For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying,“ They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

他们都要使我们惧怕，意思说，他们的手必软弱，以致工作不能成就。神啊，求你坚固我的手。

他们全都要使我们惧怕，说：“他们的手必软弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。”现在，求你坚固我的手。

他们全都要使我们惧怕，说：“他们的手必软弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。”现在，求你坚固我的手。

因为他们想恐吓我们，以为我们会吓得手发软，无法完成工程。但上帝啊，求你使我的手有力量！

其实他们众人是在恐吓我们，心里说：“他们的手必软弱，不能再作这工程，不会完工了！”现在，坚固我的手。

他們都要使我們懼怕，意思說，他們的手必軟弱，以致工作不能成就。神啊，求你堅固我的手。

他們全都要使我們懼怕，說：「他們的手必軟弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。」現在，求你堅固我的手。

他們全都要使我們懼怕，說：「他們的手必軟弱，不能工作，以致不能完工。」現在，求你堅固我的手。

因為他們想恐嚇我們，以為我們會嚇得手發軟，無法完成工程。但上帝啊，求你使我的手有力量！

其實他們眾人是在恐嚇我們，心裡說：“他們的手必軟弱，不能再作這工程，不會完工了！”現在，堅固我的手。

他們都要使我懼怕，意思是說：『他們的手會從這工作上發軟下來，以致工程作不了。』但現在呢、加強我的手吧。

蓋彼眾欲恐我、意謂我手必弱、以致工作不得成功、然我乃強厥手、○

彼言此、欲以懼我、使我心危、工作廢弛、然我志益銳。

彼眾皆欲使我懼、意謂、我必心灰、止息工作、致不得成、主歟、惟求鼓勵我、鼓勵我原文作堅我手○

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking,“ Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed,“ Now strengthen my hands.”

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.”

For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking,“ Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking,“ They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.

For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying,“ Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.

For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying,“ They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen me.

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore,[ O God], strengthen my hands.

All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing,“ Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.” So now, strengthen my hands!

For they all would have made us afraid, saying,“ Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

On the day I called, you answered me; you increased strength within me.

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.

I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them,“ Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them,“ You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”Then the people who were already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build.They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues— the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa( that is, the people of Elam),and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River.This is the text of the letter they sent to him: To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the kingthat a search should be made in your predecessors’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings.The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it.Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer.As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.

I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

But he said to me,“ My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

LORD, I seek refuge in you; let me never be disgraced.

Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,

The officials then said to the king,“ This man ought to die, because he is weakening the morale of the warriors who remain in this city and of all the people by speaking to them in this way. This man is not pursuing the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

I will strengthen them in the LORD, and they will march in his name— this is the LORD’s declaration.

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall.And our enemies said,“ They won’t realize it until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.”When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,“ Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,“ Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”

But as for you, be strong; don’t give up, for your work has a reward.”

Then they called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem, who were on the wall, to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city.

Strengthen the weak hands, steady the shaking knees!Say to the cowardly:“ Be strong; do not fear! Here is your God; vengeance is coming. God’s retribution is coming; he will save you.”

David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

God, you are awe-inspiring in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!