Judges 4:18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, "Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid." So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

◄ Judges 4:18 ►

New International Version
Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

New Living Translation
Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

English Standard Version
And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Berean Standard Bible
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear.” And when he had turned aside with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket.

New American Standard Bible
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

NASB 1995
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

NASB 1977
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Amplified Bible
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me! Have no fear.” So he turned aside to her [and went] into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Christian Standard Bible
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a rug.

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

Contemporary English Version
She came out to greet him and said, "Come in, sir! Please come on in. Don't be afraid." After they had gone inside, Sisera lay down, and Jael covered him with a blanket.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Jael came out [of her tent], she met Sisera. She told him, "Sir, come in here! Come into my tent. Don't be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she hid him under a tent curtain.

Good News Translation
Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come in, sir; come into my tent. Don't be afraid." So he went in, and she hid him behind a curtain.

International Standard Version
Jael went out to greet Sisera. "Turn aside, sir!" she told him. "Turn aside to me! Don't be afraid." So he turned aside to her and entered her tent, where she concealed him behind a curtain.

Majority Standard Bible
Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

NET Bible
Jael came out to welcome Sisera. She said to him, "Stop and rest, my lord. Stop and rest with me. Don't be afraid." So Sisera stopped to rest in her tent, and she put a blanket over him.

New Heart English Bible
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; do not be afraid." He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

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

World English Bible
Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid.” He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and Jael goes out to meet Sisera and says to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me, do not fear”; and he turns aside to her, into the tent, and she covers him with a mantle.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jael goeth out to meet Sisera, and saith unto him, 'Turn aside, my lord, turn aside unto me, fear not;' and he turneth aside unto her, into the tent, and she covereth him with a coverlet.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jael will go forth to meet Sisera, and will say to him, Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; thou shalt not be afraid. And he will turn aside to her to the tent, and she will cover him with a carpet.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jahel went forth to meet Sisara, and said to him: Come in to me, my lord, come in, fear not. He went in to her tent, and being covered by her with a cloak,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, Jael went out to meet Sisera, and she said to him: “Enter to me, my lord. Enter, you should not be afraid.” And he entered her tent, and having been covered by her with a cloak,

New American Bible
Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside with me; do not be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a rug.

New Revised Standard Version
Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Anael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he went in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Anayl came out to meet Sisra and she said to him: “Turn aside my Lord! Turn aside to me and do not be afraid!” And he turned aside to her in the tent and she covered him with a rug

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him: 'Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not.' And he turned in unto her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jael went, out to meet Sisara, and said to him, Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me, fear not: and he turned aside to her into the tent; and she covered him with a mantle.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jael Kills Sisera
17Meanwhile, 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. 18Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19Sisera said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 18:4-5
Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. / And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”

Genesis 19:2-3
and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” / But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

1 Samuel 25:18-19
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys / and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

2 Kings 4:8-10
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. / Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. / Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Romans 12:20
On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Matthew 10:40-42
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. / Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. / And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Luke 7:44-46
And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. / You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. / You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

1 Peter 4:9
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.

1 Timothy 5:10
and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

Acts 16:15
And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 28:2
The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.

2 John 1:10
If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.

Genesis 24:18-20
“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. / After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” / And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.

Treasury of Scripture

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

Jael

2 Kings 6:19
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

mantle or rug or blanket

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Afraid Cover Covered Covereth Covering Coverlet Entered Jael Ja'el Mantle Master Meet Right Sisera Sis'era Tent Turn Turned Turneth

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Judges 4

1. Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera
17. Jael kills Sisera

Berean Study Bible

Jael went out to meet Sisera
The name "Jael" means "mountain goat" in Hebrew, symbolizing agility and sure-footedness. Jael's actions are pivotal in the narrative, demonstrating courage and decisiveness. Her going out to meet Sisera signifies a proactive approach, a stark contrast to the passive role often expected of women in ancient times. This encounter is divinely orchestrated, as Jael becomes an instrument of God's justice. Historically, the Kenites, to whom Jael belonged, were allies of Israel, yet her actions defy political expectations, highlighting divine sovereignty over human alliances.

and said to him, 'Come in, my lord, come in with me
The phrase "Come in, my lord" is a gesture of hospitality and respect, common in ancient Near Eastern culture. However, it also carries a deeper, ironic undertone. Jael's invitation is both genuine in its cultural context and strategic in its intent. The repetition of "come in" emphasizes urgency and reassurance, lulling Sisera into a false sense of security. This reflects the biblical theme of God using the unexpected to fulfill His purposes, as Jael's actions will soon reveal.

Do not be afraid
This phrase is a common biblical reassurance, often spoken by God or His messengers. Here, Jael uses it to calm Sisera, who is fleeing for his life. The irony is palpable, as the assurance of safety precedes Sisera's demise. This moment underscores the theme of divine irony and the reversal of expectations, where the mighty are brought low through seemingly weak vessels. It also reflects the broader biblical narrative of God’s protection and deliverance, albeit in unexpected ways.

So he went into her tent
Sisera's entry into Jael's tent is significant. In ancient culture, a woman's tent was a private space, and Sisera's acceptance of Jael's invitation indicates his desperation and trust. This act sets the stage for the fulfillment of Deborah's prophecy that a woman would claim the victory over Sisera (Judges 4:9). Theologically, it illustrates how God’s plans transcend human understanding and societal norms, using unconventional means to achieve His purposes.

and she covered him with a blanket
The act of covering Sisera with a blanket is both practical and symbolic. Practically, it provides warmth and concealment, furthering Sisera's sense of security. Symbolically, it foreshadows his impending death, as covering can also imply burial. This action by Jael is a pivotal moment of deception that leads to deliverance for Israel. It highlights the theme of God’s providence and the unexpected ways He delivers His people, using those who are willing to act in faith and courage.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Jael went out to meet Sisera.--This makes it probable that her design was already formed, unless we suppose that Jael as a chieftainess was placed above the ordinary rules which regulate the conduct of Oriental women. As nothing is said of Heber, he may have been absent, or he may have kept out of the way in order to further his wife's designs.

Turn in to me.--Without that special invitation Sisera would not have ventured to violate every law of Oriental propriety by entering the privileged sanctuary of the harem.

Fear not.--Treachery is far too common among Bedouin tribes to render the exhortation needless.

She covered him with a mantle.--Rather, with the tent-rug. Evidently, the moment he was satisfied that her intentions were honest the weary and unfortunate fugitive flung himself down on the ground, or on a divan, to sleep. The word used for "mantle"--semicah (Vulg., "pallio"; Luther, "mit einan Mantel")--occurs nowhere else; from its root it probably means "a coverlet" (LXX., epibolaion, for which the Alexandrine Codex reads derrhis, "a skin"). A large "tent-rug" of goat's hair is usually a part of the furniture of an Arab tent.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - With a mantle. Rather, "with the coverlet," such as was always at hand in the nomad tent.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Jael
יָעֵל֮ (yā·‘êl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3278: Jael -- a Canaanite woman

went out to greet
וַתֵּצֵ֣א (wat·tê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

Sisera
סִֽיסְרָא֒ (sî·sə·rā)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5516: Sisera -- a general of the king of Hazor, also the father of some returning exiles

and said
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
אֵלָ֗יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Come in,
סוּרָ֧ה (sū·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

my lord.
אֲדֹנִ֛י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

Come in
סוּרָ֥ה (sū·rāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

with me.
אֵלַ֖י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be afraid.”
תִּירָ֑א (tî·rā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

So he went
וַיָּ֤סַר (way·yā·sar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

into her tent,
הָאֹ֔הֱלָה (hā·’ō·hĕ·lāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 168: A tent

and she covered him
וַתְּכַסֵּ֖הוּ (wat·tə·ḵas·sê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

with a blanket.
בַּשְּׂמִיכָֽה׃ (baś·śə·mî·ḵāh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8063: Perhaps rug, thick coverlet

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OT History: Judges 4:18 Jael went out to meet Sisera (Jd Judg. Jdg)