FOR a moment the two armies looked at one another across the Valley of Jezreel. Then Deborah cried to Barak, ‘Up; this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand!’ The Israelites fell upon their enemy, and as they did so the Kishon’s waters rose in flood; Sisera’s prancing horses slipped, and Barak’s men slew their fallen riders in the river.* Retreat became a rout; but Sisera escaped, taking refuge in the tents of his ally, Heber.
Heber’s wife Jael hastily wrapped him in a blanket, and gave him some milk; and when she had promised to tell any visitors that she was quite alone, Sisera fell asleep from weariness. As he slept, Jael went softly over to him, took a tentpeg in one hand, and a hammer in the other, and pinned him to the floor right through the temples. Thus was Deborah’s prophecy fulfilled, for Sisera died by a woman’s hand, though not her own. And taking heart the Israelites pursued their advantage, until Jabin himself was overthrown.
For a similar tale from English history, see The Battle of the Winwaed.
Précis
As the two armies met, the River Kishon rose in angry flood, and swept away Sisera’s chariots. Amid the Israelites’ victory, however, Sisera escaped to the tents of an ally, Heber and his wife Jael. Thinking himself safe, Sisera slept, but Jael crept in and murdered him. Thus was Deborah’s prophecy that Sisera would die by a woman’s hand fulfilled. (60 / 60 words)
As the two armies met, the River Kishon rose in angry flood, and swept away Sisera’s chariots. Amid the Israelites’ victory, however, Sisera escaped to the tents of an ally, Heber and his wife Jael. Thinking himself safe, Sisera slept, but Jael crept in and murdered him. Thus was Deborah’s prophecy that Sisera would die by a woman’s hand fulfilled.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, despite, must, or, otherwise, since, until.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Mount. Slip. Your.
2 Hundred. Not. Slew.
3 Lord. Sleep. Sure.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
rtd (5+1)
aerated. rated. rioted. rooted. routed.
orated.
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