Judges 4:17 – 24 “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. Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. Sisera 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.
“Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’”
But as he lay sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She drove the peg through his temple and into the ground, and he died. When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man you are seeking.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg through his temple.
On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. And the hand of the Israelites grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him.”
The name “Jael” means “mountain goat.” What is shocking is Jael’s murder of Sisera. Hospitality to strangers was of paramount importance to Jael’s people, the Kenites. And there was peace between Jabin, Sisera’s king, and Heber, Jael’s husband. Jael does all the traditional things correctly, even giving Sisera milk when he only asks for water and then hiding him in her own tent, not her husband’s tent, and covering him with a blanket. By that point, Sisera probably felt quite safe. The Kenites were descended from Moses’s father – in – law, Jethro and were traditional allies of the Israelites. It was highly unlikely that the Israelites would storm into the camp of the Kenites or that they would search a woman’s tent.
Why did Jael kill Sisera? The Bible is silent; however, King Jabin of Hazor, Sisera’s boss, had been oppressing people and threatening them for twenty years. Perhaps Sisera or some of his men had threatened to rape Jael or some woman she knew; had they done so, Jael couldn’t have said or done anything because she was female and nobody would mind her. Certainly, Heber as a member of a small nomadic group, would certainly have tried to stay on the good side of King Jabin.
When Deborah called Barak and Barak was dragging his feet, Deborah told him that a woman would be the one to win the ultimate victory. Jael struck down the strongest military commander in the area, and in so doing, liberated everyone from the tyranny of King Jabin. Perhaps Heber was secretly happy when he found out; he was free from extortion by Sisera and he hadn’t had to get his hands dirty.
APPLICATION: So many times we look at ourselves and feel that we are totally insignificant. We would like to be brave or famous, but when we look in the mirror, what we think we see is Mr./Ms. Mediocrity. Jael was so far away from the battle that she might not even have heard the noise. When Sisera came stumbling into Heber’s camp, that might have been the first time Jael knew there was a fight going on. And the things Jael did were simple – offering a cool drink, a place to rest, and shelter. But as Jael was caring for Sisera, she might have realized who he was and what would happen if he escaped. Who knows? There might be twenty more years of oppression.
Looking around, Jael picked up the only things she had – a hammer and a tent peg. When it came time to strike a blow for freedom, Jael didn’t hesitate but struck as hard as she could.
When God met Moses at the burning bush, He asked Moses, ”What is that in your hand?” The only thing Moses had was his shepherd’s staff. God used that staff to do miracles and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. That staff was only a big stick until God’s power entered it.
What do you have in your hand? Is there anything in your situation that God might wish to use? Even if all you have is a hammer and a tent peg or a long stick, don’t give up. Ask God and see what He will do!
PRAYER: Father God, help us to look to You and not to examine ourselves if You call us to act. Thank You that You are a good Father who will not play guessing games with Your children. Thank You that You can use anybody as long as they will make themselves available. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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