Judges 4:20

Judges 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say, 'No.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’ ”

Context of Judges 4:20

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. He said to her, “Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say ‘No.’” 21Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other. She crept up on him, drove the tent peg through his temple into the ground while he was asleep from exhaustion, and he died. 22Now Barak was chasing Sisera. Jael went out to welcome him. She said to him, “Come here and I will show you the man you are searching for.” He went with her into the tent, and there he saw Sisera sprawled out dead with the tent peg in his temple.

Judges 4:20 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ עֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְהָיָה֩ אִם־אִ֨ישׁ יָב֜וֹא וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְאָמַ֛ר הֲיֵֽשׁ־פֹּ֥ה אִ֖ישׁ וְאָמַ֥רְתְּ אָֽיִן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Again he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto her, Stand inעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• the doorפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
• of the tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• and it shall be, when any manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• doth comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and enquireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• Is thereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426

Cross-references for Judges 4:20

• Joshua 2:3So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: “Turn over the men who came to you – the ones who came to your house – for they have come to spy on the whole land!”
• 2 Samuel 17:20When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them, “They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

Commentaries on Judges 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Stand in the door of the tent - As no man would intrude into the women's apartment without permission, her simply saying, there is no man in my tent, would preclude all search.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Stand in the door … - The characteristic duplicity of the Oriental character, both in Sisera and Joel, is very forcibly depicted in this narrative. It is only by the light of the Gospel that the law of truth is fully revealed.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. 2020. he said unto her, ... when any man doth come and enquire of thee and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No--The privacy of the harem, even in a tent, cannot be intruded on without express permission.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 4:20

• Canaanites
• Courage
• Falsehood
• Hypocrisy
• Jael
• Kenites
• Treachery

In the dictionaries

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

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