Sisera slain by Jael by Gustave Doré, Judges 4, Bible.Gallery
Sisera slain by Jael created and it was drawn with engraving style.
Artwork Description
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.