Yet he heard them when they cried out. He paid special attention to their suffering.

然而，他听见他们哀告的时候，就眷顾他们的急难，

然而，他听见他们哀告的时候，就眷顾他们的急难，

然而，他听见他们哀告的时候，就眷顾他们的急难，

但祂听见他们在苦难中呼求时，仍然眷顾他们。

可是他听到了他们哀叫的时候，就垂顾他们的苦难。

然而，当他听到他们呼声的时候，就垂顾他们的危难，

然而，他聽見他們哀告的時候，就眷顧他們的急難，

然而，他聽見他們哀告的時候，就眷顧他們的急難，

然而，他聽見他們哀告的時候，就眷顧他們的急難，

但祂聽見他們在苦難中呼求時，仍然眷顧他們。

可是他聽到了他們哀叫的時候，就垂顧他們的苦難。

然而他聽見了他們的喊求時，就看到他們於急難中。

然而，當他聽到他們呼聲的時候，就垂顧他們的危難，

然猶聽其呼籲、恤其患難兮、

民逢禍患、主聞其籲、復加眷顧兮、

斯民急難時、主仍眷顧之、俯聽其哀告、

窮極呼主。主聞其哭。天心實慈。愍其窘蹙。

Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;

Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry.

Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries.

When he heard their cry, he took note of their distress,

Nevertheless He looked at their distress When He heard their cry;

Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry;

Nevertheless he regarded their distress, When he heard their cry:

When He heard their cry, He took note of their distress,

Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

Yet he took notice of their distress, when he heard their cry for help.

Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.

They cried out to the Lord. Then he provided someone to save them. The man’s name was Othniel, the son of Kenaz. He was Caleb’s younger brother.

Jabin used 900 chariots that had some iron parts. He treated the Israelites very badly for 20 years. So they cried out to the Lord for help.

When the Lord gave them a leader, he was with that leader. The Lord saved the people from the power of their enemies. He did it as long as the leader lived. The Lord felt very sorry for the people. They groaned because of what their enemies did to them. Their enemies treated them badly.

They said to Samuel,“ Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God to help us. Keep praying that he’ll save us from the power of the Philistines.”Then Samuel got a very young lamb. He sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord to help Israel. And the Lord answered his prayer.The Philistines came near to attack Israel. At that time Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He threw them into such a panic that the Israelites were able to chase them away.The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah. They chased the Philistines all the way to a point below Beth Kar. They killed them all along the way.Then Samuel got a big stone. He set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer. He said,“ The Lord has helped us every step of the way.”

The Midianites made the Israelites very poor. So they cried out to the Lord for help.They cried out to the Lord because of what the Midianites had done.So he sent a prophet to Israel. The prophet said,“ The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,‘ I brought you up out of Egypt. That is the land where you were slaves.I saved you from the power of the Egyptians. I saved you from all those who were treating you badly. I drove out the Canaanites to make room for you. I gave you their land.I said to you,“ I am the Lord your God. You are now living in the land of the Amorites. Do not worship their gods.” But you have not listened to me.’ ”

The Lord had seen how much everyone in Israel was suffering. It didn’t matter whether they were slaves or free. They didn’t have anyone to help them.The Lord hadn’t said he would wipe out Israel’s name from the earth. So he saved them by the power of Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash.

Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord. They said,“ We have sinned against you. We have deserted our God. We have served gods that are named Baal.”The Lord replied,“ The Egyptians and Amorites treated you badly. So did the Ammonites and Philistines.And so did the Amalekites and the people of Sidon and Maon. Each time you cried out to me for help. And I saved you from their power.But you have deserted me. You have served other gods. So I will not save you anymore.Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you get into trouble!”But the Israelites replied to the Lord,“ We have sinned. Do to us what you think is best. But please save us now.”Then they got rid of the false gods that were among them. They served the Lord. And he couldn’t stand to see Israel suffer anymore.

So you handed them over to their enemies, who treated them badly. Then they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them. You loved them very much. So you sent leaders to help them. The leaders saved them from the power of their enemies.“ Then the people were enjoying peace and rest again. That’s when they did what you did not want them to do. Then you handed them over to their enemies. So their enemies ruled over them. When they cried out to you again, you heard them from heaven. You loved them very much. So you saved them time after time.“ You warned them so that they would obey your law again. But they became proud. They didn’t obey your commands. They sinned against your rules. You said,‘ Anyone who obeys my rules will live by them.’ But the people didn’t care about that. They turned their backs on you. They became very stubborn. They refused to listen to you.For many years you put up with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. In spite of that, they didn’t pay any attention. So you handed them over to the nations that were around them.But you loved them very much. So you didn’t put an end to them. You didn’t desert them. That’s because you are a gracious God. You are tender and kind.“ Our God, you are the great God. You are mighty and wonderful. You keep the covenant you made with us. You show us your love. So don’t let all our suffering seem like a small thing to you. We’ve suffered greatly. So have our kings and leaders. So have our priests and prophets. Our people who lived long ago also suffered. And all your people are suffering right now. In fact, we’ve been suffering from the time of the kings of Assyria until today.In spite of everything that has happened to us, you have been fair. You have been faithful in what you have done. But we did what was evil.Our kings and leaders didn’t follow your law. Our priests and our people before us didn’t follow it either. They didn’t pay any attention to your commands or rules that you warned them to keep.They didn’t serve you. They didn’t turn from their evil ways. They didn’t obey you even when they had a kingdom. You were very good to them. And they enjoyed it. You gave them a rich land. It had plenty of room in it. But they still didn’t serve you.“ Now look at us. We are slaves today. We’re slaves in the land you gave our people of long ago. You gave it to them so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.But we have sinned against you. So its great harvest goes to the kings of Persia. You have placed them over us. They rule over our bodies and cattle just as they please. And we are suffering terribly.“ So we are making a firm agreement. We’re writing it down. Our leaders are putting their official marks on it. And so are our Levites and priests.”