Judges 5:6-8

Easy-to-Read Version

⁶“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,^[a]
and in the days of Jael, the main roads were empty.
Caravans and travelers traveled on the back roads.

⁷“There were no soldiers in Israel
until you came, Deborah,
until you came to be a mother to Israel.^[b]

⁸“God chose new leaders
to fight at the city gates.^[c]
No one could find a shield or a spear
among the 40,000 soldiers of Israel.

Judges 5:6 Shamgar son of Anath A judge of Israel. See Judges 3:31.
Judges 5:7 until you … to Israel Or “until I came, Deborah, until I came, mother of Israel.” Or “until I established you, Deborah, until I established you, mother of Israel.”
Judges 5:8 God chose … gates Or “They chose to follow new gods. So they had to fight at their city gates.” The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.