Problem: Judges 4:21 says that Sisera was lying down, while 5:27 says that he fell down after Jael drove the tent peg into his head. Which is true?
Solution: It is possible that Sisera’s body jerked wildly after Jael drove the spike into his head. This is far from unlikely given the gruesome nature of his death. However, the Hebrew word for “fell” is naphal (pronounced nah-FALE), and it can be taken in a figurative sense. Given the fact that Judges 5 is a song of poetry, it is likely that this word isn’t to be taken literally. This word is just a euphemism for dying.
Judges 4:21 – Was Sisera lying down or sitting up, when he was killed?
