Judges 5:6

Judges 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
• New International Version (NIV)“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways.

Context of Judges 5:6

4“Lord, when you set out from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain. 5The mountains quaked in the presence of the Lord, the God of Mount Sinai— in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel. “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. 7There were few people left in the villages of Israel— until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel. 8When 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!

Judges 5:6 word by word

בִּימֵ֞י שַׁמְגַּ֤ר בֶּן־עֲנָת֙ בִּימֵ֣י יָעֵ֔ל חָדְל֖וּ אֳרָח֑וֹת וְהֹלְכֵ֣י נְתִיב֔וֹת יֵלְכ֕וּ אֳרָח֖וֹת עֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of Shamgarשַׁמְגַּרshamgar · ShamgarH8044
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Anathעֲנָת‛ănâth · AnathH6067
• of Jaelיָעֵלyâ‛êl · JaelH3278
• the highwaysאֹ֫רַח'ôrach · wayH734
• were unoccupiedחָדַלchâdal · to ceaseH2308
• and the travellersהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• walkedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• through bywaysנְתִיבָהnâthîyb nethîybâh nethibâh · pathH5410
• through bywaysעֲקַלְקַל‛ăqalqal · crookedH6128

Cross-references for Judges 5:6

• Judges 3:31After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.
• Judges 4:17Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor.
• Leviticus 26:22I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock. Your numbers will dwindle, and your roads will be deserted.
• 2 Chronicles 15:5“During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land.
• Isaiah 33:8Your roads are deserted; no one travels them anymore. The Assyrians have broken their peace treaty and care nothing for the promises they made before witnesses. They have no respect for anyone.
• Lamentations 1:4The roads to Jerusalem are in mourning, for crowds no longer come to celebrate the festivals. The city gates are silent, her priests groan, her young women are crying— how bitter is her fate!
• Lamentations 4:18We couldn’t go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed!
• Micah 3:12Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.
• Psalms 125:5But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace!

Commentaries on Judges 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The highways were unoccupied - The land was full of anarchy and confusion, being everywhere infested with banditti. No public road was safe; and in going from place to place, the people were obliged to use unfrequented paths.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Words dcscriptive of a state of weakness and fear, so that Israel could not frequent the highways. It is a graphic description of a country occupied by an enemy.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 Deborah describes the distressed state of Israel under the tyranny of Jabin, that their salvation might appear more gracious. She shows what brought this misery upon them. It was their idolatry. They chose new gods, with new names. But under all these images, Satan was worshipped. Deborah was a mother to Israel, by diligently promoting the salvation of their souls. She calls on those who shared the advantages of this great salvation, to offer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6During this chaotic and uncertain time, people outside the main walled cities had little security. Even Shamgar (see Judges 3:31) did not ease the suffering of common people. They endured hardships under the Canaanites and their cruel commander, Sisera.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-86-8. The song proceeds in these verses to describe the sad condition of the country, the oppression of the people, and the origin of all the national distress in the people's apostasy from God. Idolatry was the cause of foreign invasion and internal inability to resist it.Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 5:6

• Country
• Jael
• Patriotism
• Shamgar

In the dictionaries

• Barak
• Byways
• Deborah
• Ehud
• Fight
• Jabin
• Lattice
• Poetry
• Rehearse
• Searching

Commentaries on Judges 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings