Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
"For that the leaders took the lead in Israel"  (Judges 5:2).  Myers mentioned an alternative rendition here, making the words read, "When locks hung loose in Israel,"[8] making this a symbol of the vows which many Israelites had vowed unto the Lord.  However, such an idea contradicts the revelation in  Judges 5:8 that there was at that time a widespread "choice of new gods" instead of Jehovah, on the part of Israel.  Therefore, such a translation should be rejected as a misstatement.