Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’” New Living Translation “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.” English Standard Version 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.’” Berean Standard Bible “Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” Berean Literal Bible 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.’” King James Bible 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. New King James Version 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.’ ” New American Standard Bible And he said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’” NASB 1995 He said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’” NASB 1977 And he said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’” Legacy Standard Bible And he said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and asks of you and says, ‘Is there a man here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’” Amplified Bible And he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is there anyone here?’ tell him, ‘No.’” Berean Annotated Bible “Stand at the entrance to the tent, he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here? say, ‘No. Christian Standard Bible Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here? ’ say, ‘No.’ ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here? say, ‘No.’” American Standard Version And 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. Contemporary English Version "Stand at the entrance to the tent," Sisera told her. "If someone comes by and asks if anyone is inside, tell them 'No.'" English Revised Version And 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation He said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks if there has been a man around here, tell them no." Good News Translation Then he told her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you if anyone is here, say no." International Standard Version He told her, "Stand in the doorway of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks 'Is anybody here?' say 'No'." NET Bible He said to her, "Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, 'Is there a man here?' say 'No.'" New Heart English Bible He said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' that you shall say, 'No.'" Webster's Bible Translation Again he said to 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible“Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” World English Bible He said to her, “Stand in 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.’” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he says to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and it has been, if any comes in, and has asked you and said, Is there a man here? That you have said, There is not.” Berean Literal Bible 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.’” Young's Literal Translation And he saith unto her, 'Stand at the opening of the tent, and it hath been, if any doth come in, and hath asked thee, and said, Is there a man here? that thou hast said, There is not.' Smith's Literal Translation And he will say to her, stand at the door of the tent, and it was when a man shall come, and ask thee and say, Is a man here? and say thou, No. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd Sisara said to her: Stand before the door of the tent, and when any shall come and inquire of thee, saying: Is there any man here? thou shalt say: There is none. Catholic Public Domain Version And Sisera said to her: “Stand before the door of the tent. And if anyone arrives, questioning you and saying, ‘Could there be any man here?’ you shall respond, ‘There is no one.’ ” New American Bible “Stand at the entrance of the tent,” he said to her. “If anyone comes and asks, ‘Is there someone here?’ say, ‘No!’ ” New Revised Standard Version He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAgain he said to her, Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man does come and ask you, and say, Is there any man here? You shall say to him, No. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he said to her: “Stand in the door of the tent, and if a man comes asking you and says, ‘Is there a man here?’, say to him, ‘There is not.’ OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And Sisara said to her, Stand now by the door of the tent, and it shall come to pass if any man come to thee, and ask of thee, and say, Is there any man here? then thou shalt say, There is not. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jael Kills Sisera…19Sisera said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again. 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.… Cross References Stand at the entrance to the tent, Genesis 18:1-2 Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. / And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. Exodus 33:9 As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses. Numbers 12:5 and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward, he said, Genesis 18:9-10 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. / Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. 1 Kings 17:10-12 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” / And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” / But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.” 2 Kings 4:29-31 So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.” / And the mother of the boy said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. / Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.” and if anyone comes and asks you, Joshua 2:4-5 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from. / At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!” 1 Samuel 19:11-14 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” / So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped. / Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. … Genesis 31:33-35 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. / Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. / Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched but could not find the household idols. ‘Is there a man here?’ 1 Samuel 19:15-17 But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so I can kill him.” / And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head. / And Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!” Michal replied, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away, or I will kill you!’” 2 Kings 6:13-14 So the king said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.” On receiving the report, “Elisha is in Dothan,” / the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city. John 7:11-13 So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?” / Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.” / Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews. say, ‘No.’ John 18:17 At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered. Luke 22:57-60 But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said. / A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” / About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.” … John 18:25-27 Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” / One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” / Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed. Joshua 2:1-6 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. / And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.” / So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.” … Treasury of Scripture Again he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man does come and inquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? that you shall say, No. is there Joshua 2:3-5 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country… 2 Samuel 17:20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. Jump to Previous Door Doorway Inquire Inquires Opening Someone Stand TentJump to Next Door Doorway Inquire Inquires Opening Someone Stand TentJudges 4 1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera17. Jael kills Sisera Stand at the entrance to the tent, This phrase occurs during the narrative of Jael and Sisera. The tent is significant in ancient Near Eastern culture as a place of hospitality and refuge. Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, is in a position of power as she stands at the entrance, a role typically reserved for the man of the house. This setting foreshadows the unexpected turn of events, as tents were often associated with women’s domain, and Jael’s actions will subvert traditional gender roles. he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” Persons / Places / Events 1. JaelThe wife of Heber the Kenite, who plays a crucial role in the defeat of Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army. 2. Sisera The commander of the Canaanite army under King Jabin, who flees to Jael's tent seeking refuge. 3. Heber the Kenite Jael's husband, who had separated from the other Kenites and pitched his tent near Kedesh. 4. Tent of Jael The setting where Jael offers Sisera refuge, ultimately leading to his demise. 5. Canaanite Oppression The broader context of the account, where the Israelites are oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan. Teaching Points Courage in Unexpected RolesJael's actions remind us that God can use anyone, regardless of their societal role, to fulfill His purposes. Discernment and Wisdom Jael's decision to deceive Sisera highlights the need for discernment in complex situations, seeking God's wisdom in our actions. God's Sovereignty The account illustrates God's control over events, using even unlikely individuals to bring about His plans. Hospitality and Deception The account challenges us to consider the ethics of hospitality and deception, urging us to align our actions with God's truth. Victory through Weakness Jael's victory over Sisera symbolizes how God often uses the weak and unexpected to achieve His purposes, encouraging us to trust in His strength rather than our own. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 4:20?2. How does Judges 4:20 demonstrate God's use of unexpected people for His plans? 3. What can we learn from Jael's actions about courage and obedience to God? 4. How does Judges 4:20 connect to other instances of God's deliverance in Scripture? 5. In what ways can we apply Jael's decisiveness in our spiritual battles today? 6. How does Judges 4:20 challenge us to trust God's unconventional methods in life? 7. Why did Jael deceive Sisera in Judges 4:20? 8. How does Judges 4:20 reflect on the role of women in biblical narratives? 9. What does Judges 4:20 reveal about God's use of unexpected people for His purposes? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 4? 11. Are there any contradictions between 1 Samuel 4 and other biblical accounts regarding the fate of Eli's sons or the Ark's movements? 12. Judges 4:21 tells of Jael killing Sisera with a tent peg--are there archaeological or extra-biblical sources supporting the historicity of this event? 13. How reliable is the claim of 30,000 Israelite deaths (1 Samuel 4:10) given historical population estimates of that era? 14. If Exodus 33:11 says Moses spoke with God 'face to face,' how do we reconcile this with Exodus 33:20 where God says no one can see His face and live? What Does Judges 4:20 Mean Stand at the entrance to the tent• Sisera wants Jael to be his first line of defense, positioning her where she can intercept any pursuers. Similar strategic use of a doorway shows up when Rahab stands between the spies and danger in Joshua 2:4–6. • The tent entrance in nomadic culture was a private space; by stationing Jael there, Sisera believes he can hide within while she shields him—much like Lot standing at his door in Genesis 19:6–7. • God’s larger storyline is already in motion: Deborah has prophesied that Sisera will fall at the hand of a woman (Judges 4:9). The very place he thinks is safe becomes the place of his judgment. He said • The narrative underscores that these instructions originate with Sisera, not with God. Scripture records human words accurately, even when those words reflect fear or sin (compare Saul’s panicked command in 1 Samuel 28:22). • Sisera’s voice is full of self-confidence, yet the previous verse says he is “exhausted” (Judges 4:19). His directives expose the emptiness of relying on human strength apart from the Lord (Psalm 33:16–17). And if anyone comes and asks you • Sisera anticipates pursuit; Barak and the Israelite troops are sweeping the area (Judges 4:16). His anxiety mirrors Pharaoh’s soldiers cornered at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:23–25). • God often lets the proud recognize, too late, that they are being hunted by divine justice (Proverbs 28:1). Is there a man here? • The specific wording shows Sisera knows exactly what will be asked: his enemies are looking for a single man. Ironically, Scripture soon describes him as no longer a threat at all (Judges 4:22). • The question recalls the men of Sodom asking, “Where are the men who came to you?” (Genesis 19:5). Both incidents involve a householder being pressured about hidden guests, yet God overturns evil intentions in each case. Say, ‘No.’ • Sisera instructs Jael to lie, paralleling other biblical moments where someone is asked to conceal the presence of God’s people (2 Samuel 17:20). The Bible reports these deceptions without endorsing them; it simply portrays what happened. • Jael’s forthcoming act of killing Sisera (Judges 4:21) is not prompted by his command but by God’s providential plan. Sisera’s last recorded word is “No,” a denial that seals his fate. • God employs even human deceit and folly to accomplish His sovereign purposes (Romans 8:28), proving that no scheme can thwart His will (Job 42:2). summary Judges 4:20 captures a desperate commander trying to orchestrate his own salvation by placing Jael on watch, scripting her answers, and trusting a lie. Each phrase highlights his misplaced confidence, contrasts human schemes with divine sovereignty, and sets the stage for God’s prophetic victory through an unexpected instrument—Jael. The verse reminds us that no matter how carefully sin plots its escape, God’s judgment and deliverance unfold exactly as He has spoken. (20) Stand.--The imperative here used has the masculine, not the feminine termination, but probably only because it is used generally.That thou shalt say, No.--In that age, and among those nations, and under such circumstances, a lie would have been regarded as perfectly natural and justifiable; even under the Christian dispensation, many casuists declare a lie for self-preservation to be venial, though it is to be hoped that there are millions who, without condemning such a falsehood in others, would suffer any extremity rather than be guilty of it themselves. Under any circumstances, it would be very unfair to judge by the standard of Christianity the words and actions of ignorant nomads and idolatrous Canaanites, more than a thousand years before Christ. Sisera and Jael would have acted, without the faintest sense of conscientious scruple, on the heathen advice of Darius--"When it is necessary to lie, lie" (Herod. iii. 72). Hebrew “Standעֲמֹ֖ד (‘ă·mōḏ) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations at the entrance פֶּ֣תַח (pe·ṯaḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6607: An opening, door, entrance way to the tent,” הָאֹ֑הֶל (hā·’ō·hel) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 168: A tent he said, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “and וְהָיָה֩ (wə·hā·yāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be if אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not anyone אִ֨ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person comes יָב֜וֹא (yā·ḇō·w) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go and asks you, וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ (ū·šə·’ê·lêḵ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person feminine singular Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand ‘Is there הֲיֵֽשׁ־ (hă·yêš-) Adverb Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is a man אִ֖ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person here?’ פֹּ֥ה (pōh) Adverb Strong's 6311: This place, here say, וְאָמַ֛ר (wə·’ā·mar) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say ‘No.’” אָֽיִן׃ (’ā·yin) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle Links Judges 4:20 NIVJudges 4:20 NLT Judges 4:20 ESV Judges 4:20 NASB Judges 4:20 KJV Judges 4:20 BibleApps.com Judges 4:20 Biblia Paralela Judges 4:20 Chinese Bible Judges 4:20 French Bible Judges 4:20 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 4:20 He said to her Stand (Jd Judg. 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