Then the nations around Judah tried to make its people lose hope. They wanted to make them afraid to go on building.

那地的民，就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们；

那地的人就在犹大百姓建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们。

那地的人就在犹大百姓建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们。

于是，当地人阻挠犹大人，使他们不敢建殿，

于是那地方的居民使犹大人的手发软，惊扰他们的建筑工程。

那地的民，就在猶大人建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們；

那地的人就在猶大百姓建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們。

那地的人就在猶大百姓建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們。

於是，當地人阻撓猶大人，使他們不敢建殿，

於是那地方的居民使猶大人的手發軟，驚擾他們的建築工程。

國中的平民就使猶大人的手發軟；當他們建造的時候常阻擾他們。

緣此、斯土之民使猶大人手弱、擾其工作、

敵國於猶大族建殿時則阻之、使畏難而止。

自此、斯地居民、使猶大之民心灰、恐喝之、俾止工不建、

Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build

Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work.

Then the people who were already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build.

Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building,

Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building,

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

Then the people who were already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

Then the local people began to discourage the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

The people who built the altar were afraid of the nations around them. But they built it anyway. They set it up where it had stood before. They sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord. They offered the morning and evening sacrifices on it.

Then these officials said to the king,“ This man should be put to death. What he says is making the soldiers who are left in this city lose hope. It’s making all the people lose hope too. He isn’t interested in what is best for the people. In fact, he’s trying to destroy them.”

But Sanballat and Tobiah heard that Jerusalem’s walls continued to be repaired. The Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard about it too. They heard that the gaps in the wall were being filled in. So they were very angry.All of them made evil plans to come and fight against Jerusalem. They wanted to stir up trouble against it.

And our enemies said,“ We will be right there among them. We’ll kill them. We’ll put an end to their work. We’ll do it before they even know it or see us.”

Strengthen the hands of those who are weak. Help those whose knees give way.Say to those whose hearts are afraid,“ Be strong and do not fear. Your God will come. He will pay your enemies back. He will come to save you.”

All of them were trying to frighten us. They thought,“ Their hands will get too weak to do the work. So it won’t be completed.” But I prayed to God. I said,“ Make my hands stronger.”