4:16-18
Barak pursued the chariots and army and cut them all down. Sisera, who had abandoned his army fled to the tent of Jael. Jael was the wife of Heber the Kenite (see 4:11). The reason he went there was that there was an alliance between Jabin King of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. Jael welcomes Sisera and provides hospitality for him.
4:19-21
Sisera was thirsty and Jael gave him a drink. Sisera also wants Jael to stand guard and to tell anyone who asks that he is not there. I.e. he wants to remain safe. However, Jael has other plans, and when Sisera is asleep she drives a tent peg into his temple and he dies. This story always fascinated me when I heard of it in primary school! There is no indication of why she did this. Some speculate that Sisera may previously have raped her and she was seeking revenge (Wood). However, the Bible does not tell us, so speculation is all that this is.
4:22-24
Barak arrives, in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael shows him her handiwork. The key point is that Barak was not the one to kill Sisera, because he refused to go to Battle without Deborah. So Jabin the king of Canan was subdued. There was an ongoing suppression, until Jabin was eventually destroyed.
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