Richtere 4:18

18 Jael nu ging uit, Sisera tegemoet, en zeide tot hem: Wijk in, mijn heer, wijk in tot mij, vrees niet! En hij week tot haar in de tent, en zij bedekte hem met een deken.

Richtere 4:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 4:18

And Jael went out to meet Sisera
Seeing him coming, and knowing him full well, she stepped forward towards him, to invite him into her tent: some think she was looking out, that if she saw Israelite in distress to take him in; and very probably had been some time at her tent door, to inquire the battle went, and which, no doubt, living so near Kedesh, she knew was expected:

and said unto him, turn in, my lord;
that is, into her tent: and she addresses him with the title of "lord", for the sake of honour, having been general of a large army; and not because her husband was a servant, and in subjection to him, as Abarbinel suggests:

turn in to me, fear not;
she repeats the invitation, to show she was hearty and sincere, and that he had nothing to fear from her, nor in her house; and it may be at first she had no thought of doing what she afterwards did to him, it put into her heart after this:

and when he had turned in unto her in the tent;
and laid himself down upon the ground, being weary:

she covered him with a mantle;
either to hide him, should any search be made for him, or it may be to keep him from catching cold, being in a sweat through his flight, and being also perhaps inclined to sleep through weariness. The word for a mantle, according to Kimchi, signifies such a garment which has locks of wool on both sides of it, a sort of rug, and so very fit to cover with, and keep warm. So David de Pomis ^F13 describes it, as having locks and threads hanging down here and there.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Tzemaeh David, fol. 216. 3.

Richtere 4:18 In-Context

16 En Barak jaagde ze na, achter de wagenen en achter het heirleger, tot aan Haroseth der heidenen. En het ganse heirleger van Sisera viel door de scherpte des zwaards, dat er niet overbleef tot een toe.

17 Maar Sisera vluchtte op zijn voeten naar de tent van Jael, de huisvrouw van Heber, den Keniet; want er was vrede tussen Jabin, den koning van Hazor, en tussen het huis van Heber, den Keniet.

18 Jael nu ging uit, Sisera tegemoet, en zeide tot hem: Wijk in, mijn heer, wijk in tot mij, vrees niet! En hij week tot haar in de tent, en zij bedekte hem met een deken.

19 Daarna zeide hij tot haar: Geef mij toch een weinig waters te drinken, want mij dorst. Toen opende zij een melkfles, en gaf hem te drinken, en dekte hem toe.

20 Ook zeide hij tot haar: Sta in de deur der tent; en het zij, zo iemand zal komen, en u vragen, en zeggen: Is hier iemand? dat gij zegt: Niemand.