Bible Commentaries

4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left.

Ver. 16. There was not a man left.] Heb., Unto one. Ne ignifer quidem relictus est, as the Latin proverb hath it, ^(a) scarce one left to bring the sad news of a πανολεθρια.

“ Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus:

Magna repente ruunt, summa cadunt subito. ”

{a} Claudian.

4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left.

Ver. 16. There was not a man left.] Heb., Unto one. Ne ignifer quidem relictus est, as the Latin proverb hath it, ^(a) scarce one left to bring the sad news of a πανολεθρια.

“ Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus:

Magna repente ruunt, summa cadunt subito. ”

{a} Claudian.

4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Ver. 17. For there was peace,] i.e., Non erant simultates aut bella inter illos, ^(a) there was no open hostility: or if there were a league, the Emperor of the world, saith Ferus, had now disannulled it, as having proscribed Sisera, and declared that he should be destroyed, and that by a woman.

4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Ver. 17. For there was peace,] i.e., Non erant simultates aut bella inter illos, ^(a) there was no open hostility: or if there were a league, the Emperor of the world, saith Ferus, had now disannulled it, as having proscribed Sisera, and declared that he should be destroyed, and that by a woman.

4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

Ver. 18. Turn in, my lord, turn in to me.] Fair words make fools fain: Vide cui fidas. Jael is commended by Deborah for what she did. [ 5:24]

“ Dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirat? ”

She covered him with a mantle.] Stragula villosa, with a rug or blanket, to get him the sooner asleep.

4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

Ver. 18. Turn in, my lord, turn in to me.] Fair words make fools fain: Vide cui fidas. Jael is commended by Deborah for what she did. [ 5:24]

“ Dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirat? ”

She covered him with a mantle.] Stragula villosa, with a rug or blanket, to get him the sooner asleep.

4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

Ver. 19. And she opened a bottle of milk.] Ut esset potus suavior, et induceret illi somnum, saith Vatablus; that she might mend his liquor, and make him sleep; as it is the nature of milk, when drunk largely by them that are hot, to render them sleepy.

4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

Ver. 19. And she opened a bottle of milk.] Ut esset potus suavior, et induceret illi somnum, saith Vatablus; that she might mend his liquor, and make him sleep; as it is the nature of milk, when drunk largely by them that are hot, to render them sleepy.

4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

Ver. 20. That thou shalt say, No.] An officious lie is held a peccadillo; but God’s children are such as will not lie. [Isaiah 63:8 Zephaniah 3:13] Jael made him no promise to do as he desired, but said within herself, likely, as that good woman in Jerome did, Ideo mentiri nolo, ne peccem, I will do anything sooner than lie: for that were to sin against God.

4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

Ver. 20. That thou shalt say, No.] An officious lie is held a peccadillo; but God’s children are such as will not lie. [Isaiah 63:8 Zephaniah 3:13] Jael made him no promise to do as he desired, but said within herself, likely, as that good woman in Jerome did, Ideo mentiri nolo, ne peccem, I will do anything sooner than lie: for that were to sin against God.

4:21 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.

Ver. 21. Took a nail of the tent.] Which was long and strong enough for her purpose to pierce his skull, and to fasten him to the ground.

And smote the nail into his temples.] Lo, there lay this proud worms’ meat sprawling, with his head fastened to the ground, as if it had been now listening what was become of the soul. In Ezekiel 32:27, it is said, that such as cause terror in the land of the living, are tumbled together into hell.

For he was fast asleep and weary.] Fright, and flight, and grief, and perhaps long watching, had cast him into a deep sleep: which made way to that somnus ferreus, as the poets call death.

4:21 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.

Ver. 21. Took a nail of the tent.] Which was long and strong enough for her purpose to pierce his skull, and to fasten him to the ground.

And smote the nail into his temples.] Lo, there lay this proud worms’ meat sprawling, with his head fastened to the ground, as if it had been now listening what was become of the soul. In Ezekiel 32:27, it is said, that such as cause terror in the land of the living, are tumbled together into hell.

For he was fast asleep and weary.] Fright, and flight, and grief, and perhaps long watching, had cast him into a deep sleep: which made way to that somnus ferreus, as the poets call death.

4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail [was] in his temples.

Ver. 22. Sisera lay dead.] By the hand of woman, which those warriors take for no small disgrace. [ 9:54] Heber was perhaps in the army of the Israelites. We read of a brave Hungarian woman whose courage far exceeded the weakness of her sex: for at the siege of Buda, she thrusting in amongst the soldiers upon the top of the fort, with a great scythe in her hand, at one blow struck off two of the Turks’ heads, as they were climbing up the rampart. ^(a)

4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail [was] in his temples.

Ver. 22. Sisera lay dead.] By the hand of woman, which those warriors take for no small disgrace. [ 9:54] Heber was perhaps in the army of the Israelites. We read of a brave Hungarian woman whose courage far exceeded the weakness of her sex: for at the siege of Buda, she thrusting in amongst the soldiers upon the top of the fort, with a great scythe in her hand, at one blow struck off two of the Turks’ heads, as they were climbing up the rampart. ^(a)

4:23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

Ver. 23. So God subdued on that day Jabin.] By the death of his general and destruction of his forces. See 4:16.

4:23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

Ver. 23. So God subdued on that day Jabin.] By the death of his general and destruction of his forces. See 4:16.

4:24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Ver. 24. Until they had destroyed Jabin.] So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord. Read the Church’s prayer, Psalms 83:9-10; - "Do unto them as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth."

4:24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Ver. 24. Until they had destroyed Jabin.] So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord. Read the Church’s prayer, Psalms 83:9-10; - "Do unto them as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth."