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 in front of him the LORD routed with the sword Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. 16Then Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left. Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 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.

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

• Meanwhile, Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
• had fledנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
• on footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of Jaelיָעֵלyâ‛êl · JaelH3278
• the wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• of Heberחֶ֫בֶרcheber · HeberH2268
• the Keniteקֵינִיqêynîy qîynîy · KeniteH7017
• becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• there was peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
• betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
• Jabinיָבִיןyâbîyn · JabinH2985
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Hazorחָצוֹרchâtsôr · HazorH2674
• the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004

Cross-references for Judges 4:17

• Job 12:19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
• Job 18:7His vigorous stride is shortened, and his own schemes trip him up.
• Job 40:11Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.
• Psalms 37:35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,
• Psalms 107:40He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
• Proverbs 29:23A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
• Amos 5:19It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake.
• Judges 5:6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted and the travelers took the byways.
• Psalms 69:22May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and 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