They put out great fires. They escaped being killed by swords. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became powerful in battle. They beat back armies from other countries.

灭了烈火的猛势，脱了刀剑的锋刃；软弱变为刚强，争战显出勇敢，打退外邦的全军。

灭了烈火的威力，在锋利的刀剑下逃生，从软弱变为刚强，争战中显出勇猛，打退外邦的全军。

灭了烈火的威力，在锋利的刀剑下逃生，从软弱变为刚强，争战中显出勇猛，打退外邦的全军。

熄灭了猛烈的火焰，刀下逃生，由软弱变为刚强，作战勇猛，击退外敌。

消灭了烈火的威力，逃脱了刀剑的锋刃，软弱变成刚强，在战争中显出大能，把外国的军队击退。

灭了烈火的威力，逃脱了刀剑的锋刃，从软弱中得以刚强，在战争中得以强大，击败了外国的军队。

滅了烈火的猛勢，脫了刀劍的鋒刃；軟弱變為剛強，爭戰顯出勇敢，打退外邦的全軍。

滅了烈火的威力，在鋒利的刀劍下逃生，從軟弱變為剛強，爭戰中顯出勇猛，打退外邦的全軍。

滅了烈火的威力，在鋒利的刀劍下逃生，從軟弱變為剛強，爭戰中顯出勇猛，打退外邦的全軍。

熄滅了猛烈的火焰，刀下逃生，由軟弱變為剛強，作戰勇猛，擊退外敵。

消滅了烈火的威力，逃脫了刀劍的鋒刃，軟弱變成剛強，在戰爭中顯出大能，把外國的軍隊擊退。

撲滅了烈火之威力，躲脫了刀劍的鋒刃，從軟弱中得了能力，在戰爭中顯為勇猛，使外國的隊伍掉頭逃竄。

滅了烈火的威力，逃脫了刀劍的鋒刃，從軟弱中得以剛強，在戰爭中得以強大，擊敗了外國的軍隊。

滅火勢、避鋒刃、弱而強、戰而勇、破異邦軍、

使火燄不傷、鋒刃可避、弱而強、戰而勇、破敵陳、

滅火燄之勢、避刀之鋒刃、由弱成強、於戰則勇、攻退異邦人隊伍、

撲滅燎原、脫免刀兵、轉弱為強、奮勇作戰、所向披靡、無一而不憑信德也。

quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.

quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.

quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight,

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

You are the God who helps kings win battles. You save your servant David. From death by the sword

The Arameans saw that they had been driven away by Israel. So they brought their troops together.Hadadezer had some Arameans brought from east of the Euphrates River. They went to Helam under the command of Shobak. He was the commander of Hadadezer’s army.David was told about it. So he gathered the whole army of Israel together. They went across the Jordan River to Helam. The Arameans lined up their soldiers to go to war against David. They began to fight against him.But then they ran away from Israel. David killed 700 of their chariot riders. He killed 40,000 of their soldiers who were on foot. He also struck down Shobak, the commander of their army. Shobak died there.All the kings who were under the rule of Hadadezer saw that Israel had won the battle over them. So they made a peace treaty with the Israelites. They were brought under Israel’s rule. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

Elisha was sitting in his house. The elders were sitting there with him. The king went to see Elisha. He sent a messenger on ahead of him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha spoke to the elders. He said,“ That murderer is sending someone here to cut off my head. Can’t you see that? When the messenger comes, close the door. Hold it shut against him. Can’t you hear his master’s footsteps right behind him?”

Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the enemy camp. It was about ten o’clock at night. It was just after the guard had been changed. Gideon and his men blew their trumpets. They broke the jars that were in their hands.The three fighting groups blew their trumpets. They smashed their jars. They held their torches in their left hands. They held in their right hands the trumpets they were going to blow. Then they shouted the battle cry,“ A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”Each man stayed in his position around the camp. But all the Midianites ran away in fear. They were crying out as they ran.When the 300 trumpets were blown, the Lord caused all the men in the enemy camp to start fighting one another. They attacked one another with their swords. The army ran away to Beth Shittah toward Zererah. They ran all the way to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.Israelites from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher and all of Manasseh were called out. They chased the Midianites.Gideon sent messengers through the entire hill country of Ephraim. They said,“ Come on down against the Midianites. Take control of the waters of the Jordan River before they get there. Do it all the way to Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out. They took control of the waters of the Jordan all the way to Beth Barah.They also captured Oreb and Zeeb. Those men were two of the Midianite leaders. The men of Ephraim killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb. They killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They chased the Midianites. And they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon. He was by the Jordan River.

He struck them down with heavy blows. He killed many of them. Then he went down and stayed in a cave. It was in the rock of Etam.

David ran and stood over him. He picked up Goliath’s sword and cut off his head with it. The Philistines saw that their hero was dead. So they turned around and ran away.Then the men of Israel and Judah shouted and rushed forward. They chased the Philistines to the entrance of Gath. They chased them to the gates of Ekron. Bodies of dead Philistines were scattered all along the road to Gath and Ekron. That’s the road that leads to Shaaraim.

“ Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered.“ Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”Elisha prayed,“ Lord, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.” Then the Lord opened his eyes. Elisha’s servant looked up and saw the hills. He saw that Elisha was surrounded by horses and chariots made of fire.Aram’s army came down toward Elisha. Then he prayed to the Lord,“ Make these soldiers blind.” So the Lord made them blind, just as Elisha had prayed.

Elijah was afraid. So he ran for his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there.

He said,“ Lord, you are the God of our people who lived long ago. You are the God who is in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You are strong and powerful. No one can fight against you and win.Our God, you drove out the people who lived in this land. You drove them out to make room for your people Israel. You gave this land forever to those who belong to the family line of your friend Abraham.They have lived in this land. They’ve built a temple here for your Name. They have said,‘ Suppose trouble comes on us. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a punishing sword, or plague or hunger. We’ll serve you. We’ll stand in front of this temple where your Name is. We’ll cry out to you when we’re in trouble. Then you will hear us. You will save us.’“ But here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. You wouldn’t allow Israel to march in and attack their territory when the Israelites came from Egypt. So Israel turned away from them. They didn’t destroy them.See how they are paying us back. They are coming to drive us out. They want to take over the land you gave us as our share.Our God, won’t you please judge them? We don’t have the power to face this huge army that’s attacking us. We don’t know what to do. But we’re looking to you to help us.”All the men of Judah stood there in front of the Lord. Their wives, children and little ones were with them.Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel. He was standing among the people of Israel. He was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Benaiah. Benaiah was the son of Jeiel. Jeiel was the son of Mattaniah. Jahaziel was a Levite. He was from the family line of Asaph.Jahaziel said,“ King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you,‘ Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s.Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley in the Desert of Jeruel.You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you. Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Go out and face them tomorrow. The Lord will be with you.’ ”Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem also bowed down. They worshiped the Lord.Then some Levites from the families of Kohath and Korah stood up. They praised the Lord, the God of Israel. They praised him with very loud voices.Early in the morning all the people left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood up. He said,“ Judah, listen to me! People of Jerusalem, listen to me! Have faith in the Lord your God. He’ll take good care of you. Have faith in his prophets. Then you will have success.”Jehoshaphat asked the people for advice. Then he appointed men to sing to the Lord. He wanted them to praise the Lord because of his glory and holiness. They marched out in front of the army. They said,“ Give thanks to the Lord. His faithful love continues forever.”They began to sing and praise him. Then the Lord hid some men and told them to wait. He wanted them to attack the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. They had gone into Judah and attacked it. But they lost the battle.The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir. They destroyed them. They put an end to them. When they finished killing the men from Seir, they destroyed one another.The men of Judah came to the place that looks out over the desert. They turned to look down at the huge army. But all they saw was dead bodies lying there on the ground. No one had escaped.So Jehoshaphat and his men went down there to carry off anything of value. Among the dead bodies they found a large amount of supplies, clothes and other things of value. There was more than they could take away. There was so much it took three days to collect all of it.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was very angry with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The look on his face changed. And he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.He also gave some of the strongest soldiers in his army a command. He ordered them to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Then he told his men to throw them into the blazing furnace.So they were tied up. Then they were thrown into the furnace. They were wearing their robes, pants, turbans and other clothes.The king’s command was carried out quickly. The furnace was so hot that its flames killed the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into it.So the three men were firmly tied up. And they fell into the blazing furnace.Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet. He was so amazed he asked his advisers,“ Didn’t we tie up three men? Didn’t we throw three men into the fire?” They replied,“ Yes, we did, Your Majesty.”The king said,“ Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They aren’t tied up. And the fire hasn’t even harmed them. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods.”Then the king approached the opening of the blazing furnace. He shouted,“ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out! You who serve the Most High God, come here!” So they came out of the fire.The royal rulers, high officials, governors and advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire hadn’t harmed their bodies. Not one hair on their heads was burned. Their robes weren’t burned either. And they didn’t even smell like smoke.Then Nebuchadnezzar said,“ May the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be praised! He has sent his angel and saved his servants. They trusted in him. They refused to obey my command. They were willing to give up their lives. They would rather die than serve or worship any god except their own God.

When there isn’t enough food, God will keep you from dying. When you go into battle, he won’t let a sword strike you down.

Then Isaiah said,“ Press some figs together. Spread them on a piece of cloth.” So that’s what they did. Then they applied it to Hezekiah’s boil. And he got well again.Hezekiah had said to Isaiah,“ You say the Lord will heal me. You say that I’ll go up to his temple on the third day from now. What will the sign be to prove he’ll really do that?”Isaiah answered,“ The Lord will do what he has promised. Here is his sign to you. Do you want the shadow the sun makes to go forward ten steps? Or do you want it to go back ten steps?”“ It’s easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah.“ So have it go back ten steps.”Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord. And the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps. It went back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway Ahaz had made.

Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the terrible things happening to you. The trouble you are having has come to test you. So don’t feel as if something strange were happening to you.

But he said to me,“ My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ’s power can rest on me.Because of how I suffered for Christ, I’m glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.

Then Asa called out to the Lord his God. He said,“ Lord, there isn’t anyone like you. You help the weak against the strong. Lord our God, help us. We trust in you. In your name we have come out to fight against this huge army. Lord, you are our God. Don’t let mere human beings win the battle over you.”The Lord struck down the men of Cush for Asa and Judah. The Cushites ran away.Asa and his army chased them all the way to Gerar. A large number of Cushites fell down wounded or dead. So they couldn’t fight back. The Lord and his army crushed them. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of goods.They destroyed all the villages around Gerar. The Lord had made the people in those villages afraid of him. The men of Judah took everything from all the villages.

Baasha was king of Israel. He marched out against Judah. It was in the 36th year of Asa’s rule over Judah. Baasha built up the walls of Ramah. He did it to keep people from leaving or entering the territory of Asa, the king of Judah.Asa took the silver and gold from among the treasures of the Lord’ s temple and his own palace. He sent it to Ben- Hadad. Ben- Hadad was king of Aram. He was ruling in Damascus.“ Let’s make a peace treaty between us,” Asa said.“ My father and your father had made a peace treaty between them. Now I’m sending you silver and gold. So break your treaty with Baasha, the king of Israel. Then he’ll go back home.”Ben- Hadad agreed with King Asa. He sent his army commanders against the towns of Israel. His army captured Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the cities in Naphtali where Baasha stored things.Baasha heard about it. So he stopped building up Ramah and left that place.Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah to Ramah. They carried away the stones and wood Baasha had been using. Asa used them to build up Geba and Mizpah.At that time Hanani the prophet came to Asa, the king of Judah. He said to him,“ You trusted the king of Aram. You didn’t trust in the Lord your God. So the army of the king of Aram has escaped from you.The people of Cush and Libya had a strong army. They had large numbers of chariots and horsemen. But you trusted in the Lord. So he handed them over to you.The Lord looks out over the whole earth. He gives strength to those who commit their lives completely to him. You have done a foolish thing. From now on you will be at war.”

Get away from me, all you who do evil. The Lord has heard my weeping.

King Hezekiah cried out in prayer to God in heaven. He prayed about the problem Jerusalem was facing. So did Isaiah the prophet. He was the son of Amoz.The Lord sent an angel. The angel wiped out all the enemy’s fighting men, commanders and officers. He put an end to them right there in the camp of the Assyrian king. So Sennacherib went back to his own land in shame. He went into the temple of his god. There some of his own sons, the people closest to him, killed him with their swords.So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. He saved them from the power of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. He also saved them from all their other enemies. He took care of them on every side.

In spite of that, Ahikam stood up for Jeremiah. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. Because of Ahikam, Jeremiah wasn’t handed over to the people to be put to death.

You will pass through deep waters. But I will be with you. You will pass through the rivers. But their waters will not sweep over you. You will walk through fire. But you will not be burned. The flames will not harm you.

Samson approached Lehi. The Philistines came toward him shouting. Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on Samson. The ropes on his arms became like burned thread. They dropped off his hands.He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey. He grabbed it and struck down 1,000 men.Then Samson said,“ By using a donkey’s jawbone I’ve made them look like donkeys. By using a donkey’s jawbone I’ve struck down 1,000 men.”Samson finished speaking. Then he threw the jawbone away. That’s why the place was called Ramath Lehi.Samson was very thirsty. So he cried out to the Lord. He said,“ You have helped me win this great battle. Do I have to die of thirst now? Must I fall into the power of people who haven’t even been circumcised? They aren’t your people.”Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi. Water came out of it. When Samson drank the water, his strength returned. He felt as good as new. So the spring was called En Hakkore. It’s still there in Lehi.Samson led Israel for 20 years. In those days the Philistines were in the land.

You let our enemies ride their chariots over our heads. We went through fire and water. But you brought us to a place where we have everything we need.

Ishbi- Benob belonged to the family line of Rapha. The tip of his bronze spear weighed seven and a half pounds. He was also armed with a new sword. He said he would kill David.But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to save David. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men made a promise. They said to David,“ We never want you to go out with us to battle again. You are the lamp of Israel’s kingdom. We want that lamp to keep on burning brightly.”

Delilah got Samson to go to sleep on her lap. Then she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair. That’s how she began to bring Samson under her control. And he wasn’t strong anymore.She called out,“ Samson! The Philistines are attacking you!” He woke up from his sleep. He thought,“ I’ll go out just as I did before. I’ll shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the Lord had left him.Then the Philistines grabbed him. They poked his eyes out. They took him down to Gaza. They put bronze chains around him. Then they made him grind grain in the prison.His head had been shaved. But the hair on it began to grow again.The rulers of the Philistines gathered together. They were going to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They were going to celebrate. They said,“ Our god has handed our enemy Samson over to us.”When the people saw Samson, they praised their god. They said,“ Our god has handed our enemy over to us. Our enemy has destroyed our land. He has killed large numbers of our people.”After they had drunk a lot of wine, they shouted,“ Bring Samson out. Let him put on a show for us.” So they called Samson out of the prison. He put on a show for them. They had him stand near the temple pillars.Then he spoke to the servant who was holding his hand. He said,“ Put me where I can feel the pillars. I’m talking about the ones that hold up the temple. I want to lean against them.”The temple was crowded with men and women. All the Philistine rulers were there. About 3,000 men and women were on the roof. They were watching Samson put on a show.Then he prayed to the Lord. Samson said,“ Lord and King, show me that you still have concern for me. Please, God, make me strong just one more time. Let me pay the Philistines back for what they did to my two eyes. Let me do it with only one blow.”Then Samson reached toward the two pillars that were in the middle of the temple. They were the ones that held up the temple. He put his right hand on one of them. He put his left hand on the other. He leaned hard against them.Samson said,“ Let me die together with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might. The temple came down on the rulers. It fell on all the people in it. So Samson killed many more Philistines when he died than he did while he lived.

While David was king of Israel, he won many battles over the Philistines. He brought them under his control. He took Metheg Ammah away from them.David also won the battle over the people of Moab. He made them lie down on the ground. Then he measured them off with a piece of rope. He put two- thirds of them to death. He let the other third remain alive. So the Moabites were brought under David’s rule. They gave him the gifts he required them to bring him.David fought against Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah. He had gone to repair his monument at the Euphrates River.David captured 1,000 of Hadadezer’s chariots, 7,000 chariot riders and 20,000 soldiers on foot. He cut the legs of all but 100 of the chariot horses.The Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. But David struck down 22,000 of them.He stationed some soldiers in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. The people of Aram were brought under his rule. They gave him the gifts he required them to bring him. The Lord helped David win his battles everywhere he went.David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer. He brought the shields to Jerusalem.He took a huge amount of bronze from Tebah and Berothai. Those towns belonged to Hadadezer.Tou was king of Hamath. He heard that David had won the battle over the entire army of Hadadezer.So Tou sent his son Joram to King David. Joram greeted David. He praised David because he had won the battle over Hadadezer. Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. So Joram brought with him gifts made out of silver, of gold and of bronze.King David set those gifts apart for the Lord. He had done the same thing with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations. Those were nations he had brought under his control.Those nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia and Amalek. He also set apart for the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah.David returned after he had struck down 18,000 men of Edom in the Valley of Salt. He became famous for doing it.He stationed some soldiers all through Edom. The whole nation of Edom was brought under David’s rule. The Lord helped him win his battles everywhere he went.David ruled over the whole nation of Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, kept the records.Zadok, the son of Ahitub, was a priest. Ahimelek, the son of Abiathar, was also a priest. Seraiah was the secretary.Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.

Using his hands and feet, Jonathan climbed up. The young man was right behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. The young man followed him and killed those who were still alive.In that first attack, Jonathan and the young man killed about 20 men. They did it in an area of about half an acre.Then panic struck the whole Philistine army. It struck those who were in the camp and those in the field. It struck those who were at the edge of the camp. It also struck those who were in the groups that had been sent out to attack Israel. The ground shook. It was a panic that God had sent.

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him successful again. He gave him twice as much as he had before.

Gideon and his 300 men were very tired. But they kept on chasing their enemies. They came to the Jordan River and went across it.Gideon said to the men of Sukkoth,“ Give my troops some bread. They are worn out. And I’m still chasing Zebah and Zalmunna. They are the kings of Midian.”But the officials of Sukkoth objected. They said,“ Have you already killed Zebah and Zalmunna? Have you cut their hands off and brought them back to prove it? If you haven’t, why should we give bread to your troops?”Gideon replied,“ The Lord will hand Zebah and Zalmunna over to me. When he does, I’ll tear your skin with thorns from desert bushes.”From there Gideon went up to Peniel. He asked its men for the same thing. But they answered as the men of Sukkoth had.So he said to the men of Peniel,“ I’ll be back after I’ve won the battle. Then I’ll tear down this tower.”Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor. They had an army of about 15,000 men. That’s all that were left of the armies of the tribes from the east. About 120,000 men who carried swords had died in battle.

David was in Naioth at Ramah. He ran away from there to where Jonathan was. He asked him,“ What have I done? What crime have I committed? I haven’t done anything to harm your father. So why is he trying to kill me?”