Jael took a hammer and drove a tent-peg through his head into the ground, and he died.

Douay-Rheims Bible
So Jahel Haber's wife took a nail of the tent, and taking also a hammer: and going in softly, and with silence, she put the nail upon the temples of his head, and striking it With the hammer, drove it through his brain fast into the ground: and so passing from deep sleep to death, he fainted away and died.

English Revised Version
Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Sisera had fallen sound asleep from exhaustion, Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and walked quietly toward him with a hammer in her hand. She hammered the tent peg through his temples into the ground. So Sisera died.

Good News Translation
Sisera was so tired that he fell sound asleep. Then Jael took a hammer and a tent peg, quietly went up to him, and killed him by driving the peg right through the side of his head and into the ground.

International Standard Version
But Heber's wife Jael grabbed a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other, crept up to him quietly, and drove the tent peg right through his temple into the ground below after he had fallen sound asleep from exhaustion. That's how he died.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.

Literal Standard Version
And Jael wife of Heber takes the pin of the tent, and takes the hammer in her hand, and goes to him gently, and strikes the pin into his temples, and it fastens in the earth—and he has been fast asleep, and is weary—and he dies.

Majority Standard Bible
But 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.

New American Bible
Jael, wife of Heber, got a tent peg and took a mallet in her hand. When Sisera was in a deep sleep from exhaustion, she approached him stealthily and drove the peg through his temple and down into the ground, and he died.

NET Bible
Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other. She crept up on him, drove the tent peg through his temple into the ground while he was asleep from exhaustion, and he died.

New Revised Standard Version
But Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died.

New Heart English Bible
Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he died.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep, and weary. So he died.

World English Bible
Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jael wife of Heber taketh the pin of the tent, and taketh the hammer in her hand, and goeth unto him gently, and striketh the pin into his temples, and it fasteneth in the earth -- and he hath been fast asleep, and is weary -- and he dieth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jael Kills Sisera
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.…

Cross References
Judges 4:9
"I will certainly go with you," Deborah replied, "but the road you are taking will bring you no honor, because the LORD will be selling Sisera into the hand of a woman." So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh,

Judges 4:20
"Stand at the entrance to the tent," he said, "and if anyone comes and asks you, 'Is there a man here?' say, 'No.'"

Judges 4:22
When 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.

Judges 5:26
She reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera and crushed his skull; she shattered and pierced his temple.


Treasury of Scripture

Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

took

Judges 3:21,31
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: …

Judges 5:26
She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

Judges 15:15
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

a nail.

Exodus 35:18
The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,

and took.

Psalm 3:7
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

he died

Judges 5:27
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

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Asleep Deep Died Hammer Hand Jael Nail Peg Pierced Pin Seized Sleep Smote Softly Struck Swooned Temples Tent Tent-Pin Weary Wife
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Asleep Deep Died Hammer Hand Jael Nail Peg Pierced Pin Seized Sleep Smote Softly Struck Swooned Temples Tent Tent-Pin Weary Wife
Judges 4
1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17. Jael kills Sisera














(21) Then.--Many commentators have ventured to assume that at this instant Jael received a Divine intimation of what she was to do. To make such an assumption as a way of defending an act of assassination peculiarly terrible and peculiarly treacherous seems to be to the last degree unwarrantable. If any readers choose to adopt such methods for themselves they ought not to attempt the enforcement of such "private interpretations" on others. The mind which is unsophisticated by the casuistry of exegesis will find little difficulty in arriving at a fair estimate of Jael's conduct without resorting to dangerous and arbitrary interpolations of supposition into the simple Scripture narrative.

Heber's wife.--This addition, being needless, might be regarded as emphatic, and as involving an element of condemnation by calling prominent attention to the "peace between Jabin and the house of Heber," which has been mentioned where last his name occurs (Judges 4:17). It is, however, due in all probability to the very ancient and inartificial character of the narrative.

A nail of the tent.--Probably one of the great tent-pegs used to fasten down the cords which keep the tent in its place (Exodus 27:19; Isaiah 22:23; Isaiah 54:2, &c). Josephus says an iron nail, but there is nothing to show whether it was of iron or of wood, and the LXX., by rendering it passalon ("a wooden plug "), seem to have understood the latter.

An hammer.--Rather, the hammer. The ponderous wooden mallet kept in every tent to beat down the cord-pegs. The word is Makkebeth, from which is derived the word Maccabee. The warrior-priests, to whom that title was given, were the "hammers" of their enemies, and Karl received the title of Martel for a similar reason. . . .

Verse 21. - Then Jael, etc. Sisera, having taken every precaution, had lain him down to rest; not, like David, trusting to the Lord to make him dwell in safety, but confiding in Jael's friendship and his own crafty directions. But no sooner had he fallen into a deep sleep, than the crafty and courageous woman, into whose hands Sisera was to be sold, took a tent pin and the heavy hammer with which they drove the pin into the ground, and with a desperate blow forced it through his temples, and pinned him to the ground. Without a struggle, he swooned and died. Instead of and fastened it into the ground, it is better to translate, that it (the pin) came down to the ground. It is the same word as is translated lighted Joshua 15:18. In the last clause put the full-stop after asleep, and read, So he swooned and died. It is impossible for us to view Jael's act in the same light as her contemporaries did, on account of its treachery and cruelty; but we can admire her faith in the God of Israel, her lave for the people of God, and her marvellous courage and strength of mind in carrying out her purpose, and make allowance for the age in which she lived.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But as he
וְהֽוּא־ (wə·hū-)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

lay sleeping
נִרְדָּ֥ם (nir·dām)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7290: To be in or fall into heavy sleep

from exhaustion,
וַיָּ֖עַף (way·yā·‘ap̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint

Heber’s
חֶ֠בֶר (ḥe·ḇer)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2268: Heber -- a Kenite, also several Israelites

wife
אֵֽשֶׁת־ (’ê·šeṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

Jael
יָעֵ֣ל (yā·‘êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3278: Jael -- a Canaanite woman

took
וַתִּקַּ֣ח (wat·tiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

a tent
הָאֹ֜הֶל (hā·’ō·hel)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 168: A tent

peg,
יְתַ֨ד (yə·ṯaḏ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3489: A peg, pin

grabbed
וַתָּ֧שֶׂם (wat·tā·śem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

a hammer,
הַמַּקֶּ֣בֶת (ham·maq·qe·ḇeṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4718: A perforator, a hammer, a perforation, a quarry

and went
וַתָּב֤וֹא (wat·tā·ḇō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

silently
בַּלָּ֔אט (bal·lāṭ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3909: Covered, secret, incantation, secrecy, covertly

to Sisera.
אֵלָיו֙ (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

She drove
וַתִּתְקַ֤ע (wat·tiṯ·qa‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 8628: To clatter, slap, clang, to drive, to become bondsman

the peg
הַיָּתֵד֙ (hay·yā·ṯêḏ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3489: A peg, pin

through his temple
בְּרַקָּת֔וֹ (bə·raq·qā·ṯōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7541: Thinness, the side of the head

[and]
וַתִּצְנַ֖ח (wat·tiṣ·naḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6795: To alight, to cause to descend, drive down

into the ground,
בָּאָ֑רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and he died.
וַיָּמֹֽת׃ (way·yā·mōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT History: Judges 4:21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 4:20
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