Jael
femaleJudgesMeaning: “Mountain goat; ibex”
The wife of Heber the Kenite who killed the fleeing Canaanite general Sisera with a tent peg, fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy and delivering Israel.
Biography
Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, is the woman whose decisive act sealed Israel's victory in the days of Deborah. Her deed fulfilled the prophecy that the honor of defeating Sisera would fall to a woman.
The fleeing general
After the LORD routed the army of Sisera, the Canaanite commander fled on foot and came to the tent of Jael, who welcomed him, gave him milk, and covered him as he slept exhausted (Judges 4:17–19).
The tent peg
As Sisera slept, Jael took a tent peg and a hammer and drove it through his temple, killing him (Judges 4:21). When Barak arrived in pursuit, she showed him the dead enemy. Deborah's song exalts her: "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be" (Judges 5:24). Her bold, unexpected act became a lasting symbol of God's deliverance through the lowly.
Life Timeline
Welcomes the fleeing general Sisera into her tent
Kills Sisera with a tent peg, fulfilling prophecy
On the Bible timeline
Jael belongs to the Conquest & the Judges era (c. 1400 – 1050 BC).
- c. 1375 – 1050 BCThe Age of the Judges
Family Tree
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Themes & lessons from Jael
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Jael appears.
People they appear with
Places in their story
Scripture Appearances
6 verses in 1 bookJudges6 verses
Judges 4:17
Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
Judges 4:18
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. mantle: or, rug, or, blanket
Judges 4:21
Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. and took: Heb. and put
Judges 4:22
And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
Judges 5:6
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. travellers: Heb. walkers of paths byways: Heb. crooked ways
Judges 5:24
Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
Frequently asked about Jael
Who was Jael in the Bible?
The wife of Heber the Kenite who killed the fleeing Canaanite general Sisera with a tent peg, fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy and delivering Israel.
What does the name Jael mean?
The name Jael means “Mountain goat; ibex”.
Where does Jael appear in the Bible?
Jael is mentioned 6 times across 1 book: Judges.
What can we learn from Jael?
The story of Jael touches on themes of jael, treachery, nail, sisera — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Jael's life.
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