Jael - Warrior
(Disclosure: This is Part 2 continued from Deborah ~ Prophetess and Judge. Her prophecy is finally fulfilled.)
Heber was on her nerves. This current war between the Israelites and Canaanites had them at odds with each other. For years, her husband had been a patriot of Israel, but as of late he seemed to be changing his mind about things. She was determined to stay an ally. Their people had sustained her tribe and provided work for them for decades. She had many close Israeli friends. Things had always been peaceful with them. She wasn’t going to forget that.
Heber was a Kenite, a people who had always been a friend to Israel. In fact, he would often brag about how he was a long distance relative of Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, and father of Zipporah. However, Heber had recently separated from the main Kenite group and settled by the plain of Zaanaim, placing their tribe in the northern region of Canann during the time of the Canaanite oppression under King Jabin. Needless to say, he was trying to remain neutral in this conflict so his people could find work with their skills of metalworking and craftsmanship.
“I wish he’d just pick a side,” she thought to herself. “Or at least admit that he needs the work and quit playing nice with everyone. At least we settled away from that battle at Mount Tabor. I don’t want to be anywhere near that.”
The women had been working all day setting up camp, while the men yielded weapons, tools, and other products to sell. There was little light left in the day, and Jael knew she better hurry and get finished so she could have time to clean up before she was too exhausted. She was getting ready to stake the last peg in the ground, when she spotted a figure running towards her in the distance.
“Is that a man? Who is that,” she squinted her eyes and thought. She looked around to see if Heber might be around to intercept this stranger, but he was nowhere in sight.
She held tightly to the hammer and peg, her strong biceps flexing underneath her robe. As the man approached sweating and panting, his face came into view.
She couldn’t believe who she saw standing before her. Sisera! The brutal general of the Canaanite army! All alone! And looking quite terrified and tired, to say the least. She was going to have to play this very carefully.
“Please,” Sisera began, out of breath, “please, is this Heber’s tribe? He sold us weapons. I know him. Can you please help me? My army has been destroyed. I need refuge from the Israelite attackers!”
Jael had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing right in this man’s face! The leader of an army; running scared straight to her tent! What are the odds of that?!
“Oh, do come in! Heber has already gone to sleep for the night. But you can safely rest here.”
She flashed a sultry smile and flipped open the door to her tent. He didn’t think twice about it, and walked right on in.
Here was the enemy right here in her home. She’d heard tales from her Israelite friends of this tyrant who would torture families, burn villages, and steal flocks. Well, he doesn’t look so big and brave now, she thought. In fact, he looks terrified.
“You look exhausted! You must be thirsty! Let me get you something to drink. From where did you come? Why are you alone?” She played like she had no idea who this man was before her.
Anxious and frazzled, he began to pour over the battle that had just taken place at Mount Tabor. He spoke of a terrible rainstorm, which caused his prize chariots to get lodged in the mud. The Israelites came down on them, and he barely escaped. Everyone in his army was killed. He talked for almost an hour, while she appeared to listen intently and with sympathy.
She made sure her eyes grew big, and she dramatically held her hand to her heart to show him how concerned she was. She even threw in a feminine gasp or two, for good measure. The more she listened to his pompous jabber and bashing of the Hebrew people, the more a growl started to form in the pit of her stomach. It was all she could do to not reach over and claw his eyes right out of his head. She poured him some milk, knowing this would fill his belly and make him sleepy. It’s what they gave the children to calm them before bed.
“Here,” she stated as she handed him the milk, “this will help relax you. And don’t worry, we’ve just set up camp. No one even knows we’re here yet. You are safe for now. In the morning we will go to Heber and let him know you are here. Rest your head on my pillow. I will cover you.”
Within moments he was sleeping soundly. Out of the corner of her eye the candlelight glinted across the tent peg and hammer she had left laying by the door. Solemnly and quietly, she picked up the tools, knelt down beside the sleeping Sisera, and hammered the 18-inch peg into his temple until it sank into the ground beneath his skull. Deborah’s prophecy had just been fulfilled. Sisera had been delivered into the hands of a woman. The land of Israel had peace for 40 years.
As followers of Yahweh, we often like to focus on living at peace with everyone. But this is not realistic. If we are honest, many times our enemies want to see our destruction, especially in times of war. Most times they won’t let up until they have accomplished their goals. Tension is high and as humans we can grow very passionate about which side we’re on. Jael was some kind of a woman! She understood the seriousness of what had stumbled into her tent and knew the days of the tyrant had to end. She was not about to play with this evil man, nor let him get away. She was not a warrior per say, but a tent maker. However, when trouble came knocking, she used the tools she had available. Jael teaches us to be scrappy! She was cunning, decisive, and self-aware. Spiritual and physical warfare are inevitable, but we can use the tools God has gifted us to fight against the wiles of devil. Your Bible, your prayers, your praying friends, and even sometimes your hands and weapons. Men are often celebrated for killing their enemies in battle. Jael rose to the occasion and proved that a woman, too, can deliver a nation.
The scriptures never say what became of Jael. We know that she was celebrated based on Judges Chapter 5, where Deborah sings a victory song in her honor. My guess is, her story reached far and wide, and no one dared to cross her again.
When we allow God to step in, His goal is to destroy those plans of evil towards us. Jael knew in her heart what Joseph knew in the days of old, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20
