In Judges 4-5 Jael deliberately deceives Sisera, and then murderes him in cold blood when he is vulnerable. Perhaps less important, though still significant, Jael broke her culture's tradition of hospitality, and violated a treaty her husband had negotiated with the Canaanite King. Jael's actions are bad enough, but in Judges 5:24 she is called "blessed among women". How can we justify this praise when her actions would normally be morally repugnant? 

 

There are really only three options for interpreting this puzzle. Some argue Deborah's blessing (Judg 5:24) clearly shows Jael's actions are condoned. Though the text does not say this, Jael must have had a hidden loyalty to Israel and their God. However, this could give rise to the charge that the author of Judges 5 has a nationalistic bent where the end justifies the means as long as Israel is victorious.

 

Other people cannot believe Jael's actions are good, and they find her motives questionable at best. But God used Jael even though her actions were sinful--therefore she is called blessed. God can use sinful people to bring good out of bad. But does the author of Judges really mean for us to cringe at Jael's deeds instead of applauding them?

 

The third option is that Jael made the only choice she could have. She was caught in a precarious situation between the defeated Sisera--her husband's ally--and the victorious Israelite army, out for revenge. She acted out of self-preservation in a life or death situation. Her motives may have been mixed, but God had arranged the circumstances so that she only had one option. She made the right choice and is blessed for it.

 

So, which option do you think is more likely? Read the chapters, email me your opinion, and next month I'll tell you what I argued in my thesis.