A Song of Ascents, for Solomon. If Jehovah does not build the house, they labor in vain that build it; if Jehovah does not keep the city, the one keeping it stays awake in vain.
Stand now among your spells, and with your many sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you will be able to profit; perhaps you may cause quaking.
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, So says Jehovah, I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothals, your going after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
Judah went captive from affliction, and from great slavery. She dwells among the nations; she finds no rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.
And from there I will give her vineyards to her, and the valley of Achor for an opening of hope. And she shall answer there as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
Wherever they went, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken, and as Jehovah had sworn to them. And it distressed them very much.
And the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel. And He gave them over into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. And the sons of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.