Discovery BoxJudges 5:26-27 
Context5:26 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
5:27 Between her feet he collapsed,
he fell limp 6 and was lifeless; 7
between her feet he collapsed and fell limp,
in the spot where he collapsed,
there he fell limp – violently murdered! 8
Judges 13:9
Context13:9 God answered Manoah’s prayer. 9 God’s angelic messenger visited 10 the woman again while she was sitting in the field. But her husband Manoah was not with her.
Judges 13:14
Context13:14 She should not drink 11 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. 12 She should obey everything I commanded her to do.”
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 “he fell.” The same Hebrew expression occurs two more times in this verse.
7 tn Heb “and he lay.
8 tn Or “dead, murdered.”
9 tn Heb “God listened to the voice of Manoah.”
10 tn Heb “came to.”
11 tn Heb “eat.”
12 tn Heb “eat anything unclean.” Certain foods were regarded as ritually “unclean” (see Lev 11). Eating such food made one ritually “contaminated.”
