There were many, many people in Judah and Israel. The number of people was like sands on the seashore. The people lived happy lives: They ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves.
During Solomon’s life all of the people in Judah and Israel, all the way from Dan to Beersheba, lived in peace and security. The people were at peace sitting under their own fig trees and grape vines.
and told David how many people there were. In Israel there were 1,100,000 men who could use a sword. And there were 470,000 men in Judah who could use a sword.
It was not our father’s swords\par that took the land.\par It was not their strong arms\par that made them winners.\par It was because you were with our fathers.\par God, your great power saved our fathers.\par Why? Because you loved them!\par
People will come \{to me\}.\par Those people will help Jacob \{to be strong\}\par like a plant with good roots.\par Those people will cause Israel to grow\par like a plant beginning to bloom.\par Then the land will be filled\par with \{the children of Israel\}\par like fruit from plants.”\par
“The people from the family of Judah that have escaped and are left \{alive\} will again begin to grow. \{These people will be like plants that\} send their roots deep into the ground and produce fruit above the ground.
My friend dug and cleared the field.\par He planted the best grapevines there.\par He built a tower in the middle of the field.\par He hoped for good grapes to grow there.\par But there were only bad grapes.\par
You have put those wicked people here.\par They are like plants with strong roots,\par they grow and produce fruit.\par With their mouths, they say that you are near and dear to them.\par But in their hearts, they are really far away from you.\par
While your army traveled forward, I sent the Hornet [75] ahead of them. The hornet made the people leave. So you took the land [76] without using your swords and bows.