6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned;

travelers took to winding paths.

7 Villagers in Israel would not fight;

they held back until I, Deborah, arose,

until I arose, a mother in Israel.

8 God chose new leaders

when war came to the city gates,

but not a shield or spear was seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,

And the travellers walked through byways.

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel,

Until that I Deborah arose,

That I arose a mother in Israel.

8 They chose new gods;

Then was war in the gates:

Was there a shield or spear seen

Among forty thousand in Israel?

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

and in the days of Jael,

people avoided the main roads,

and travelers stayed on winding pathways.

7 There were few people left in the villages of Israel—

until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.

8 When Israel chose new gods,

war erupted at the city gates.

Yet not a shield or spear could be seen

among forty thousand warriors in Israel!

6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,

In the days of Jael,

The highways were deserted,

And the travelers walked along the byways.

7 Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,

Until I, Deborah, arose,

Arose a mother in Israel.

8 They chose new gods;

Then there was war in the gates;

Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, the main roads were empty.

Travelers went on the back roads.

7 There were no warriors in Israel

until I, Deborah, arose,

until I arose to be a mother to Israel.

8 At that time they chose to follow new gods.

Because of this, enemies fought us at our city gates.

No one could find a shield or a spear

among the forty thousand people of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,

And the travellers walked through byways.

7 The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,

Until that I Deborah arose,

That I arose a mother in Israel.

8 They chose new gods;

Then was war in the gates:

Was there a shield or spear seen

Among forty thousand in Israel?

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, The roads were unused, and the travellers on highways went by crooked paths. 7 The villages ceased in Israel, Ceased until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

6 In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, 

in the days of Jael, 

roads were deserted. 

Those who traveled took back roads. 

7 Villages in Israel were deserted— 

deserted until I, Deborah, took a stand— 

took a stand as a mother of Israel. 

8 When the people chose new gods, 

war broke out inside the city gates. 

Not a weapon was seen among 40,000 in Israel. 

6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael,

the main ways were deserted

because travelers kept to the side roads.

7 Villages were deserted,

they were deserted in Israel,

until I, Deborah, arose,

a mother in Israel.

8 Israel chose new gods,

then war was in the gates.

Not a shield or spear was seen

among 40,000 in Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, caravans ceased,

and travelers kept to the byways.

7 The peasantry prospered in Israel;

they grew fat on plunder,

because you arose, Deborah,

arose as a mother in Israel.

8 When new gods were chosen,

then war was in the gates.

Was shield or spear to be seen

among forty thousand in Israel?

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, the caravans had ceased,

the travelers, they kept to the byways.

7 The warriors ceased;

they failed to appear in Israel,

until I, Deborah, arose;

I arose as a mother in Israel.

8 God chose new leaders,

then war was at the gates;

a small shield or a spear was not seen

among forty thousand in Israel.

6 “The roads were deserted. So travelers used the winding paths.

That happened in the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath.

It happened in the days of Jael.

7 Life in the villages of Israel stopped.

It stopped until I, Deborah, came.

I came as a mother in Israel.

8 The people chose new gods.

Then war came to the city gates.

But no shields or spears were seen anywhere.

There weren’t any among 40,000 men in Israel.

6 “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways were deserted,

And travelers went by roundabout ways.

7 “The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel,

Until I, Deborah, arose,

Until I arose, a mother in Israel.

8 “New gods were chosen;

Then war was in the gates.

Not a shield or a spear was seen

Among forty thousand in Israel.