# a mother took command in Israel

This speaks of Deborah's leadership as if she were the mother of the Israelites. AT: "I took care of the Israelites like a mother takes care of her children" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# they chose new gods

The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "the people of Israel worshiped new gods" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# there was fighting at the city gates

Here "gates" represents the entire city. The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "enemies attacked the people within the Israelite cities" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# there were no shields or spears seen among forty thousand in Israel

This statement is probably an exaggeration about how few weapons the Israelites had. AT: "few weapons for battle remained in Israel" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]])

# forty thousand in Israel

"40,000 in Israel" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/israel]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/falsegod]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/gate]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/shield]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/spear]]