But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. Jehoash said,“ A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. The thorn bush said,‘ Give your daughter to be married to my son.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It crushed the thorn bush by walking on it.

以色列王约阿施差遣使者去见犹大王亚玛谢，说：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜差遣使者去见黎巴嫩的香柏树，说：将你的女儿给我儿子为妻。后来黎巴嫩有一只野兽经过，把蒺藜践踏了。

以色列王约阿施派人去见犹大王亚玛谢，说：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去见黎巴嫩的香柏树，说：‘将你的女儿嫁给我的儿子。’但有一只野兽经过黎巴嫩，把蒺藜践踏了。

以色列王约阿施派人去见犹大王亚玛谢，说：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去见黎巴嫩的香柏树，说：‘将你的女儿嫁给我的儿子。’但有一只野兽经过黎巴嫩，把蒺藜践踏了。

以色列王约阿施派人对犹大王亚玛谢说：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜派使者去对黎巴嫩的香柏树说，‘将你女儿嫁给我儿子吧。’后来黎巴嫩的一只野兽经过，把那蒺藜践踏在脚下。

以色列王约阿施派人去见犹大王亚玛谢说：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去见黎巴嫩的香柏树说：‘请你把你的女儿给我的儿子作妻子吧！’后来有黎巴嫩的野兽经过，就把蒺藜踩倒了。

以色列王約阿施差遣使者去見猶大王亞瑪謝，說：「黎巴嫩的蒺藜差遣使者去見黎巴嫩的香柏樹，說：將你的女兒給我兒子為妻。後來黎巴嫩有一個野獸經過，把蒺藜踐踏了。

以色列王約阿施派人去見猶大王亞瑪謝，說：「黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去見黎巴嫩的香柏樹，說：『將你的女兒嫁給我的兒子。』但有一隻野獸經過黎巴嫩，把蒺藜踐踏了。

以色列王約阿施派人去見猶大王亞瑪謝，說：「黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去見黎巴嫩的香柏樹，說：『將你的女兒嫁給我的兒子。』但有一隻野獸經過黎巴嫩，把蒺藜踐踏了。

以色列王約阿施派人對猶大王亞瑪謝說：「黎巴嫩的蒺藜派使者去對黎巴嫩的香柏樹說，『將你女兒嫁給我兒子吧。』後來黎巴嫩的一隻野獸經過，把那蒺藜踐踏在腳下。

以色列王約阿施派人去見猶大王亞瑪謝說：“黎巴嫩的蒺藜派人去見黎巴嫩的香柏樹說：‘請你把你的女兒給我的兒子作妻子吧！’後來有黎巴嫩的野獸經過，就把蒺藜踩倒了。

以色列王約阿施就差遣人去見猶大王亞瑪謝，說：『利巴嫩的蒺藜差遣人去見利巴嫩的香柏樹，說：「將你的女兒給我的兒子為妻吧」；後來有一隻利巴嫩的野獸從那裏經過，就把蒺藜踐踏了。

以色列王約阿施、遣使見猶大王亞瑪謝曰、利巴嫩之蒺藜、遣使謂利巴嫩之香柏曰、以爾女妻我子、有利巴嫩之野獸過之、踐其蒺藜、

以色列王約瞎、語使者曰、利巴嫩有荊棘、謂柏香木云、當以爾女妻我子、猝有獸過、荊棘為其蹂躪。

以色列王約阿施遣使見猶大王亞瑪謝曰、利巴嫩之荊棘、遣使謂利巴嫩之柏香木曰、爾以爾女予我子為妻、後利巴嫩之野獸過焉、荊棘為其所蹂躪、

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah:“ A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon,‘ Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.

And Jehoash king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah,“ A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son for a wife,’ and a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle.

But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story:“ Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree:‘ Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!

King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying,“ The thistle in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

But Jehoash king of Israel sent messengers to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,“ The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.

And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,“ The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.

King Jehoash of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,“ The thistle that was in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that[ was] in Lebanon sent to the cedar that[ was] in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that[ was] in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah,“ A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon,‘ Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn.

Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,“ The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son as wife. Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.

One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to an olive tree,‘ Be our king.’“ But the olive tree answered,‘ Should I give up my olive oil? It’s used to honor gods and people alike. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’“ Next, the trees said to a fig tree,‘ Come and be our king.’“ But the fig tree replied,‘ Should I give up my fruit? It’s so good and sweet. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’“ Then the trees said to a vine,‘ Come and be our king.’“ But the vine answered,‘ Should I give up my wine? It cheers up gods and people alike. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’“ Finally, all the trees spoke to a bush that had thorns. They said,‘ Come and be our king.’“ The bush asked the trees,‘ Do you really want to anoint me as king over you? If you do, come and rest in my shade. But if you don’t, I will destroy you! Fire will come out of me and burn up the cedar trees of Lebanon!’

Then I said,“ Lord and King, people are talking about me. They are saying,‘ Isn’t he just telling stories?’ ”

The Israelites saw that their army was in deep trouble. So they hid in caves. They hid among bushes and rocks. They also hid in pits and empty wells.

From the time I was young, I’ve helped those widows. I’ve raised those children as a father would.

The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David. When Nathan came to him, he said,“ Two men lived in the same town. One was rich. The other was poor.The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle.But all the poor man had was one little female lamb. He had bought it. He raised it. It grew up with him and his children. It shared his food. It drank from his cup. It even slept in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.“ One day a traveler came to the rich man. The rich man wanted to prepare a meal for him. But he didn’t want to kill one of his own sheep or cattle. Instead, he took the little female lamb that belonged to the poor man. Then the rich man cooked it for the traveler who had come to him.”

So Amaziah let the troops go who had come to him from Ephraim. He sent them home. They were very angry with Judah. They were still very angry when they went home.Then Amaziah showed how strong he was. He led his army to the Valley of Salt. There he killed 10,000 men of Seir.The army of Judah also captured 10,000 men alive. The army of Judah took them to the top of a cliff. Then they threw them down. All of them were smashed to pieces.The troops Amaziah had sent back attacked some towns that belonged to Judah. Amaziah hadn’t allowed the troops to take part in the war. They attacked towns from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed 3,000 people. They carried off huge amounts of goods.

So the Lord brought the army commanders of the king of Assyria against them. They took Manasseh as a prisoner. They put a hook in his nose. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.

Some of you will escape without being destroyed. But you will die in Egypt. Your bodies will be buried at Memphis. Weeds will cover your treasures of silver. Thorns will grow up in your tents.

“ My love, among the young women you are like a lily among thorns.”

He spoke about plants. He knew everything about them, from the cedar trees in Lebanon to the hyssop plants that grow out of walls. He spoke about animals and birds. He also spoke about reptiles and fish.

But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. Jehoash said,“ A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. The thorn bush said,‘ Give your daughter to be married to my son.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It crushed the thorn bush by walking on it.

A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like a thorn in the hand of someone who is drunk.

Thorns will cover its forts. Bushes and weeds will cover its safest places. It will become a home for wild dogs. It will become a place where owls live.