He makes nations great, and then he destroys them. He makes nations grow, and then he scatters them.

他使邦国兴旺而又毁灭；他使邦国开广而又掳去。

他使邦国兴旺而又毁灭，使邦国扩展又被掠夺。

他使邦国兴旺而又毁灭，使邦国扩展又被掠夺。

祂使列国兴起又灭亡，祂使列国扩张又崩溃。

他使邦国兴盛，又毁灭他们，扩张邦国，又把他们掳去。

他使邦國興旺而又毀滅；他使邦國開廣而又擄去。

他使邦國興旺而又毀滅，使邦國擴展又被掠奪。

他使邦國興旺而又毀滅，使邦國擴展又被掠奪。

祂使列國興起又滅亡，祂使列國擴張又崩潰。

他使邦國興盛，又毀滅他們，擴張邦國，又把他們擄去。

他使邦國旺大、而又滅亡；使列族擴展、又給帶走。

使列邦時興時滅、或廓之、或虜之、

生齒既繁、復加翦滅、版圖既廓、再使侵削。

使列國興盛、復又滅之、使萬邦開廓、復使衰蹙、

He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.

He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them.

He makes nations great, then destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away.

He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.

He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.

He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

He makes nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges nations, then leads them away.

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them[ again].

He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them.

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

Lord, you have made our nation grow. You have made it larger. You have gained glory for yourself. You have increased the size of our land.

Lord, you will make our nation larger. You will increase their joy. They will show you how glad they are. They will be as glad as people are at harvest time. They will be as glad as warriors are when they share the things they’ve taken after a battle.

The smallest family among you will become a tribe. The smallest tribe will become a mighty nation. I am the Lord. When it is the right time, I will act quickly.”

He blessed the people, and they greatly increased their numbers. He kept their herds from getting smaller.

So God was kind to Shiphrah and Puah. And the number of Israelites became even greater.

I will signal for my people to come, and I will gather them in. I will set them free. There will be as many of them as before.

From those places the songs of people giving thanks will be heard. The sound of great joy will come from there. I will cause there to be more of my people. There will not be fewer of them. I will bring them honor. People will have respect for them.

Consider Abraham. He is the father of your people. Think about Sarah. She is your mother. When I chose Abraham, he did not have any children. But I blessed him and gave him many of them.

Here is what I will do for my servant David. And here is what I will do for the Levites who serve me. I will make their children after them as many as the stars in the sky. And I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. It will be impossible to count them.”

The people of Israel had many children. The number of them greatly increased. There were so many of them that they filled the land.

In days to come, Jacob’s people will put down roots like a vine. Israel will bud and bloom. They will fill the whole world with fruit.