‘ And he said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man shall come and enquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? That you will say, no.”
If Jael is to be criticised for dishonesty, what about Sisera? He wanted her not only to lie for him, but also to do so in a way that would put her in danger. If they forced their way into her tent at least she would have some excuse, but to blatantly lie to hide him would put not only her, but the whole encampment, at risk. He thought only of himself. Thus he forfeited any right he had to hospitality. The whole incident covers him in dishonour. If she had had any qualms about what she was about to do before, from a hospitality point of view, they would surely have disappeared by now.