Judges 5:6-8 meaning

Verse 6 recalls the time of oppression in Israel before Deborah’s leadership:

“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
In the days of Jael, the roads were deserted,
And travelers went by roundabout ways” (v 6).

Shamgar, mentioned briefly in Judges 3:31, was another deliverer raised up by God, but even during his time, Israel was still in turmoil. The roads were deserted because of the dangers posed by Canaanite oppression, likely due to the constant threat of attack by Sisera’s forces. Travelers avoided the main roads, taking more difficult and concealed routes to stay safe. This paints a vivid picture of how deeply the oppression impacted everyday life in Israel, a society living in fear under enemy control. We see Jael also mentioned here, pointing out her part to play in the narrative of Sisera’s defeat. The song will heavily focus on her in later verses (Judges 5:24-27).

Deborah then reveals herself as the author of the following verse as she explains her part of the story:

“The peasantry came to an end, they came to an end in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Until I arose, a mother in Israel” (v 7).

The word peasantry likely refers to the common life of the people—agriculture, trade, and daily routines—which had come to a halt due to the widespread fear and insecurity caused by the Canaanites. Deborah poetically declares that this situation persisted until she arose as a mother in Israel (v 7). Her description of herself here highlights her nurturing and protective role. Deborah was a judge and military leader, but she executed those roles as a maternal figure who cared for and guided Israel during a time of crisis. This maternal imagery emphasizes her unique leadership style, which was both strong and compassionate.

Verse 8 summarizes the cycle of sin that Israel chooses time and time again, saying,

“New gods were chosen;
Then war was in the gates.
Not a shield or a spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel” (v 8).

By choosing their own way, the way of destruction and sin, the Israelites had rejected the law of God (Exodus 20:3).

The root cause of Israel’s suffering is revealed in that they chose new gods. They repeatedly turn away from the Lord and worship the false gods of the surrounding nations, as seen all throughout Israel’s history and throughout the Book of Judges (Judges 2:11-13). Their idolatry led to God allowing their enemies to oppress them. The phrase war was in the gates (v 8) indicates that the threat of conflict had reached the heart of Israel, symbolized by their cities’ gates, the traditional places of governance and protection.

The phrase not a shield or a spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel (v 8) underscores Israel’s vulnerability. The people were left defenseless, lacking the basic equipment to fight back against their enemies. Their unpreparedness divulges the spiritual and military decline that accompanied their idolatry.

Just as they had forsaken God, they had also lost their means of defending themselves, illustrating the close connection between spiritual faithfulness and national security in Israel’s history. Israel’s reliance on their own strength had failed (Proverbs 3:5), and they were left without weapons, completely exposed to their enemies. The helplessness of Israel, without shields or spears, points to the need for God’s intervention.

Judges 5:6-8 vividly portrays the despair and chaos in Israel before God raised up Deborah. Their idolatry led to oppression, fear, and helplessness, but through Deborah’s leadership, God would deliver them. Each judge is a temporary savior, providing but an image of the eternal Savior to come.