Richter 4:21

21 Und Jael, das Weib Hebers, nahm einen Zeltpflock und faßte den Hammer in ihre Hand, und sie kam leise zu ihm und schlug den Pflock durch seine Schläfe, daß er in die Erde drang. Er war nämlich in einen tiefen Schlaf gefallen und war ermattet, und er starb.

Richter 4:21 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 4:21

Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent
When she perceived he was fast asleep, and it being now put into her heart to kill him, having an impulse upon her spirit, which she was persuaded, by the effect it had upon her, that it was of God; not filling her with malice and revenge, but a concern for the glory of God, the interest of religion, and the good of Israel, she took this method to effect the death of this enemy of God, and his people; having no arms in the house, for the Kenites used none, she took up an iron pin, with which her tent was fastened to the ground:

and took a hammer in her hand;
which perhaps she knew full well how to handle, being used to drive the pins of the tents into the ground with it:

and went softly unto him;
lest she should awake him

and smote the nail into his temples:
as he lay on one side, these being the tenderest part of the head, from whence they have their name in the Hebrew language, and into which therefore a nail, or iron pin, might be more easily driven:

and fastened it into the ground;
she smote the nail with such force and violence, that she drove it through both his temples into the ground on which he lay; and then, as it seems, from ( Judges 5:26 ) ; cut off his head, to make sure work of it:

for he was fast asleep and weary;
and so heard not; when she came to him:

so he died;
not in the field of battle, but in a tent; not by the sword, but by a nail; not by the hand of a man, but of a woman, as Deborah foretold, ( Judges 4:9 ) .

Richter 4:21 In-Context

19 Und er sprach zu ihr: Laß mich doch ein wenig Wasser trinken, denn mich dürstet. Und sie öffnete den Milchschlauch und ließ ihn trinken, und sie deckte ihn zu.
20 Und er sprach zu ihr: Stelle dich an den Eingang des Zeltes; und es geschehe, wenn jemand kommt und dich fragt und spricht: Ist jemand hier? So sage: Niemand.
21 Und Jael, das Weib Hebers, nahm einen Zeltpflock und faßte den Hammer in ihre Hand, und sie kam leise zu ihm und schlug den Pflock durch seine Schläfe, daß er in die Erde drang. Er war nämlich in einen tiefen Schlaf gefallen und war ermattet, und er starb.
22 Und siehe, da kam Barak, der Sisera verfolgte; und Jael ging hinaus, ihm entgegen, und sprach zu ihm: Komm, ich will dir den Mann zeigen, den du suchst! Und er ging zu ihr hinein, und siehe, Sisera lag tot, und der Pflock war in seiner Schläfe.
23 So beugte Gott an selbigem Tage Jabin, den König von Kanaan, vor den Kindern Israel.
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