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

15The Lord routed Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran away on foot. 16Now Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s whole army died by the edge of the sword; not even one survived! Now Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite had made a peace treaty. 18Jael came out to welcome Sisera. She said to him, “Stop and rest, my lord. Stop and rest with me. Don’t be afraid.” So Sisera stopped to rest in her tent, and she put a blanket over him. 19He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink, because I’m thirsty.” She opened a goatskin container of milk and gave him some milk to drink. Then she covered him up 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

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 leads priests away stripped and overthrows the potentates.
• Job 18:7His vigorous steps are restricted, and his own counsel throws him down.
• Job 40:11Scatter abroad the abundance of your anger. Look at every proud man and bring him low;
• Psalms 37:35I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.
• Psalms 107:40He would pour contempt upon princes, and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
• Proverbs 29:23A person’s pride will bring him low, but one who has a lowly spirit will gain honor.
• Amos 5:19Disaster will be inescapable, as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear, then escaped into a house, leaned his hand against the wall, and was bitten by a poisonous snake.
• Judges 5:6In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael caravans disappeared; travelers had to go on winding side roads.
• Psalms 69:22May their dining table become a trap before them! May it be a snare for that group of friends!
• Isaiah 57:21There will be no prosperity,” 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