Who painted Sisera slain by Jael?

Gustave Doré painted Sisera slain by Jael.

What Bible passage does Sisera slain by Jael depict?

Sisera slain by Jael depicts the biblical scene from Judges 4.

Sisera slain by Jael by Gustave Doré

Share Facebook X Pinterest Reddit LinkedIn Email

For two decades, the Israelites endured the heavy burden of a Canaanite king's oppressive rule, which stretched from the northern borders of their land to the Kishon River. In a twist of fate, the Lord orchestrated the downfall of this powerful ruler through the hands of a woman. Guided by the inspiration of a prophetess, a campaign was launched. However, when the call for aid in the name of the Lord echoed out, only a handful answered. Gilead remained passive across the Jordan, Asher sought refuge along the seashore, and Reuben prioritized his flocks over battle.

Yet, amidst this, Zebulun and Naphtali emerged as fearless warriors, risking their lives in the open fields. Around ten thousand of these resolute mountain people rallied under the leadership of Deborah and Barak at Mount Tabor. With a fierce charge, they managed to obliterate Sisera and his entire army, despite the enemy's numerical and tactical advantage. Sisera, the commander of the opposing forces, fled on foot, his steps inevitably leading him back to Kedesh, where he sought shelter in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite – a previous acquaintance.

Jael, exhibiting hospitality, provided him with sustenance and a place to rest. When weariness and slumber overtook Sisera, she seized the opportunity and drove a tent peg through his temples, securing him to the ground. As Barak pursued in swift pursuit, Jael met him and presented the fallen chieftain as promised – a scene depicted in the current artwork. The curtain has been drawn, revealing the lifeless form of the mighty warrior.

Jael's decisive and gruesome act wasn't born of personal malice or cruelty. She wasn't driven by a desire for revenge or personal gain. Instead, Sisera personified the oppressor of God's people, a figure synonymous with the suffering her own people endured. Before her lay a ruthless aggressor, a violator of countless moral laws, and an adversary of God. Faced with a critical choice, should she allow him to recuperate, regroup his forces, and resume the unbearable oppression of years past? Or should she, with a single audacious move, cement the recent victory and permanently halt the reign of Israel's most formidable foe? She opted for freedom, Israel, and God, resulting in Sisera's immobilization – an outcome not delivered by a warrior's blade, but by the hand of a determined woman.

When viewed from this perspective, Deborah hails Jael as blessed among women. While one might lament and condemn her use of deception, her boldness, fervor, and conscious alignment with the cause of God over His adversaries are worthy of recognition.

Details

Artist: Gustave Doré
Medium: engraving
Passage: Judges 4

Found in: Judges, Judges 4

Judges 4

1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, when Ehud was dead.

2 Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

3 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years.

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time.

5 She lived under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and lead the way to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7 I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.’”

8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

9 She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honor; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into a woman’s hand.” Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.

12 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor.

13 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.

14 Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15 Yahweh confused Sisera, all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled away on his feet.

16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth of the Gentiles; and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. There was not a man left.

17 However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid.” He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.

19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him.

20 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’”

21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died.

22 Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples.

23 So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel on that day.

24 The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Judges 4 · World English Bible

The artist

Gustave Doré

1832 - 1883

Strasbourg, France

Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré (6 January 1832 – 23 January 1883) was a French artist, printmaker, illustrator, comics artist, caricaturist, and sculptor who worked primarily with wood-engraving.