During the battle, the Lord confused Sisera and his army and chariots. Sisera was very tired, so he was sleeping. He was such a coward. Feeling secure once inside her tent he appears to proceed giving her orders to tell anyone asking whether there is a man within her tent to tell them no. When Moses fled Egypt and went to Midian he met Jethro and eventually married his daughter Zipporah, thus marrying into the tribe of Kenite. Those enemies who are relentless in pursuing the called of God will be temporarily or permanently taken care of by God. She calls for Barak from Kedesh in Naphtali to go up against Jabin and his army as the Lord will turn him over to Barak. By Jaels one act, she saves Israel from oppression, reverses the traitorious bedmates of Israel with Canaan, demolishes the law of rape under the guise of hospitality, saves her own reputation, becomes a woman warrior in her own right, and fulfills Deborahs prophecy. She was the wife of Israelite King Ahab. Jael was a Nomadic, tent dweller. Jael was some kind of woman. Barak demurred, saying he would go, provided she would also. The story of Jael in the Bible is short but it is power-packed with lessons about spiritual warfare. Because God has a million ways to solve one problem. When I was 39, I became pregnant in the darkest part of our 21 years of marriage. And Ehud smotes him in the heart, leaving the dagger in his body with a treacherous slight of hand. Jael's hands may have been bloodied in the process, but Israel . Sisera was pursued by the people of Israel at the request of Deborah the Judge. Newsom and Ringe consider her a survivor caught up in her husband's politics. He commanded Jael to watch over the tent and tell any inquirers that no one was there. And she smote Sisera; she crushed his head, (LogOut/ The story of how she met the king is a fascinating study on an interesting lady. She was nowhere near ready for a battle of any kind. When the Israelites came at Sisera with 10,000 men, Sisera fled. In those days when men had multiple wives, each woman had a tent for herself. This is not a story about physical strength but about strength of commitment to God. They knew very little back ", "forgot to address your question, "How do you people dress and feed yourselves?" Required fields are marked *. Her decision was an easy one. Those were just about enough to bring her enemy down. He made requests of his hostessbad manners for a guest. The biggest battle we will fight in this life is the battle against sin. Do not be afraid.. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. It was effective, but it was also violent and gory. 1. It would not have been wise to allow Barak to find Sisera in her tent. Because men were never allowed to enter a womens tent, no one would think to look for him there. Mountain goats are large hoofed mammals that live in North America. During the time of the Exodus the Kenites acted in kindness to Moses and the Israelites. [9][3] Jael was then the woman with the honor of defeating Jabin's army, as prophesied by Deborah, and she showed Barak Sisera's dead body in her tent. He was the enemy. 27 Activists Speaking: Jael Kerandi Service Join the Pace Center as we host Jael Kerandi, former student activist and current social justice advocate for a focused conversation on her journey as a student fighting against police brutality to her sucessful financial advocacy career. Deborah is one of the major judges (charismatic military leaders, not juridical figures) in the story of how Israel takes the land of Canaan. She was sympathetic and understanding even when the situation around her was difficult. The word folk comes from the German word volk, which means people. Sisera arrived on foot at the tent of Heber on the plain of Zaanaim. II Kings chapter 4, where we find her story, is also the haftarah portion which corresponds to parshat Vayera which tells of the miraculous birth of Abraham and Sarah's son Isaac as well as the binding of Isaac.There are at least three clear parallels: hospitality, a prophecy to a barren woman that she will bear a son, and the near-death experience of that son. 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The earliest known depiction of biblical heroines Jael and Deborah was discovered at an ancient synagogue in Israel, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced last week. Just a few years earlier, a woman born in Bethlehem was married to a Levite, and the couple argued constantly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. A woman who, akin to the Virgin Mary, courageously helped save the Israelite nation despite the oppressive cultural norms for women, and chose Gods people over her own reputation. Due to Jaels actions, the children of Israel won their battle for freedom against King Jabin and had rest [in their land] for forty years. She realizes that her womanhood is actually a strength to be leveraged in her leadership, not a weakness to be discarded. And to protect his interests, Heber quite probably informs General Sisera of Baraks battle plan, and is richly rewarded with a commission to build 900 iron chariots. God equips His people for the work He puts in front of them. The husband of Jael is Heber the Kenite. 1.4 Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was Obedient. I will help you defeat Sisera there (Judges 4:6b-7). Yet this is exactly what happened. The way she killed Sisera was really gruesome and inglorious. For Moses, it was the staff in his hand. They traveled whenever they could find work. Place in Biblical Texts 1.2 Mary was Humble. He always did it for the sake of challenging relationally abusive behavior and freeing the oppressed. The only woman who judges, Deborah "used to sit under . She loves to hang around men with money, power, influence and positions. Sisera was in flight and Barak in pursuit. The Bible records a number of cases of intermarriage; the father-in-law of Moses was apparently a Kenite, but it is not clear whether this was Jethro. Heber is noticeably absent, probably killed on the battlefield. Quietly, Jael took a mallet and drove a tent peg through Sisera's temple into the ground while he was sleeping, killing him instantly. Deborahs prophesy was fulfilled in that a woman did indeed defeat Israels enemy. We can learn much from this Old Testament lady of faith. She lives in rural North Central Missouri with her handsome and hilarious husband and a myriad of dogs, cats and chickens. She was a non-Israelite and did not worship Jehovah. (The Palm Tree of Deborah is between the cities of Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ep, to Barak, The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Go and gather 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. Josephus, Flavius. And her ambitions can make her ruthless, greedy, and insensitive. She did not need to have her trust in God confirmed by the responses of others. Tearing a page from Ehuds handbook, she lulls Sisera into trust and complacency. Throughout the narrative, we actually see Naomi looking out for Ruth, even while in the midst of paralyzing grief. He wasnt just a regular visiting guest. With no one else around, Ehud tells the king of a private dream he wanted to share, and whispered for the king to come close. Jael learns her method from Ehud, who, through false pretenses, brought the enemy to within arms reach, and slays him to save the Israelite nation. He sees our potential in Him, which is why it is important that we dont disqualify ourselves from going towards the things that we know that He has called us be, do or have. Jael had a front row seat to the vicious cycle of idolatry and judgment upon the nation of Israel namely the destruction of the lands and the assimilation of pagan practices. Moreover, she has a masculine name and Sisera addresses her using . The meaning of Jael in the Bible is wild goat or wild gazelle. At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; Sometimes in spiritual warfare, we can mistake our spouse, children, friends, family, and coworkers for the enemy. I was 2 months pregnant sitting in Gods presence when I heard the him say, You are having a girl. Trust in God's Word Deborah trusted in the word of God. The portability of Java-based software (which means that you can write your code in a system and run it anywhere) is one of the most important characteristics of Java. The truth is that Jael violated that trust and jeopardized the relationship that her husband had built. It is believed they served customers wherever they traveled in the way of metalworkers. A godly woman, she understood the will of God and submitted to it. She didnt waste a moment thinking, If only I had a sword. She simply took up the tools at hand and did what was being asked of her. You can also download it and share it with anyone else you feel would benefit from it: In the beginning of Judges 4 we are told that the children of Israel had been harshly oppressed by Jabin, the King of Canaan, for twenty years as a result of their sin (Judges 4:1-3). The Kenites may have been a part of the Midianite group. Take in and use energy , do work, produce waste 3. Her right hand to the workmens hammer; But a few things happened that are important to understand the story. She was Jewish, but as Mordecai had recommended, she never exposed her ethnicity or family background. Bible References. She used a bowl of milk and a tent peg. This was the best way to secure hospitality and protection. Soon Sisera would be awake again, and she took the opportunity to do what God was asking her to do. Since the tent she was staying in was a womans tent, there were no weapons nearby. That means that if anything, Jael should have been an ally to Sisera. During the time of the Judges There was a woman prophet named Deborah. Jabin's army was led by Sisera (Judg. Only an act of God would make this plan work. ", Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. [6], Deborah, a prophetess and judge, advised Barak to mobilize the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon on Mount Tabor to do battle against King Jabin of Canaan. They reconciled, and warily journeyed home through the land of Canaan staying the night with an old man of the friendly Ephraim tribe. Ehud wisely befriended the king by giving him presents and praise, and eventually made himself welcome in the kings court. First, Sisera should have gone to Hebers tent. She was the wife of a man named Lappidoth. David thanked her for this and repented of his desire to seek revenge. If I asked most people to think of a warrior woman mentioned in Judges 4 and 5, I am pretty sure that most minds would go straight to Deborah. His family was at peace with King Jabin of Hazor. There is another and her name is Jael. Heber, Jaels husband, was a smart enough businessman so as to keep peace with Jabin, the king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor and who had oppressed the Israelites for the past twenty years. This is perhaps why he felt safe and comfortable in her camp. On hearing Gods word, she sent for a man named Barak and told him that the Lord wanted him to gather ten thousand men and go to war against Sisera, the commander of Jabins army. Satan (the Devil). Dont be afraid. So Sisera went into Jaels tent, and she covered him with a blanket (Judges 4:18) and Sisera thought he would be safe there after his Canaanite forces had been defeated since Not one of Siseras men was left alive (Judges 4:16b). I read the story of Deborah the worshiper and judge and then read further into the story of Jael. There Barak found Sisera lying dead on the ground, with the tent peg through the side of his head (Judges 4:22). of A guest, once ritually invited into the home, had to be protected and cared for, even at the expense of everyone else in the house even at the expense of giving the woman of the house to the guest of honor for his lascivious pleasure. Martin Luther was particularly fond of Judith and held her up as an example of virtue and godly living. No matter how difficult or threatening the situation, God's power within us is greater than we can ever fully see or comprehend. Since many of the Jael/Judith panel . Sisera was, however, unaware that Hebers wife, Jael, whose tent he ran to, sympathized with the Israelites because of the twenty years of oppression by Jabin, his commander Sisera, and his 900 iron chariots. Whatever her motive was for killing Sisera the Israelites celebrated her as a national heroine. The name itself signifies a wild mountain goat apropos for a Bedouins wife whose feet and character stay sturdy amongst the harsh crevices, rocks and unforgiving surroundings of her society. Camels are used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions of Africa, Arabia, and Asia. She was married to Heber, the Kenite. All we know for sure, besides the account of her story, is that she was a Bedouin and the wife of Heber the Kenite. Respond to their environment 4. A folktale is a fictional story that has been orally passed down over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Change). We need only to skip ahead in the Bible to the life of Jesus to read more stories of rules broken. Thus, Jael is not guilty of failing to provide hospitality. They are thus able to go several days without drinking water. On the day Sisera died, Deborah and Barak honor Jael with song: Jael is most blessed of women,the wife of Heber the Kenite,she is most blessed amongtent-dwelling women.Judges 5:24. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Dont be afraid. So Sisera went into Jaels tent, and she covered him with a blanket, Sisera said to Jael, Go stand at the entrance to the tent. Her campsite must have been close to the battlefield because her family was making and supplying weapons for the army. Chapter 14--Jael Her Name Means "A Wild or Mountain Goat" Her Character: Decisive and courageous, she seized the opportunity to slay an enemy of God's people. As a Judge in Israel, it was her obligation to save the Israelites from their enemies and restore peace and prosperity to the land. Deborah started the battle to defeat the enemy of Israel and Jael finished it. Jabin was trying to conquer Israel, which was at that time under the leadership of Deborah, a prophetess and the only female to judge the nation of Israel. The name Jael means "mountain goat". We too can and must be instruments of deliverance for others. At that time, Deborah was the ruling judge in Israel. 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