Judges 4:17

Judges 4:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Sisera, meanwhile, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was an alliance between Jabin king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Sisera fled away on foot 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Context of Judges 4:17

15And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and [confused] all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera dismounted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and the entire army of Sisera fell by the sword; not even one man was left. But Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me! Have no fear.” So he turned aside to her [and went] into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink because I am thirsty.” And she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him.

Judges 4:17 word by word

וְסִֽיסְרָא֙ נָ֣ס בְּרַגְלָ֔יו אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יָעֵ֔ל אֵ֖שֶּׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י כִּ֣י שָׁל֗וֹם בֵּ֚ין יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־חָצ֔וֹר וּבֵ֕ין בֵּ֖ית חֶ֥בֶר הַקֵּינִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Howbeit Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
• fled awayנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• on his feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• to the tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of Jaelיָעֵלyâ‛êl · JaelH3278
• the wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• of Heberחֶ֫בֶרcheber · HeberH2268
• the Keniteקֵינִיqêynîy qîynîy · KeniteH7017
• peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
• between Jabinיָבִיןyâbîyn · JabinH2985
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Hazorחָצוֹרchâtsôr · HazorH2674
• and the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004

Cross-references for Judges 4:17

• Job 12:19He makes priests walk barefoot, And He overturns men firmly seated and secure.
• Job 18:7The vigorous stride will be shortened, And his own counsel and the scheme [in which he trusted] will bring his downfall.
• Job 40:11Pour out the overflowings of your wrath, And look at everyone who is proud and make him low.
• Psalms 37:35I have seen a wicked, violent man [with great power] Spreading and flaunting himself like a cedar in its native soil,
• Psalms 107:40He pours contempt on princes And makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.
• Proverbs 29:23A man’s pride and sense of self-importance will bring him down, But he who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.
• Amos 5:19It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger] And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway], Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.
• Judges 5:6“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, And travelers went by roundabout ways.
• Psalms 69:22May their table [with all its abundance and luxury] become a snare [to them]; And when they are in peace [secure at their sacrificial feasts], may it become a trap.
• Isaiah 57:21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Commentaries on Judges 4:17

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Sisera went, not to Heber‘s tent, but to Joel‘s, as more secure from pursuit. Women occupied a separate tent. Genesis 18:6, Genesis 18:10; Genesis 24:67.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 Sisera's chariots had been his pride and his confidence. Thus are those disappointed who rest on the creature; like a broken reed, it not only breaks under them, but pierces them with many sorrows. The idol may quickly become a burden, Is 46:1; what we were sick for, God can make us sick of. It is probable that Jael really intended kindness to Sisera; but by a Divine impulse she was afterwards led to consider him as the determined enemy of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-20Sisera believed he was among friends (see Judges 4:11). A woman whose husband was away would typically invite a man into her tent only for intimate reasons. However, Sisera saw this invitation as a chance for safety. Jael did not disturb his trust as she hid and refreshed him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. Sisera fled ... to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of receiving the stranger in the sheik's absence devolves on his wife, and the moment the stranger is admitted into his tent, his claim to be defended or concealed from his pursuers is established.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 4:17

• Canaanites
• Hazor
• Heber
• Hypocrisy
• Jabin
• Jael
• Kenites

In the dictionaries

• Asleep
• Harosheth of the Gentiles
• Heber
• Jael
• Kenites
• Prophetess
• Thirsty
• Abdon (1)
• Galilee
• Hospitality; Host

Commentaries on Judges 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings