Jael

By Mary Jane Chaignot

The name Jael means "mountain goat."
Jael is a woman of action - she goes out to meet Sisera, initiates conversation with him, invites him into her tent, and covers him up.
When Sisera asked for water, she gave him milk.
She disarmed him with her words of reassurance.
Sisera determined his own fate by ordering her to stand in the doorway and tell any man that asked, "There is no man in the tent!"
Once he was asleep, she killed him with a tent peg.
Next Jael went out to meet Barak.
She knew who he was looking for and she led Barak to the dead Sisera, thereby robbing Barak of the glory of victory.
When Deborah predicted Sisera would be sold into the hands of a woman, most readers thought she was referring to herself. Jael was not yet on the scene.
Most scholars see Jael as a heroine, not a villain.
She was the instrument of divine deliverance.
She was not an Israelite.
Jael's husband was a Kenite, a friend (ally) of Sisera's "boss", King Jabin.
Moses' father-in-law was a Kenite.
Those critical of Jael claim she violated customs of hospitality.
Perhaps Sisera should have gone to her husband's tent instead - generally hospitality was a man's duty.
But Sisera violated the rules, too.
Good guests don't make demands (Sisera made two, one of which was to ask her to lie on his behalf).
In light of his transgressions against rules of hospitality, scholars suggest that Jael was justified in killing him to restore honor to herself and her household.
Sisera was a great warrior, who generally used and abused women.
Jael might have believed he meant to do her harm.
This, then, is not murder, but a clear case of self-defense!
This is made credible by the three-fold repetition of "he fell" at her feet (5:27). Oftentimes this expression references sexual abuse.
She defeated the man who had oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.
Deborah's Song says that Jael is "blessed above women." (5:24)
In Judges, Jael is a heroine, one who did the very work of God.
Ultimately, credit for the deliverance is given to God.

Bibliography

Ackerman, Susan. Warrior, Dancer, Seductress, Queen. New York: Doubleday, 1998.'

Auld, A. Graeme. "Joshua, Judges, and Ruth." The Daily Study Bible Series. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1984.

Block, Daniel. "Judges, Ruth." The New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.

Gehman, Henry Snyder, ed. The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1974.

Hamlin, E. John. "Judges, At Risk in the Promised Land." The International Theological Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 1990.

Harris, J. Gordon. "Joshua, Judges, Ruth." New International Biblical Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2000.

McCann, J. Clinton. "Judges." Interpretation. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996.

Bible Characters