Judges 5:25
 Judges 5:25 
New International Version (©2011)
He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt.

English Standard Version (©2001)
He asked water and she gave him milk; she brought him curds in a noble’s bowl.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"He asked for water and she gave him milk; In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
He asked for water; she gave him milk. She brought him curdled milk in a majestic bowl.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Sisera asked for water— she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him yogurt!

NET Bible (©2006)
He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for a king, she served him curds.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk. She offered him buttermilk in a royal bowl.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

American King James Version
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

American Standard Version
He asked water, and'she gave him milk; She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.

Darby Bible Translation
He asked water and she gave him milk, she brought him curds in a lordly bowl.

English Revised Version
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought him butter in a lordly dish.

Webster's Bible Translation
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

World English Bible
He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

Young's Literal Translation
Water he asked -- milk she gave; In a lordly dish she brought near butter.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:24-31 Jael had a special blessing. Those whose lot is cast in the tent, in a low and narrow sphere, if they serve God according to the powers he has given them, shall not lose their reward. The mother of Sisera looked for his return, not in the least fearing his success. Let us take heed of indulging eager desires towards any temporal good, particularly toward that which cherishes vain-glory, for that was what she here doted on. What a picture does she present of an ungodly and sensual heart! How shameful and childish these wishes of an aged mother and her attendants for her son! And thus does God often bring ruin on his enemies when they are most puffed up. Deborah concludes with a prayer to God for the destruction of all his foes, and for the comfort of all his friends. Such shall be the honour, and joy of all who love God in sincerity, they shall shine for ever as the sun in the firmament.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - A lordly dish. A dish fit for princes; perhaps one reserved for the most illustrious guests.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He asked water, and she gave him milk,.... That is, Sisera asked it of her, as the Targum expresses it, when he turned into her tent:

she brought him fresh butter in a lordly dish; which signifies either the same, the milk with cream on it, for that is meant by butter; or having first taken off the cream, she gave him milk to drink, and then brought the cream in a dish for him to eat, and thereby the more incline him to sleep; and this she brought in a dish fit for any lord or nobleman to eat out of; in such a polite and courteous manner did she use him, so that he could have no suspicion of her having any ill design against him. R. Jonah, as Kimchi notes, interprets this of a dish of the mighty or lordly ones, of the shepherds, the principal of the flock, as they are called in Jeremiah 25:34, out of which they had used to drink their milk, or eat their cream, and such an one was likely enough to be Jael's tent; from this Hebrew word "sepel", here used, seems to come the Latin word "simpucium" or "simpulum", used in things sacred, and which, according to Pliny (t), was an earthen vessel; and so some of the Rabbins, as Kimchi observes, say, this was a new earthen vial; it is very probable it was a broad platter or dish fit for such an use.

(t) Nat. Hist. l. 35. c. 12.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. butter—curdled milk; a favorite beverage in the East.


Judges 5:25 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Song of Deborah and Barak
24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26She 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. …

Genesis 18:8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
Judges 5:24 "Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
Judges 5:26 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.