Shofetim 4:19

19 And he said unto her, Give me, now, a little mayim to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of cholov, and gave him drink, and covered him.

Shofetim 4:19 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 4:19

And he said unto her, give me, I pray thee, a little water to
drink, for I am thirsty
Which might be occasioned by the heat of the battle, and by the heat of the day, and by heat in running; he asks for a little water, that being very desirable by persons athirst. Some think he did not ask for wine, because he knew the Kenites did not drink any, and so of course kept none in their tents; but though this was the custom of the Rechabites, who were the same with the Kenites, ( Jeremiah 35:8 ) ; yet it is very probable this custom had not yet obtained among them, since it was enjoined by Jonadab their father, who lived in the times of Jehu, ( 2 Kings 10:15 ) ;

and she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink;
which she did either out of courtesy, being a better liquor, or with design to throw him into a sleep, which milk inclines to, making heavy, as all the Jewish commentators observe; though Josephus F14 has no authority to say, as he does? that the milk she gave him was bad and corrupt:

and covered him:
again, after he had taken a draught of milk, which it seems she poured into a dish with the cream on it, see ( Judges 5:25 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 1.)

Shofetim 4:19 In-Context

17 Howbeit Sisra fled away on foot to the ohel Yael the isha of Chever the Keni; for there was shalom between Yavin Melech Chatzor and the Bais Chever Keni.
18 And Yael went out to meet Sisra, and said unto him, Turn in, adoni, stay with me; fear not. And when he had entered with her into the ohel, she covered him with a covering.
19 And he said unto her, Give me, now, a little mayim to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of cholov, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20 Again he said unto her, Stand at the petach haohel, and it shall be, when any ish doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any ish here??thou shalt say, No.
21 Then Yael eshet Chever took a yetad haohel (tent peg), and took a makevet (hammer) in her yad, and went softly unto him, and drove the yetad into his temple, and stuck it into the ground; for he was fast asleep exhausted. So he died.
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