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Judges 5:28

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 5:28 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera [cried] through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera [cried] through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
Judges 5:28 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
25He asked water, [and] she gave him milk; She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
26She put her hand to the tent-pin, And her right hand to the workmen`s hammer; And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head; Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.
27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; At her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28Through the window she looked forth, and cried, The mother of Sisera [cried] through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29Her wise ladies answered her, Yea, she returned answer to herself,
30Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?
31So let all thine enemies perish, O Jehovah: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.
← Judges 5:27Judges 5:29 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The mother of Sisera looked out at a window , etc.] Which perhaps looked towards the high road, in which she expected Sisera to return in his chariot with his victorious army; and she was looking out for him, not through fear of any ill that had befallen him, or suspicion of misfortunte, but through impatience to see him in triumph return, wreathed with laurels: and cried through the lattice ; which is but another word for a window, which was not of glass, that being of a later invention, but made in lattice form, in a sort of network, full of little holes to let in air and light, and look out at; here she stood and cried with a very loud uneasy tone; the word signifies a sort of a groaning…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“In these verses a sudden transition is made to the mother of the Canaanite general, and a striking picture is drawn of a mind agitated between hope and fear--impatient of delay, yet anticipating the news of victory and the rewards of rich booty. the lattice--a lattice window, common to the houses in warm countries for the circulation of air.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The scene is changed to the palace of Sisera. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Looked out - Expecting to see him returning: for she concluded, that he went forth not so much to fight, as to take the spoil. Judges 5:30”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“through: Kg2 1:2; Sol 2:9 Why is: Jdg 4:15; Sol 8:14; Jam 5:7 Judges 5:29”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“28 Through the window there looks out and cries aloud The mother of Sisera, through the lattice work, Why does his chariot delay its coming? Why tarry the steps of his team? 29 The wise of her princesses reply: \- But she repeats her words to herself - 30 Surely they are finding and sharing booty: A maiden, two maidens to the head of a man, Booty of variegated cloths for Sisera: Booty of variegated cloths, garments worked in divers colours, A variegated cloth, two garments worked in divers colours for his neck as booty. Sisera's mother looks out with impatience for the return of her son, and cries aloud out of the window, Why is he never coming?-foreboding the disastrous result of the war.…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification