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
1 tn Or “for mighty ones.”
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.
3 tn The verb used here is from the same root as the noun “hammer” in the preceding line.
4 tn Or “head.”
5 tn The phrase “his head” (an implied direct object) is supplied in the translation for clarification.
6 tn Heb “she pierced his temple.”