Judges 4:20
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.’”

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.’”

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'."

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.’”

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.

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 Version
And 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.”

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 Bible
And 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 Bible
Again 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 1917
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.'

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
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.” ...

1 Samuel 19:11-17
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. ...

2 Samuel 17:18-21
But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. / Then the man’s wife took a covering, spread it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain over it so nobody would know a thing. / When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem. ...

Genesis 18:1-15
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. / “My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. ...

Genesis 19:1-3
Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown, / and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” / But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

1 Kings 19:3-6
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, / while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” / Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ...

Matthew 2:13-15
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” / So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, / where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Luke 2:7
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 10:38-42
As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. / She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message. / But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” ...

Acts 9:23-25
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, / but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him. / One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

Hebrews 11:31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

James 2:25
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?

Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Exodus 1:15-21
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, / “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” / The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live. ...


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.

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Judges 4
1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17. Jael kills Sisera














Stand at the entrance to the tent
This phrase begins with a command given by Sisera to Jael. The Hebrew word for "stand" is "עֲמֹד" (amad), which implies taking a position or stationing oneself firmly. In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture, the tent was a woman's domain, and Jael's presence at the entrance would not arouse suspicion. This command reflects Sisera's desperation and trust in Jael, highlighting the irony of his misplaced confidence. The tent symbolizes a place of refuge, yet it becomes the setting for his downfall.

he told her
The phrase "he told her" indicates a direct communication from Sisera to Jael. The Hebrew root "אָמַר" (amar) is used here, which is a common verb for speaking or saying. This interaction is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the unfolding events. Sisera's reliance on Jael's compliance underscores the theme of unexpected deliverance through unlikely means, a recurring motif in the Book of Judges.

If anyone comes and asks you
Sisera anticipates pursuit and questions from those seeking him. The phrase "if anyone comes" suggests the urgency and danger of his situation. The Hebrew word "בָּא" (bo) for "comes" conveys the idea of arrival or approach, indicating the imminent threat. This reflects the historical context of warfare and pursuit, where fugitives often sought refuge in neutral or friendly territories.

'Is there a man here?'
This question is crucial, as it directly pertains to Sisera's presence. The Hebrew word for "man" is "אִישׁ" (ish), which can denote a male individual or, more broadly, a person. Sisera's instruction to deny his presence reveals his vulnerability and reliance on deception for survival. This moment foreshadows the divine orchestration of events, where human plans are subverted by God's purposes.

say, 'No.'
The command to say "no" is a directive for Jael to lie on Sisera's behalf. The Hebrew word "אָמַר" (amar) is again used here, emphasizing the act of speaking. This instruction places Jael in a moral and ethical dilemma, highlighting the complex nature of her role in the narrative. Her ultimate decision to betray Sisera aligns with the divine deliverance theme, where God uses unexpected instruments to achieve His will. This moment underscores the sovereignty of God in the affairs of humanity, where even deceit serves a higher purpose in the unfolding of His plan.

(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).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Stand
עֲמֹ֖ד (‘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


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OT History: Judges 4:20 He said to her Stand (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 4:19
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