Sisera's mother

In chapter 5 of the book of Judges, there is a three-verse aside about Sisera's mother, absent from the chapter 4 account of the same battle, which I've always found intriguing. Here are a few thoughts I've gathered together

Sisera's mother among the women of Judges (5:28-30)

Through the window peered Sisera’s mother, Behind the lattice she whined: 

“Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”

 The wisest of her ladies give answer; She, too, replies to herself:

 “They must be dividing the spoil they have found: A damsel or two for each man, spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera, spoil of embroidered cloths, A couple of embroidered cloths round every neck as spoil.”

(Judges 5:28–30 JPS)

In the story of Deborah and Barak, there are three female characters, two of them named.

1. Deborah, the key figure 
2. Jael, the unlikely victor
3. Sisera's mum, waiting for her son's return

But there's a couple more groups of women. 

1. First, the handmaids of Sisera's mum, who are standing by to help her out
2. But second, the female captives they expect will be the spoils of the battle

Nimrud ivory carving with “Lady at the Window” motif; Daniel I. Block, “Judges,” in Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, vol. 2 of Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament. ed. John H. Walton; Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), 149.

The true picture of the mother

It seems quite innocent, but it's actually quite disturbing. 
This lovely old lady, looking out her window, waiting for her son to slaughter the naughty Israelites, to plunder their villages in retaliation, and to steal their widows and daughters as sex slaves. 
Because this is what she's waiting for - some nice fabric for her and some pretty women for him.
For comparison, here's a tribute list from Ashurnasirpal of Assyria (883–859 B.C.):

I received tribute from Sangara, king of the land of Ḫatti, 20 talents of silver, a gold ring, a gold bracelet, gold daggers, 100 talents of bronze, 250 talents of iron, bronze (tubs), bronze pails, bronze bath-tubs, a bronze oven, many ornaments from his palace the weight of which could not be determined, beds of boxwood, thrones of boxwood, dishes of boxwood decorated with ivory, 200 adolescent girls, linen garments with  multi-coloured trim, purple wool, red-purple wool, gišnugallu-alabaster, elephants’ tusks, a chariot of  polished (gold), a gold couch with trimming—objects befitting his royalty.

The other thing to mention is that the word isn't woman or female - it's "womb" - or perhaps something even cruder, which is to say there is no value to these women except as their utility to their male captors. 

Thankfully, when Israel do something just as evil in Judges 21 - the final chapter of Israel's descent into evil - the women there will at least be wives - therefore worthy of protection and support.

Sisera's Mother as anti-Deborah

Deborah is called a mother in Israel (5:7); Sisera's mother is unnamed - known only as Sisera's mother (5:28). This is important, because, from Israel's perspective 

the story ends with Israel being forged as a nation through this victory, but Sisera's mother becomes barren, her son lying dead. 

Deborah became a mother through victory, while Sisera's mother became an un-mother through defeat.

Sisera's Mother as anti-Jael

Jael is just minding her own business, doing her own thing. She's non-aligned - an independent. Sisera thinks she's allied with Jabin, but is unaware that Israel are her distant relatives through Moses's father-in-law (cf 1:16). But I think that the Kenites (her people) are able to choose their own path - do what is right without obligation. We might contrast this with Sisera's mother, who has raised her son; her hopes are his hopes, her morals his morals, and they are not good morals.

At the end of the episode, Barak turns up, a little puffed, because he's followed the Canaanite army and cut them down - but no Sisera. So he's doubled back and in 4:22 asks Jael if Sisera came by. Jael opens the curtain of the tent - might this be the commander you're looking for?

The contrast to this pulling back of a curtain with the curtain pulled back by Sisera's mum, standing by the window and waiting - I wonder where my boy is?

The aftermath

The story of these three women is the story of three different world-views.

• Deborah is the willing servant of Israel
• Jael is servant of none, master of her own destiny
• Sisera's mum is anxious, awaiting the return of her brutal son and his depraved idea of spoil from war.

I should note - Israel are going to go down a not dissimilar path - as we see how far they too have fallen. But for now there's a choice - clearly Israel have a mother (Deborah) and a cousin (Jael) who choose the right path. After their victory Israel have 40 years - an entire generation - of peace and prosperity, but Canaan is done; we won't hear from them again, as they are on the out and the Philistines will rise up to take their place as the chief enemy of Israel.

For a time, at least, the people will mimic their mothers - Israel will mimic the wise and measured Deborah - and they will prosper while Canaan, following the instruction of people like Sisera's mother, are headed for extinction as a people - there are no more Canaanites today.

We should rejoice at the destruction of this evil warlord and his army, and the eventual freeing of Israel from their oppressors. However, the evil expectation we see even in the mother of Sisera will sadly be matched by the Israelites at the end of the book, after which we hear the final words, "everyone did as they saw fit in their own eyes". S

o even though evil from the Canaanites is averted right now, we also know that Israel will show themselves to be no better, 

and as we continue on through the book we await with dread the inevitable.