Matthew Henry on Judges 4:17–end
We have seen the army of the Canaanites totally routed. It is said (Psa 83:9, Psa 83:10, where the defeat of this army is pleaded as a precedent for God's doing the like in after times) that they became as dung for the earth. Now here we have,
I. The fall of their general, Sisera, captain of the host, in whom, it is likely, Jabin their king put an entire confidence, and therefore was not himself present in the action. Let us trace the steps of this mighty man's fall.
1. He quitted his chariot, and took to his feet, Jdg 4:15, Jdg 4:17. His chariots had been his pride and his confidence; and we may suppose he had therefore despised and defied the armies of the living God, because they were all…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 4:20
he said unto her, . . . when any man doth come and enquire of thee and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No--The privacy of the harem, even in a tent, cannot be intruded on without express permission.
John Gill on Judges 4:20
And he said unto her, stand in the door of the tent,.... This he said, not in an imperious way, as some think, but by entreaty:
and it shall be, when any man shall come and inquire of thee; seeing her at the door, and where he desired she would stand to prevent their coming into the tent:
and say, is there any man here? any besides what belongs to the family? or any of Sisera's army?
that thou shalt say, no; there is no man; but to this she made no answer that is recorded.
Keil & Delitzsch on Judges 4:17-22
Sisera took refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, to escape the sword of the Israelites, as king Jabin lived at peace with the house of Heber, i.e., with this branch of the Kenites.
Jdg 4:18
Jael received the fugitive into her tent in the usual form of oriental hospitality (סוּר, as in Gen 19:2-3, to turn aside from the road and approach a person), and covered him with a covering (שׂמיכה, ἁπ. λεγ., covering, or rug), that he might be able to sleep, as he was thoroughly exhausted with his flight.
Jdg 4:19
On his asking for water to drink, as he was thirsty (צמתּי, defective form for צמאתּי), she handed him milk from her bottle, and covered him up again. She gave him milk…
