the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Bible Dictionaries
Jael
Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary
or The wife of Heber the Kenite. Her name is a compound of Jah and El. Her history is but short, yet truly blessed. We have it Judges 4:17-24. And the Holy Ghost hath recorded her heroic act of faith, Judges 5:24-27. Some have wantonly traduced the character of Jael, and charged her with a breach of hospitality in slaughtering one who fled to her for protection, and especially as she had taken Sisera into her haram. And it hath been farther said, that the refreshment Jael gave him was, according to the custom of eastern nations, a pledge of friendship. But to both of these I answer, it becomes no breach of hospitality to destroy the known foes of God. Besides, Sisera asked for refreshment, and requested her to tell a lie. It was not Jael's offer, neither did she give him a promise of security. The tyranny of this man, and zeal for God's glory and his people's safety, prompted her generous mind to deliver Israel from his oppression. Add to these, the Lord's hand must have been in this transaction, as Deborah the prophetess foretold the event, Judges 4:9. But let men say what they may, God the Holy Ghost hath honoured her memory for ever, and declared it blessed. And I cannot but conclude, that she is one of those worthies, of whom the Holy Ghost hath again spoken so hononrably in the New Testament, "who through faith subdued kingdoms." etc. (Hebrews 11:33)
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Hawker, Robert D.D. Entry for 'Jael'. Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance and Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/pmd/j/jael.html. London. 1828.
