jael

Jael, also Yael in Hebrew, is a figure in the Hebrew Bible who appears in the Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5. She is described as the wife of Heber the Kenite, a group allied with the Israelites during the period of the Judges.

In the biblical narrative, Israel is oppressed by Jabin, the king of Canaan, and his commander Sisera. Deborah, a prophetess, and Barak lead theIsraelites in battle. Sisera flees from Barak and takes refuge in Jael’s tent, where she offers him hospitality. While he sleeps, Jael kills him by hammering a tent peg through his temple, a deed that helps secure Israel’s later victory. The event is echoed and celebrated in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5).

Jael’s act is often highlighted as a decisive moment in Israel’s deliverance and she is described in Judges 5 as among the women who are blessed for her role in the victory. The episode has been interpreted in various ways: as a demonstration of decisive female agency within a patriarchal setting, or as a literary and theological device within the larger Israelite narrative.

Name and meaning: the Hebrew name Yael is usually associated with a wild animal, such as a mountain goat or ibex; the English form Jael is the traditional translation found in many Bible versions.

Historically, Jael’s story is anchored in the Judges-era setting and reflects themes of alliance, deliverance, and contested heroism. Scholarly discussion often engages with its literary structure, its portrayal of women, and its place within the Deuteronomistic history.