“What’s the Scoop on…….Jael”

A few weeks ago we were first introduced to Jael as we studied Deborah (see "What's the Scoop on Deborah").  You might remember that Deborah was a judge of Israel – a woman of godly influence.   Today Jan gave us ‘the rest of the story’ that began with Deborah.  It ends with Jael - a woman available for the Lord’s use. And what a story it is!!  

Here is the recap.  Deborah was the civil Judge of Israel when the nation was being oppressed by the Canaanites.  King Jabin of Hazor ruled the Canaanites and Sisera was the commander of his armies.   After 20 years of oppression the Israelites called out to the Lord for help.   He raised up Deborah and Barack. 

Deborah was the civil leader of Israel as well as a prophet of the Lord. Barak was the military commander of the Israelite forces.  He insisted that Deborah accompany him to the battle.  "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh”  (Judges 4:9). The Canaanite forces were subsequently destroyed except for Sisera.  He fled and sought refuge in the tent of Jael.  

According to Judges 4: 17b Sisera went to Jael “because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite”.   As Sisera expected, Jael opened her tent to him with hospitality and safety. “But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died” (Judges 4:21).

As women, we are sometimes critical of other women.  From our 21^st century perspective Jael’s actions were barbaric.  I admit in our group discussion we spent some time critiquing Jael’s perceived faults, we couldn’t understand why she did what she did. After doing a little research while writing this post, I saw Jael’s actions from a different perspective. 

As a group, we were assuming that Jael worked against her husband’s wishes. This was probably not true.  There is something important to consider regarding Jael’s loyalties. Her husband, Herber, was a descendant of Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law).  Although their clan was not of Hebrew descent they did have ties to the Israelites.

We don’t know the exact reasons behind Jael’s actions from what re read in Scripture. It does seem that she was confident in her relationship with her husband.  She was also able to act decisively in Heber’s absence.  According to ‘Every Woman of the Bible’ (Richards, 1999) Jael’s actions pointed to the fact that she was not just a possession of her husband (which was how women of the times were viewed) but as a participant in their marriage.  It goes on to say that Herber trusted Jael to act in his absence and she trusted him not to be angry or change her decision. This reminded me of Proverbs 31:11-12, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”

Based on scripture, Jael’s actions were clearly God’s will.  When Deborah initially told Barak what he must do, he objected yet Jael acted.  Back in Judges 4:9, Deborah prophesies that the victory would go to a woman. Something  was pointed out to me about Jael that I hadn’t considered. Not only was Jael a woman – she was also a pagan. How awesome it is that God will use any person who makes herself available to him! Chapter 5 of Judges is a song that both Deborah and Barak sang after the victory:  “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women” (Judges 5:24).  If God is calling her ‘blessed’, then so she is!  That is how God wants us to remember her!

A word that kept coming to my mind as I studied Jael was ‘complacent’ because this was so opposite of her actions.  Jael lived in a time of warfare.  She acted courageously. She used the skills she had to accomplish the will of the Lord and is celebrated because of that.  What about us?  We are in a battle. Many of us are dealing with serious issues that threaten our families and our faith.

I wonder if these very issues were wrought from our own bent towards complacency.  I can’t help but think what a difference we might make for the Kingdom of God if we would collectively and individually arise from that complacency and take a stand.  I wonder how God would respond.  As Jael had opportunity to make a difference, I pray that God would give us courage to take a stand against the oppression that surrounds us as well.     

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen; to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6).