Judges 5:25-27

5:25 He asked for water,

and she gave him milk;

in a bowl fit for a king, ¹ 

she served him curds.

5:26 Her left ²  hand reached for the tent peg,

her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.

She “hammered” ³  Sisera,

she shattered his skull, ⁴ 

she smashed his head, ⁵ 

she drove the tent peg through his temple. ⁶ 

5:27 Between her feet he collapsed,

he fell limp ⁷  and was lifeless; ⁸ 

between her feet he collapsed and fell limp,

in the spot where he collapsed,

there he fell limp – violently murdered! ⁹ 

[5:25]  ¹ tn Or “for mighty ones.”

[5:26]  ² tn The adjective “left” is interpretive, based on the context. Note that the next line pictures Jael holding the hammer with her right hand.

[5:26]  ³ tn The verb used here is from the same root as the noun “hammer” in the preceding line.

[5:26]  ⁴ tn Or “head.”

[5:26]  ⁵ tn The phrase “his head” (an implied direct object) is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[5:26]  ⁶ tn Heb “she pierced his temple.”

[5:27]  ³ tn Heb “he fell.” The same Hebrew expression occurs two more times in this verse.

[5:27]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he lay.

[5:27]  ⁵ tn Or “dead, murdered.”