This verse is also well known for its difficulties, so translators will need to understand where the problems lie and what might be done about them.
When new gods were chosen can be directly linked to the accusations found in verse 2.11-13. Once the Israelites entered Canaan, they abandoned Yahweh and served the local gods. Despite this link, the meaning behind this line is not so clear. New gods renders an unusual Hebrew phrase, which is literally “gods new [ones].” The first word is the standard term for “god” (ʾelohim) that can be used for God himself or foreign gods. The context makes it clear that foreign gods are in view. New gods refers to the Canaanite gods, previously unknown to the Israelites. Contemporary English Version says “other gods,” which is a good model to follow. Were chosen renders an active Hebrew verb, which is literally “he chose.” The pronoun “he” probably refers to Israel, so Good News Translation renders this whole line as “when the Israelites chose new gods.” The verb implies adoration or worship, which Contemporary English Version makes clear by saying “The Israelites worshiped other gods.” Revised English Bible is less specific with “They chose new gods” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Revised Standard Version‘s passive expression can be changed into an active one, for example, “The Israelites chose to follow new gods.”
Then war was in the gates: Then renders a Hebrew word (ʾaz) that implies a cause-result relationship between Israel’s worship of other gods and the attacks on its cities. Another possible connector is “so.” War expresses the majority reading of a difficult Hebrew text, which seems derived from the verb lacham (“fight”). verse 5.11 says the Israelites were at the gates of the Canaanite cities, attacking them. But here it is Canaanites or other foreigners who attacked Israel. In many languages it will not be possible to use the abstract noun war as an agent, so it may be necessary to use other wording, for example, “and the gates of their towns were then attacked” (Contemporary English Version) or “then fighters appeared in the city gates” ( NET Bible). The gates were the entrances of the Israelite cities or towns that had defensive walls. Often the word gates can refer to the cities and towns themselves or to the people living in them, so we might say “so there was fighting in the towns.” Good News Translation is similar with “Then there was war in the land.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh interprets the Hebrew as a question, saying “Was there a fighter then in the gates?” implying that there was none. This is a possible interpretation, but most translators will prefer to follow the majority interpretation here.
The French version Parole de Vie is particularly dynamic for the first half of this verse:
The Israelites chose [to follow] new gods,
and immediately, it was war.
Other possible models are:
• Israel chose new gods.
And it was then their towns came under attack.
• The Israelites chose to follow foreign gods,
and war broke out in the land.
Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?: In Hebrew this clause appears as a concession statement, which is literally “If there was to be seen a shield or a spear among 40,000….” Some versions consider it to be a question (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible), while others see it as a negative statement (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). There is really little difference in meaning, since the question is rhetorical and assumes a negative response. The statement is an exaggeration, but means that the Israelites were basically unarmed. According to the following verse, some Israelite soldiers responded to the call to battle, so evidently there were a few weapons, though certainly not a substantial number. Translators can express this idea in a natural way here. New Jerusalem Bible gives a good model for a rhetorical question:
Was there one shield, one spear to be found
among the forty thousand men in Israel?
However, many languages will prefer a strong negative statement, as in Revised English Bible:
Not a shield was to be seen, not a lance
among forty thousand Israelites.
Shield or spear refers to two basic weapons used by professional soldiers at that time. A shield is a covering held up in front of a soldier meant to protect him from arrows or the blows of a sword. A spear is a long sharpened pole that can be thrust or thrown to kill a person. Most cultures in the world are familiar with “spears,” but not all will know “shields.” Translators should try to use common words, and avoid long descriptions in this poetic context.
The number forty occurs often in this book (see verse 3.11), as does the word thousand (see verse 1.4). Here the word thousand could refer to a military unit, but most translators prefer to speak of “forty thousand soldiers” or “40,000 men.” Forty thousand in Israel may be rendered “40,000 Israelite warriors.”
One model for this verse is:
• The Israelites chose to follow other gods,
and war erupted at their gates!
Not a single shield or spear [could be found]
for the forty thousand soldiers in Israel!
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .