By combining this poetic account of Jael’s act with the literal account of ch. 4:21 the following picture emerges. While Sisera was fast asleep Jael approached quietly and struck him a terrific blow with the hammer, thus crushing his head. Though mortally wounded he struggled partly to his feet. Then, according to ch. 5:27, he went down on his knees (Heb. kara‘, “to bow down upon the knees”), and lay there slaughtered (literally, “treated with violence”). Then it was that Jael drove the tent peg through his temples, fastening him to the ground. Yet it is difficult to know how literally the language of this poem should be regarded.