Judges 5:26

5:26 Her left ¹  hand reached for the tent peg,

her right hand for the workmen’s hammer.

She “hammered” ²  Sisera,

she shattered his skull, ³ 

she smashed his head, ⁴ 

she drove the tent peg through his temple. ⁵ 

Judges 13:14

13:14 She should not drink ⁶  anything that the grapevine produces. She must not drink wine or beer, and she must not eat any food that will make her ritually unclean. ⁷  She should obey everything I commanded her to do.”

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¹ tn The adjective “left” is interpretive, based on the context. Note that the next line pictures Jael holding the hammer with her right hand.

² tn The verb used here is from the same root as the noun “hammer” in the preceding line.

³ tn Or “head.”

⁴ tn The phrase “his head” (an implied direct object) is supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁵ tn Heb “she pierced his temple.”

⁶ tn Heb “eat.”

⁷ tn Heb “eat anything unclean.” Certain foods were regarded as ritually “unclean” (see Lev 11). Eating such food made one ritually “contaminated.”