Bible Strands
Judges 5:25
He asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jael responds to the fleeing commander Sisera inside her tent after he requests a drink. She acts as the hostess fulfilling his immediate physical need before the narrative shifts to violence.
The words — סֵפֶל (sefel) denotes a "bowl" or "container" [H5602], and חֶמְאָה (chem'ah) literally means "curds" [H2529]. The text specifies these items were served in a "magnificent bowl" to emphasize the quality of the provision.
The thread — This exchange directly parallels Judges 4:19, where the prose narrative records Sisera asking for water and Jael giving him milk. The poetic account in Judges 5 reiterates the same hospitality event to highlight its narrative weight.
Why it lands — The verse states a concrete act of hospitality that immediately precedes a brutal execution in Judges 5:26. It requires the reader to observe how a gesture of sustenance is deliberately positioned to frame the subsequent lethal strike.
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
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
Cross-references
- Judges 4:19 Sisera said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again.