24 (A)Most blessed of women is Jael,
The wife of Heber the Kenite;
Most blessed is she of women in the tent.
25 He asked for water, she gave him milk;
In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
26 She reached out her hand for the tent peg,
And her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.
Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head;
And she shattered and pierced his temple.
27 Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;
Between her feet he bowed, he fell;
Where he bowed, there he fell [a]dead.

28 “Out of the window she looked and wailed,
The mother of Sisera through the [b]lattice,
‘Why does his chariot delay in coming?
Why do the [c]hoofbeats of his chariots delay?’
29 Her wise princesses would answer her,
Indeed she repeats her words to herself,
30 (B)Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoils?
A concubine, two concubines for every warrior;
To Sisera a spoil of dyed cloth,
A spoil of dyed cloth embroidered,
Dyed cloth of double embroidery on the [d]neck of the plunderer?’

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 5:27 Lit destroyed
  2. Judges 5:28 Or window
  3. Judges 5:28 Lit steps
  4. Judges 5:30 Lit necks of the spoil

24 “Most blessed of women(A) be Jael,(B)
    the wife of Heber the Kenite,(C)
    most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk;(D)
    in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg,
    her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,
    she shattered and pierced his temple.(E)
27 At her feet he sank,
    he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell;
    where he sank, there he fell—dead(F).

28 “Through the window(G) peered Sisera’s mother;
    behind the lattice she cried out,(H)
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
    Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’
29 The wisest of her ladies answer her;
    indeed, she keeps saying to herself,
30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils:(I)
    a woman or two for each man,
colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,
    colorful garments embroidered,
highly embroidered garments(J) for my neck—
    all this as plunder?(K)

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