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

When they are diminished and are humbled by cruel oppression 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.

At about that time the Lord began to cut down the size of Israel’s territory. King Hazael conquered several sections of the country

Finally, Jehoahaz’s army was reduced to 50 charioteers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust under his feet.

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:“ Babylon is like wheat on a threshing floor, about to be trampled. In just a little while her harvest will begin.”“ King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has eaten and crushed us and drained us of strength. He has swallowed us like a great monster and filled his belly with our riches. He has thrown us out of our own country.

So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy.They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.

You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”“ All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan.“ Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house,a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news:“ Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them,when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news:“ The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news:“ Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel,camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

After the famine ended she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.

“ Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded.“ Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”

“ During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land.Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.

When I was prosperous, I said,“ Nothing can stop me now!”Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

For the Lord saw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and that there was no one in Israel, slave or free, to help them.

Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away.The Lord gives both death and life; he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up.

One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to come to her home for a meal. After that, whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for something to eat.

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God.God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”

King Hazael of Aram had oppressed Israel during the entire reign of King Jehoahaz.