KhëvꞋër, the Qein•iyꞋ,, of Eil•ōnꞋ-Tza•an•imꞋ

Topographical map: Northern Israel c. BCE 1348, the time of Sho•phëtꞋët #4: DᵊvōrꞋâh ha-Nᵊvi•âhꞋ & the Original 'Wonder Woman': Yâ•eilꞋ.

Before all of this, there was a Qein•iyꞋ, named KhëvꞋër, who had moved north from the QaꞋyin tribal region of the NëgꞋëv, haing migrated north to pitch his tent in Eil•ōnꞋ-Tza•an•imꞋ – nearby QëdꞋësh.

Now Shō•phëtꞋët DᵊvōrꞋâh arranged for a "leak" of deceptive intelligence, via a Qein•iyꞋ conduit, to Kᵊna•an•iꞋ Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ. She planted a false report that Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ Bën-Av•i-NōꞋam had set up an outpost on Har Tâ•vōrꞋ with a commanding view of the plains south, threatening his coastal region.

Har Tâ•vōrꞋ (photo: © Yirmeyahu Ben-David, 1983)

Upon learning the "leaked" intel about Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ's supposedly threatening troop movement, Kᵊna•an•iꞋ Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ mustered all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his troops from 'Goy•imꞋ-Engraver City'), to NaꞋkhal Qish•ōnꞋ, which they had to cross to the north side in order to engage the troops of Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ on the plains of עֵמֶק יִזְרְעֶאל by Har Tâ•vōrꞋ.

Shō•phëtꞋët DᵊvōrꞋâh's Ambush

Chariot, Iron Age Roman (reconstruction – National Museums Scotland)

As soon as Shō•phëtꞋët DᵊvōrꞋâh had "leaked" the intelligence to bait Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ to cross NaꞋkhal Qish•ōnꞋ, she ordered Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ to set up an ambush on the north bank of NaꞋkhal Qish•ōnꞋ for the chariots of Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ, which י‑‑ה was bringing (via the Qein•iyꞋ ma•lâkhꞋ י‑‑ה of the intelligence "leak" – the working of י‑‑ה). The Qein•iyꞋ ma•lâkhꞋ י‑‑ה preceded Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ, passing through the ambush site on his way south before they set up the ambush.

NaꞋkhal Qish•ōnꞋ (Kishon River Authority)

"Bug out!" she ordered. "Get the ambush ready and thoroughly hidden on the north bank of NaꞋkhal Qish•ōnꞋ! Today is the day in which י‑‑ה will have delivered Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ into your hand. See? The ma•lâkhꞋ י‑‑ה has already preceded you."

So י‑‑ה KO'd Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ with all of his iron chariots; and all of his camp were being put to the sword in front of Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ.

But, in the confusion of battle, Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ had jumped down from his chariot and, unnoticed, fled on foot.

Crossing the naꞋkhal southward, Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ wiped out every chariot all the way to 'Goy•imꞋ-Engraver City'. They put them all to the sword, until there wasn't a man left. Focused so intently on looking for chariots, though, Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ hadn't noticed Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ escaping on foot, headed for his capital of Khâ•tzōrꞋ.

Kᵊna•an•iꞋ Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ Flees Up Coast, Then Inland North Of Yâm Ki•nërꞋët

Meanwhile, by the time Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ had trekked up the coast and through the mountains as far as the tent of Yâ•eilꞋ (wife of KhëvꞋër the Qein•iyꞋ, in Eil•ōnꞋ-Tza•an•imꞋ), on his way to Khâ•tzōrꞋ, he was exhausted. Since there was a peace agreement between Yâ•vinꞋ, mëlꞋëkh Kᵊna•anꞋ, and Beit KhëvꞋër (the Qein•iyꞋ), he was feeling safer and somewhat relieved.

goatskin, for holding liquids

Seeing him struggling, alone, and recognizing that it was Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ, Yâ•eilꞋ realized that he was on his way to the nearby capital of Khâ•tzōrꞋ and recognized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Going out to meet him, she prevailed on him. "Take a break and rest-up here," she implored him. "Don't worry!" So he took a break from his journey and lay down in the tent, where she covered him with a blanket.

"May I have some water to drink?" he requested. "I'm very thirsty." So she brought a goatskin of milk and gave it to him. Then she covered him again with the blanket.

Then he said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent. If any man comes and asks if there's any man here, you tell him 'No'!"

Tent pegs, iron (Roman 2nd-3rd century CE; couldn't find photo of earlier/​Bronze Age tent pegs)

When Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ finally went into a deep sleep, Yâ•eilꞋ (KhëvꞋër's wife) got a tent-peg and a hammer. Very quietly, she kneeled down beside him. Holding the tent-peg in one hand ver-r-r-y gently against his temple, THUD!!! She brought the hammer down as hard as she could on the tent-peg, driving it through his head, nailing his head to the ground! So he died where he lay in the tent.

Ancient mallet (wood)

Meanwhile, Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ, in pursuit of Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ, was passing by Yâ•eilꞋ's tent. She saw him and came out and intercepted him. "Come with me," she said to Gen. Bâ•râqꞋ. "I will take you to the man you're looking for." So he followed her to her tent where Gen. SiꞋsᵊrâ lay dead with his head nailed into the ground by the tent-peg.

So, that day, ël•oh•imꞋ conquered Yâ•vinꞋ, mëlꞋëkh Kᵊna•anꞋ, from before Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ.

Henceforth, yâd Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ went absolutely harsh on Yâ•vinꞋ, mëlꞋëkh Kᵊna•anꞋ, until they had excised Yâ•vinꞋ, mëlꞋëkh Kᵊna•anꞋ.