Judges 4 · Verse 17

Judges 4:17

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Judges 4:17, King James Version

Judges 4:17 in other translations

BSBMeanwhile, 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.
WEBHowever Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
ASVHowbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
YLTAnd Sisera hath fled on his feet unto the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite, for peace is between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite;
DARBYAnd Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
BBEBut Sisera went in flight on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazor, and the family of Heber the Kenite.
WebsterHowbeit, Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

What does Judges 4:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 4:17-18
17-18. Sisera fled ... to the tent of Jael--According to the usages of nomadic people, the duty of receiving the stranger in the sheik's absence devolves on his wife, and the moment the stranger is admitted into his tent, his claim to be defended or concealed from his pursuers is established.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 4:17-24
Sisera's chariots had been his pride and his confidence. Thus are those disappointed who rest on the creature; like a broken reed, it not only breaks under them, but pierces them with many sorrows. The idol may quickly become a burden, Is 46:1; what we were sick for, God can make us sick of. It is probable that Jael really intended kindness to Sisera; but by a Divine impulse she was afterwards led to consider him as the determined enemy of the Lord and of his people, and to destroy him. All our connexions with God's enemies must be broken off, if we would have the Lord for our God, and his people for our people. He that had thought to have destroyed Israel with his many iron chariots, is himself destroyed with one iron nail. Thus the weak things of the world confound the mighty. The Israelites would have prevented much mischief, if they had sooner destroyed the Canaanites, as God commanded and enabled them: but better be wise late, and buy wisdom by experience, than never be wise.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Judges 4:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְסִֽיסְרָא֙ve.si.se.Ra'and SiseraH5516
נָ֣סnashe fledH5127
בְּרַגְלָ֔יוbe.rag.Lavon feet hisH7272
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֹ֣הֶל'O.hel[the] tent ofH168
יָעֵ֔לya.'ElJaelH3278
אֵ֖שֶּׁת'E.shet[the] wife ofH802
חֶ֣בֶרChe.verHeberH2268
הַקֵּינִ֑יha.kei.Nithe KeniteH7017
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
שָׁל֗וֹםsha.LompeaceH7965
בֵּ֚יןbein[was] betweenH996
יָבִ֣יןya.VinJabinH2985
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
חָצ֔וֹרcha.TzorHazorH2674
וּבֵ֕יןu.Veinand betweenH996
בֵּ֖יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
חֶ֥בֶרChe.verHeberH2268
הַקֵּינִֽי\׃ha.kei.Nithe KeniteH7017

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 4:17

  • Isaiah 57:21

    There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

  • Psalms 37:35-36

    I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

  • Psalms 69:22

    Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

  • Job 12:19-21

    He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

  • Job 18:7-12

    The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him. The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way. …

  • Judges 5:24

    Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

  • Job 40:11-12

    Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

  • Judges 5:6

    In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

  • Psalms 107:40

    He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

  • Proverbs 29:23

    A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

  • Amos 5:19-20

    As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fled.
Job 12:19-21; 18:7-12; 40:11,12; Ps 37:35,36; 107:40; Pr 29:23
Am 5:19,20
Jael.
5:6,24
peace.
Ps 69:22; Isa 57:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 4:16

    But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

  • Judges 4:17

    Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

  • Judges 4:18

    And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

Read all of Judges 4

Judges 4:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Sísara se acogió á pie á la tienda de Jael mujer de Heber Cineo; porque había paz entre Jabín rey de Asor y la casa de Heber Cineo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Sisera s’enfuit à pied vers la tente de Jaël, femme de Héber, le Kénien; car il y avait paix entre Jabin, roi de Hatsor, et la maison de Héber, le Kénien.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Sisera floh zu Fuß in das Zelt Jaels, des Weibes Hebers, des Keniters; denn es war Friede zwischen Jabin, dem König von Hazor, und dem Hause Hebers, des Keniters.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sisara autem fugiens pervenit ad tentorium Jahel uxoris Haber Cinæi. Erat enim pax inter Jabin regem Asor, et domum Haber Cinæi.