Where is jael found in the bible

In the offering and receipt of food and drink, a kind of covenantal commitment was made. It is why he was able to comfortably fall asleep in her tent and not find the need to look over his shoulder as he tried to rest. Jael betrayed those cultural expectations by assassinating him shortly after. Because the Kenites were metalworkers , under this alliance the Kenites most likely provided the necessary service for making and repairing weapons.

Metalworkers were scarce so it would make sense for the Canaanites to take advantage of this Kenite skill. And it is probably why Sisera, as a general, knew their camp so well. At no point in the text do we see that Jael consulted with her husband before killing Sisera. Alliances between tribes were just as important then as alliances are today between nations. To betray that alliance is no small matter and her husband, Heber would have been the one to negotiate it since he was the head of his household.

It would behoove Jael to discuss a matter such as an assassination with her husband before taking such drastic actions on her own. From the biblical text, there is no evidence that ever happened. The simple answer is that Jael was strong and skilled. In biblical times, women were responsible for all the elements of repairing and pitching tents. That required skillful use of a mallet and tent peg. It was effective, but it was also violent and gory. In Bible commentary and blogs there are a lot of theories of why Jael did what she did.

Some claim that Sisera tried to rape her, but there is no textual evidence to support that. Others feel that when Sisera asked her to lie on his behalf in Judges , it convicted her of his evil intentions and drove her to assassinate him. If her intentions had been of pure hospitality she would had dealt with the initial encounter differently. From the moment Jael recognized Sisera, I believe she had every intention of killing him.

The question, of course, is why? His tribe, the Kenites, are considered to be the same as the Midianites by some scholars. Others believe they are not the same, but just closely related. The Midianites had at times peacefully dwelt among the Israelites See Judges and they worshipped the same God.

Therefore, even if the Kenites were only closely related to the Midianites, some stories, history, and culture would have been passed between these two peoples. The Kenites would have been familiar with Israeli culture, religious practices, and worship of the God of Abraham. Could it be then, that when Jael saw Sisera, she saw it as an opportunity to help the Israelites? Could it be possible that she considered King Jabin and his people to be in opposition to God?

I absolutely think so. If Jael had been a man, she would have faced Sisera in the field of battle and would have been hailed as a hero. Furthermore, Sisera was a misogynist and a rapist.

He thought of women as things to use, an attitude he had learned from his mother God had already pronounced a death sentence against Sisera and predicted his end at the hands of a woman. Sisera willfully broke every rule that governed hospitality.

He dealt with the wife rather than her husband. He entered the tent of a married woman. Worse, he did this when she was alone. He made requests of his hostess—bad manners for a guest. He ordered her to lie to protect his life. He remained in her tent though his presence there endangered everyone in the encampment. He picks his details deliberately. Jael gives him milk and covers him with a blanket, both motherly actions. There is divine mockery here. Jael had every reason to be terrified of her guest.

She could have run. She could have fainted or gone into hysterics. She could have submitted to his abuse and violence. She, very quickly, formed a plan and used what was available, what she had at hand. This is not a story about physical strength but about strength of commitment to God.

This ordinary woman does something extra-ordinary, and shows herself to be a willing, and committed, chosen instrument for God. In this story, we have two warrior women who were uniquely placed. The situations and circumstances of their lives were totally different and yet they showed similar qualities.

They were committed to God and willing to step out in faith to do the task that no-one else wanted. Both these women served God fully where they were placed, and He wove the story of their lives together. In their own unique way they each played their part and demonstrated their commitment to God. What lessons can we learn from Deborah and Jael concerning commitment? Those who are committed to God are committed to His kingdom, and His cause.

Commitment is defined as a promise, or agreement, to something that you believe in. We believe in God — which even the demons do — but commitment is more than just words. We commit to follow the Lord Jesus and His kingdom ways, and that commitment requires action. Our behaviour changes, we no longer live to please ourselves but look to serve and please the One who loves us.

With commitment, defining moments will come — a time to choose. Whether we love the Lord with all our heart is tested in those moments. Those who are committed to God know when to act, which requires discernment. We are all living in a world which, in the main, has rejected God and His kingdom ways. To survive in this world we need to be flexible and pick our battles carefully, big or small. Niditch, Susan. Day, 43— Minneapolis: Fortress Press, Reis, Pamela Tamarkin.

Tamber-Rosenau, Caryn. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, Yee, Gale A. Have an update or correction? Let us know. Episode Regendering the Torah. Jewish Women's Archive. Learn more. Source: The Jewish Museum. In Brief. Place in Biblical Texts. Jael and Sisera.