Bible Strands
Judges 4:20
“Stand at the entrance to the tent,” he said, “and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Sisera commands Jael to stand at the tent entrance while he rests inside. She must intercept any visitor who inquires about his presence.
The words — עֲמֹד ('a.Mod) means stand, and פֶּתַח (Pe.tach) denotes the opening or entrance of the tent. These terms establish the precise location where Jael must position herself to control access.
The thread — The tactic of concealing a fugitive’s location appears in Joshua 2:3 and 2 Samuel 17:20, where individuals are instructed to lie to pursuers. Both passages feature a woman at a doorway managing inquiries about hidden men.
Why it lands — The command demands a literal denial to conceal a fugitive’s location. It places the burden of tactical compliance on the listener while requiring a direct answer to a direct question.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Cross-references
- Joshua 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”
- 2 Samuel 17:20 When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.