God’s Word Translation
Judges 5:26
26She reached for a tent peg with one hand, for a workman’s hammer with the other. She struck Sisera. She crushed his head. She shattered and pierced his temples.
Judges 5:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
- New International Version (NIV)Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple.
- English Standard Version (ESV)She sent her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen's mallet; she struck Sisera; she crushed his head; she shattered and pierced his temple.
- New King James Version (NKJV)She stretched her hand to the tent peg, Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; She pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, She split and struck through his temple.
Context of Judges 5:26
24Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, should be the most blessed woman, the most blessed woman living in a tent. 25Sisera asked for water. She gave him milk. She offered him buttermilk in a royal bowl. She reached for a tent peg with one hand, for a workman’s hammer with the other. She struck Sisera. She crushed his head. She shattered and pierced his temples. 27He sank. He fell. He lay between her feet! He sank. He fell between her feet. Where he sank, he fell dead. 28Sisera’s mother looked through her window and cried as she peered through the lattice. “Why is his chariot taking so long? Why don’t I hear the clatter of his chariots?”
Read all of Judges 5Judges 5:26 word by word
יָדָהּ֙ לַיָּתֵ֣ד תִּשְׁלַ֔חְנָה וִֽימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים וְהָלְמָ֤ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ מָחֲקָ֣ה רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וּמָחֲצָ֥ה וְחָלְפָ֖ה רַקָּתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- She putשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
- her handיָדyâd · handH3027
- to the nailיָתֵדyâthêd · pegH3489
- and her right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
- to the workmen’sעָמֵל‛âmêl · labour(er)H6001
- hammerהַלְמוּתhalmûth · hammerH1989
- and with the hammer she smoteהָלַםhâlam · to smiteH1986
- Siseraסִיסְרָאsîyserâ' · SiseraH5516
- she smote offמָחַקmâchaq · to destroyH4277
- his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- when she had piercedמָחַץmâchats · to woundH4272
- and stricken throughחָלַףchâlaph · to passH2498
- his templesרַקָּהraqqâh · templeH7541
Cross-references for Judges 5:26
- 1 Samuel 17:49Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, hurled it from his sling, and struck the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and he fell to the ground on his face.
- 2 Samuel 20:22Then the woman went to all the people with her clever plan. They cut off Sheba’s head and threw it to Joab. He blew the ram’s horn, and everyone scattered and withdrew from the city and went home. Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
Commentaries on Judges 5:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26She smote off his head - The original does not warrant this translation; nor is it supported by fact. She smote his head, and transfixed him through the temples. It was his head that received the death wound, and the place where this wound was inflicted was the temples. The manner in which Jael despatched Sisera seems to have been this: Observing him to be in a profound sleep she took a workman's hammer, probably a joiner's mallet, and with one blow on…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Rather “she smote his head, and she struck and pierced through his temple.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-31Verses 24-31 Jael had a special blessing. Those whose lot is cast in the tent, in a low and narrow sphere, if they serve God according to the powers he has given them, shall not lose their reward. The mother of Sisera looked for his return, not in the least fearing his success. Let us take heed of indulging eager desires towards any temporal good, particularly toward that which cherishes vain-glory, for that was what she here doted on. What a picture does…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24-27The story of Sisera's end includes a short celebration of Jael.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-2724-27. is a most graphic picture of the treatment of Sisera in the tent of Jael.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 5:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 5
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries