saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers,“ What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap— and charred ones at that?”

对他弟兄和撒玛利亚的军兵说：“这些软弱的犹大人做什么呢？要保护自己吗？要献祭吗？要一日成功吗？要从土堆里拿出火烧的石头再立墙吗？”

他对他的弟兄和撒玛利亚的军兵说：“这些软弱的犹太人做什么呢？要为自己重建吗？要献祭吗？要一日完工吗？要使土堆里火烧过的石头再有用吗？”

他对他的弟兄和撒玛利亚的军兵说：“这些软弱的犹太人做什么呢？要为自己重建吗？要献祭吗？要一日完工吗？要使土堆里火烧过的石头再有用吗？”

当着他的同僚和撒玛利亚军兵的面说：“这群弱小的犹太人在做什么呢？要重建城墙吗？要献祭吗？要在一日之间建好吗？要用废墟中烧过的石头来建造吗？”

在他的兄弟和撒玛利亚的军队面前，说：“这些软弱的犹大人在作什么呢？想自己修筑城墙吗？想要献祭吗？想要在一天之内完成吗？想要使废土堆中被火烧过的石头复活吗？”

對他弟兄和撒馬利亞的軍兵說：「這些軟弱的猶大人做甚麼呢？要保護自己嗎？要獻祭嗎？要一日成功嗎？要從土堆裏拿出火燒的石頭再立牆嗎？」

他對他的弟兄和撒瑪利亞的軍兵說：「這些軟弱的猶太人做甚麼呢？要為自己重建嗎？要獻祭嗎？要一日完工嗎？要使土堆裏火燒過的石頭再有用嗎？」

他對他的弟兄和撒瑪利亞的軍兵說：「這些軟弱的猶太人做甚麼呢？要為自己重建嗎？要獻祭嗎？要一日完工嗎？要使土堆裏火燒過的石頭再有用嗎？」

當著他的同僚和撒瑪利亞軍兵的面說：「這群弱小的猶太人在做什麼呢？要重建城牆嗎？要獻祭嗎？要在一日之間建好嗎？要用廢墟中燒過的石頭來建造嗎？」

在他的兄弟和撒瑪利亞的軍隊面前，說：“這些軟弱的猶大人在作甚麼呢？想自己修築城牆嗎？想要獻祭嗎？想要在一天之內完成嗎？想要使廢土堆中被火燒過的石頭復活嗎？”

他在他的族弟兄和撒瑪利亞的軍兵面前說：『嘿！這些衰弱憔悴的猶大人要作甚麼？他們要奮不顧身麼？要宰獻祭牲動工麼？要在一天之內就作完麼？他們要從塵土廢堆中拿火燒過的石頭把它重新建造起來麼？』

告其同宗、及撒瑪利亞軍旅曰、此荏弱之猶大人何為、豈欲自衛乎、豈欲獻祭乎、豈能一日成之乎、豈於瓦礫之場、復起被焚之石乎、

告其同宗及撒馬利亞軍旅、曰、此荏弱之猶大人何為、斯邑既燬、盡成瓦礫、彼乃欲復興工作、立竣厥工乎。吾儕豈容其建城獻祭哉。

謂其同族及撒瑪利亞軍旅曰、此荏弱之猶大人何為、國家豈容其建城乎、豈能復獻祭乎、豈能一日成功乎、豈能自土壘中出已燬之石、復立為垣乎、

and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said,“ What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble— burned as they are?”

He spoke to his friends and the army of Samaria. He said,“ What are those Jews trying to do? Can they make their city wall like new again? Will they offer sacrifices? Can they finish everything in a single day? The stones from their city wall and buildings are piled up like trash. And everything has been badly burned. Can they use those stones to rebuild everything again?”

And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria,“ What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”

before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria and said,“ What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

And he spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy people of Samaria and said,“ What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore the temple for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish it in a day? Can they revive the stones from the heaps of rubble, even the burned ones?”

And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said,“ What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish— stones that are burned?”

And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?

before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said,“ What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said,“ What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”

He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said,“ What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”

They greeted the king for all their colleagues— the judges and local leaders, the people of Tarpel, the Persians, the Babylonians, and the people of Erech and Susa( that is, Elam).They also sent greetings from the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal had deported and relocated in Samaria and throughout the neighboring lands of the province west of the Euphrates River.

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

Then the people of Judah began to complain,“ The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”

I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Then he asked me,“ Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”“ O Sovereign Lord,” I replied,“ you alone know the answer to that.”Then he said to me,“ Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say,‘ Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons.Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.Then he said to me,“ Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet— a great army.Then he said to me,“ Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying,‘ We have become old, dry bones— all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’Therefore, prophesy to them and say,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel.When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord.

When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted,“ Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!”Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan,“ Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”“ Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer,“ for the Lord will help us defeat them!”

On that day the Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them!

“ Am I a dog,” he roared at David,“ that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods.“ Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.