When they are diminished and are humbled by cruel oppression and sorrow,

他们又因暴虐、患难、愁苦，就减少且卑下。

但他们因欺压、患难、愁苦，人口减少而且卑微。

但他们因欺压、患难、愁苦，人口减少而且卑微。

后来他们在压迫、患难和痛苦的煎熬下人口减少，地位卑下。

以后他们因为压迫、患难、愁苦，就人数减少，降为卑微。

后来因着压迫、灾祸和悲哀的事，他们就人数减少，降为卑屈。

他們又因暴虐、患難、愁苦，就減少且卑下。

但他們因欺壓、患難、愁苦，人口減少而且卑微。

但他們因欺壓、患難、愁苦，人口減少而且卑微。

後來他們在壓迫、患難和痛苦的煎熬下人口減少，地位卑下。

以後他們因為壓迫、患難、愁苦，就人數減少，降為卑微。

他們又因受威壓，受患難，有愁苦，而人數減少，地位受屈抑。

後來因著壓迫、災禍和悲哀的事，他們就人數減少，降為卑屈。

厥後復遭暴虐、患難憂苦、民乃減少、而卑抑兮、

復降眚災、加以禍患、俾民數衰少、民心悚懼兮、

民因遭暴虐患難而愁苦、遂至滅少卑微、

主德蕩蕩。無偏無黨。

Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

Then the number of God’s people got smaller. They were made humble by trouble, suffering and sorrow.

When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,

When they decrease in number and become impoverished through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

When they are diminished and are humbled by cruel oppression and sorrow,

When they become few and lowly Because of oppression, misery, and sorrow,

When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,

Again, they are diminished and bowed down Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

As for their enemies, they decreased in number and were beaten down, because of painful distress and suffering.

Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory:

Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them, making them like dust at threshing.

For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Daughter Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. In just a little while her harvest time will come.“ Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty dish; he has swallowed me like a sea monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies; he has vomited me out,”

They worked the Israelites ruthlesslyand made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them.

Haven’t You placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”“ Very well,” the Lord told Satan,“ everything he owns is in your power. However, you must not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.One day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,a messenger came to Job and reported:“ While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby,the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported:“ A lightning storm struck from heaven. It burned up the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”That messenger was still speaking when yet another came and reported:“ The Chaldeans formed three bands, made a raid on the camels, and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the Qedemites came and attacked them.They encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land, even as far as Gaza. They left nothing for Israel to eat, as well as no sheep, ox or donkey.For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to waste it.So Israel became poverty-stricken because of Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the Lord.

When the woman returned from the land of the Philistines at the end of seven years, she went to appeal to the king for her house and field.

“ Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,” she answered,“ for the Almighty has made me very bitter.I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has pronounced judgment on me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

In those times there was no peace for those who went about their daily activities because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every possible distress.

When I was secure, I said,“ I will never be shaken.”Lord, when You showed Your favor, You made me stand like a strong mountain; when You hid Your face, I was terrified.

For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel, neither bond nor free.

Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away.The Lord brings death and gives life; He sends some to Sheol, and He raises others up.The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth; He humbles and He exalts.

One day Elisha went to Shunem. A prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to eat some food. So whenever he passed by, he stopped there to eat.

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, and they cried out; and their cry for help ascended to God because of the difficult labor.So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute.”’

Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz,