The king also had many cargo ships [139] that he sent out to trade things with other countries. These were Hiram’s ships. Every three years the ships would come back with a new load of gold, silver, ivory, and animals.
King Jehoshaphat built some cargo ships. He wanted the ships to sail to Ophir to get gold from that place. But the ships never went there—they were destroyed in their home port at Ezion Geber.
Every person will be afraid. Their fear will cause their stomachs to hurt like a woman giving birth to a baby. Their faces will become red like fire. The people will be amazed because this look of fear will be on all their neighbors’ faces.
Those proud people are like great ships from Tarshish. {\cf2\super [25]} (These ships are full of important things.) \{But God will punish those proud people.\}
I will scatter the people of Judah.\par They will run from their enemies.\par I will scatter the people of Judah like\par an east wind that blows things away.\par I will destroy those people.\par They won’t see me coming to help them.\par No! They will see me leaving!”\par