When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
Here, I. Deborah describes the distressed state of Israel under the tyranny of Jabin, that the greatness of their trouble might make their salvation appear the more illustrious and the more gracious (Jdg 5:6): From the days of Shamgar, who did something towards the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, to the days of Jael, the present day, in which Jael has so signalized herself...
Commenting on Judges 5:6-11
They chose new gods,.... That is, Israel, as most of the Jewish commentators interpret it; for the verb is singular, and Israel agrees well with it: this they did after the death of Joshua; it refers to their first idolatry, begun by Micah, Jdg 17:1 they chose other gods than the true God; Baalim and Ashtaroth they are said to serve, Jdg 2:11, and besides...
Jdg 5:6-8 6 In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the paths kept holiday, And the wanderers of the paths went crooked ways. 7 The towns in Israel kept holiday, they kept holiday, Until that I, Deborah, arose, That I arose a mother in Israel 8 They chose new gods; Then was war at the gates: Was there...
Commenting on Judges 5:6-8