Judges 4:20 - He said to her, “Stand in 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.’”
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What does "Judges 4:20" mean?
This verse from Judges 4:20 is part of the story of Jael's deception and subsequent killing of Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army. Let's break down the meaning:
Context: Sisera has just been defeated in battle by Barak and the Israelite army. He flees to the tent of Jael, who is married to Heber the Kenite. The Kenites were at peace with Jabin, the king of Canaan.
"He said to her, 'Stand in the door of the tent...'": Sisera is seeking refuge and wants to remain hidden. He's telling Jael to act as a lookout.
"...and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.'": This is the key part. Sisera explicitly instructs Jael to lie if anyone asks if he's inside the tent. He trusts her to protect him, likely because her husband was at peace with the Canaanites.
Meaning: The verse highlights Sisera's desperation and his attempt to secure his safety through deception. It also sets the stage for Jael's betrayal and the fulfillment of Deborah's prophecy that a woman would defeat Sisera (Judges 4:9). The verse is loaded with irony because Jael agrees to the deception but intends to kill Sisera while he sleeps.
In summary, this verse represents a moment of false security for Sisera. He believes he can trust Jael to lie for him and protect him, but she is already planning to betray him and deliver him into the hands of the Israelites (or rather, into her own hands).
Judges 4:20 - He said to her, “Stand in 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.’”
What does "Judges 4:20" mean?
This verse from Judges 4:20 is part of the story of Jael's deception and subsequent killing of Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army. Let's break down the meaning:
Context: Sisera has just been defeated in battle by Barak and the Israelite army. He flees to the tent of Jael, who is married to Heber the Kenite. The Kenites were at peace with Jabin, the king of Canaan.
"He said to her, 'Stand in the door of the tent...'": Sisera is seeking refuge and wants to remain hidden. He's telling Jael to act as a lookout.
"...and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.'": This is the key part. Sisera explicitly instructs Jael to lie if anyone asks if he's inside the tent. He trusts her to protect him, likely because her husband was at peace with the Canaanites.
Meaning: The verse highlights Sisera's desperation and his attempt to secure his safety through deception. It also sets the stage for Jael's betrayal and the fulfillment of Deborah's prophecy that a woman would defeat Sisera (Judges 4:9). The verse is loaded with irony because Jael agrees to the deception but intends to kill Sisera while he sleeps.
In summary, this verse represents a moment of false security for Sisera. He believes he can trust Jael to lie for him and protect him, but she is already planning to betray him and deliver him into the hands of the Israelites (or rather, into her own hands).