Here is what Israel should say.“ My enemies have treated me badly ever since I was a young nation.

以色列当说：“从我幼年以来，敌人屡次苦害我，

说吧，以色列：“从我幼年以来，人屡次苦害我；

说吧，以色列：“从我幼年以来，人屡次苦害我；

以色列要说：我从小就深受仇敌的迫害，

愿以色列说：“从我幼年以来，敌人就多次苦害我。（本节在《马索拉文本》包括细字标题）

愿以色列说：“从我年幼以来，他们就多次苦害我——

以色列當說：從我幼年以來，敵人屢次苦害我，

說吧，以色列：「從我幼年以來，人屢次苦害我；

說吧，以色列：「從我幼年以來，人屢次苦害我；

以色列要說：我從小就深受仇敵的迫害，

願以色列說：“從我幼年以來，敵人就多次苦害我。（本節在《馬索拉文本》包括細字標題）

讓以色列說：『從我幼年以來敵人就大大苦害我。

願以色列說：「從我年幼以來，他們就多次苦害我——

以色列當曰、自我幼年、人屢苦我兮、

以色列族當曰、余自肇基以來、屢遭困苦兮、

以色列民當曰、從我幼時、敵人屢攻擊我、

嗟我義塞族。自幼多顚沛。

“ They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,” let Israel say;

“ Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”— let Israel now say—

From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me. Let all Israel repeat this:

Since my youth they have often attacked me— let Israel say—

“ Many times they have attacked me from my youth up,” Let Israel say,

“ Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,” Let Israel now say—

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up, Let Israel now say,

Since my youth they have often attacked me— let Israel say—

Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

“ Since my youth they have often attacked me,” let Israel say.

Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say,

Here is what Israel should say. Suppose the Lord had not been on our side.

I will give her back her vineyards. I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope for her. Then she will love me, as she did when she was young. She will love me just as she did when she came up out of Egypt.

The Lord continues,“ When Israel was a young nation, I loved them. I chose to bring my son out of Egypt.

“ Go. Announce my message to the people in Jerusalem. I want everyone to hear it. Tell them,“ Here is what the Lord says.“‘ I remember how faithful you were to me when you were young. You loved me as if you were my bride. You followed me through the desert. Nothing had been planted there.

I call out to the Lord when I’m in trouble, and he answers me.

After Judah’s people had suffered greatly, they were taken away as prisoners. Now they live among the nations. They can’t find any place to rest. All those who were chasing them have caught up with them. And they can’t get away.

When the Israelites went out to fight, the Lord’ s power was against them. He let their enemies win the battle over them. The Lord had warned them that it would happen. And now they were suffering terribly.

When you felt secure, I warned you. But you said,‘ I won’t listen!’ You have acted like that ever since you were young. You have not obeyed me.

That year they broke Israel’s power completely. They treated the Israelites badly for 18 years. The people who did this lived east of the Jordan River. They lived in Gilead. That was the land of the Amorites.The Ammonites also went across the Jordan. They crossed over to fight against the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim. Israel was suffering terribly.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.

I was very glad when they said to me,“ Let us go up to the house of the Lord.”

There weren’t any blacksmiths in the whole land of Israel. That’s because the Philistines had said,“ The Hebrews might hire them to make swords or spears!”

“ So keep on casting your magic spells. Keep on practicing your evil magic. You have been doing those things ever since you were a child. Perhaps they will help you. Maybe they will scare your enemies away.

The people who had returned from Babylon were building a temple to honor the Lord. He is the God of Israel. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard about it.Then those enemies came to Zerubbabel. The family leaders of Israel were with him. The enemies said,“ We want to help you build. We’re just like you. We worship your God. We offer sacrifices to him. We’ve been doing that ever since the time of Esarhaddon. He was king of Assyria. He brought our people here.”Zerubbabel and Joshua answered them. So did the rest of the family leaders of Israel. They said,“ You can’t help us build a temple to honor our God. You aren’t part of us. We’ll build it ourselves. We’ll do it to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us to build it.”Then the nations around Judah tried to make its people lose hope. They wanted to make them afraid to go on building.So those nations paid some of the Jewish officials to work against the people of Judah. They wanted their plans to fail. They did it during the whole time Cyrus was king of Persia. They kept doing it until Darius became king.The enemies of the Jews brought charges against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. It happened when Xerxes began to rule over Persia.Then Artaxerxes became king of Persia. During his rule, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their friends wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in the Aramaic language. And it used the Aramaic alphabet.Rehum and Shimshai also wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes. Rehum was the commanding officer. Shimshai was the secretary. Their letter was against the people of Jerusalem. It said,We, Rehum and Shimshai, are writing this letter. Rehum is the commanding officer. Shimshai is the secretary. Our friends join us in writing. They include the judges, officials and managers in charge of the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon. They are also over the Elamites from Susa.And they are over those who were forced to leave their countries. The great King Ashurbanipal, who is worthy of honor, forced them to leave. He moved them to the city of Samaria. He also moved them to other places west of the Euphrates River.Here is a copy of the letter sent to Artaxerxes. We are sending this letter to you, King Artaxerxes. It is from your servants who live west of the Euphrates River.We want you to know about the people who left you and have come up to us. They have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that evil city. It has caused trouble for a long time. Those people are making its walls like new again. They are repairing the foundations.Here is something else we want you to know. Suppose this city is rebuilt. And suppose its walls are made like new again. Then no more taxes, gifts or fees will be collected. And sooner or later there will be less money for you.We owe a lot to you. We don’t want to see dishonor brought on you. So we’re sending this letter to tell you what is going on.Then you can have a search made in the official records. Have someone check the records of the kings who ruled before you. If you do, you will find out that Jerusalem is an evil city. It causes trouble for kings and countries. For a long time the city has refused to let anyone rule over it. That’s why it was destroyed.We want you to know that this city shouldn’t be rebuilt. Its walls shouldn’t be made like new again. If that happens, you won’t have anything left west of the Euphrates River.The king replied, I am writing this letter to Rehum, the commanding officer. I am also writing it to Shimshai the secretary. And I am writing it to your friends living in Samaria and in other places west of the Euphrates River. I give you my greetings.The letter you sent us has been read to me. It has been explained to me in my language.I gave an order. I had a search made. Here is what we found out. Jerusalem has a long history of turning against the kings of the countries that have ruled over it. It has refused to remain under their control. It is always stirring up trouble.Jerusalem has had powerful kings. Some of them ruled over everything west of the Euphrates. Taxes, gifts and fees were paid to them.So give an order to those men. Make them stop their work. Then the city won’t be rebuilt until I give the order.Pay careful attention to this matter. Why should we let this danger grow? That would not be in our best interests.The copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary. It was also read to their friends. Right away they went to the Jews in Jerusalem. They forced them to stop their work.

I look up and pray to you. Your throne is in heaven.

If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of the builders is useless. If the Lord doesn’t watch over a city, it’s useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.

Then Pharaoh gave an order to all his people. He said,“ You must throw every Hebrew baby boy into the Nile River. But let every Hebrew baby girl live.”

But the worse the slave drivers treated the Israelites, the more Israelites there were. So the Egyptians became afraid of them.They made them work hard. They didn’t show them any pity.The people suffered because of their hard labor. The slave drivers forced them to work with bricks and mud. And they made them do all kinds of work in the fields. The Egyptians didn’t show them any pity at all. They made them work very hard.

Our enemies took us away from Zion. But when the Lord brought us home, it seemed like a dream to us.

So the Lord was very angry with Israel. He handed them over to the power of Cushan- Rishathaim, the king of Aram Naharaim. For eight years Israel was under his rule.

I’ve been in pain ever since I was young. I’ve been close to death. You have made me suffer terrible things. I have lost all hope.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. They will always be secure. They will last forever.

He said,“ Don’t give the people any more straw to make bricks. Let them go and get their own straw.But require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t lower the number they have to make. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out,‘ Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to our God.’Make them work harder. Then they will be too busy to pay attention to lies.”The slave drivers and the overseers left. They said to the people,“ Pharaoh says,‘ I won’t give you any more straw.Go and get your own straw anywhere you can find it. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.’ ”So the people scattered all over Egypt. They went to gather any pieces of straw left in the fields.Pharaoh’s slave drivers kept making the people work hard. They said,“ Finish the work you are required to do each day. Make the same number of bricks you made when you had straw.”The slave drivers whipped the Israelite overseers they had appointed. The slave drivers asked,“ Why haven’t you made the same number of bricks yesterday or today, just as before?”Then the Israelite overseers appealed to Pharaoh. They asked,“ Why have you treated us like this?You didn’t give us any straw. But you told us,‘ Make bricks!’ We are being whipped. But it’s the fault of your own people.”Pharaoh said,“ You are lazy! That’s why you keep saying,‘ Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to the Lord.’Now get to work. We won’t give you any straw. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.”The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble. They knew it when they were told,“ Don’t reduce the number of bricks you are required to make each day.”

I look up to the mountains. Where does my help come from?

Blessed are all those who have respect for the Lord. They live as he wants them to live.

They became prostitutes in Egypt. They have been unfaithful to me since they were young. In that land they allowed their breasts to be touched. They permitted their virgin breasts to be kissed.