Judges 4:20

20 And he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be if any one come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

Judges 4:20 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 4:20

And he said unto her, stand in the door of the tent
This he said, not in an imperious way, as some think, but by entreaty:

and it shall be, when any man shall come and inquire of thee;
seeing her at the door, and where he desired she would stand to prevent their coming into the tent:

and say, is there any man here?
any besides what belongs to the family? or any of Sisera's army?

that thou shalt say, no;
there is no man; but to this she made no answer that is recorded.

Judges 4:20 In-Context

18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he turned in to her, into the tent, and she covered him with the quilt.
19 And he said to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. And she opened the flask of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20 And he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be if any one come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
21 And Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took the hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it penetrated into the ground; for he had fallen into a deep sleep and was faint; and he died.
22 And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And he went into her [tent], and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the pin was in his temples.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.