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Sisera

maleJudges

Meaning: “Battle array

The Canaanite general with nine hundred iron chariots, defeated by Barak and slain in his sleep by Jael with a tent peg.

S

Biography

Sisera was the commander of the army of Jabin, king of Hazor, and the chief oppressor of Israel in the days of Deborah and Barak. With nine hundred chariots of iron, he had "mightily oppressed the children of Israel" for twenty years (Judges 4:3).

Defeat and flight

When Barak's forces came down from Mount Tabor, the LORD discomfited Sisera's army; he abandoned his chariot and fled on foot (Judges 4:15).

Death by a tent peg

Sisera took refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who gave him milk and covered him. As he slept exhausted, she drove a tent peg through his temple, fulfilling Deborah's prophecy that the honor would go to a woman (Judges 4:21). His death is celebrated in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:24–27).

Life Timeline

1209 BC

His chariot army routed by Barak

Judges 4:15
1209 BC

Killed in his sleep by Jael

Judges 4:21

On the Bible timeline

Sisera belongs to the Conquest & the Judges era (c. 1400 – 1050 BC).

  1. c. 1375 – 1050 BCThe Age of the Judges

Themes & lessons from Sisera

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Sisera appears.

Sisera6×Jael3×Mountains2×Armies1×Canaanites1×Chiding1×Midianites1×Stars, the1×Treachery1×

People they appear with

Barak6×
Jabin4×
Jael3×
Deborah2×

Places in their story

Hazor3×
Mount Tabor2×

Scripture Appearances

17 verses in 3 books
Judges15 verses

Judges 4:2

And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

Judges 4:7

And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

Judges 4:9

And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:12

And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

Judges 4:13

And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. together: Heb. by cry, or, proclamation

Judges 4:14

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

Judges 4:15

And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

Judges 4:16

But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. a man: Heb. unto one

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 4:22

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 5:20

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. courses: Heb. paths

Judges 5:26

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. with: Heb. she hammered

Judges 5:28

The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?

Judges 5:30

Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? every: Heb. the head of a man

1 Samuel1 verse

1 Samuel 12:9

And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

Psalms1 verse

Psalms 83:9

Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:

Frequently asked about Sisera

Who was Sisera in the Bible?

The Canaanite general with nine hundred iron chariots, defeated by Barak and slain in his sleep by Jael with a tent peg.

What does the name Sisera mean?

The name Sisera means “Battle array”.

What did Sisera do in the Bible?

Sisera served as commander of the canaanite army.

Where does Sisera appear in the Bible?

Sisera is mentioned 17 times across 3 books: Judges, 1 Samuel, Psalms.

What can we learn from Sisera?

The story of Sisera touches on themes of sisera, jael, mountains, armies — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Sisera's life.

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