When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up, and all Israel was dismayed.
Ezra 4:4 - Christian Standard Bible Anglicised Then the people who were already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Then [the Samaritans] the people of the land [continually] weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled and terrified them in building American Standard Version (1901) Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, Common English Bible The neighboring peoples discouraged the people of Judah, made them afraid to build, Catholic Public Domain Version Therefore, it happened that the people of the land impeded the hands of the people of Judah, and they troubled them in building. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building. |
When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up, and all Israel was dismayed.
They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples.
They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.
And our enemies said, ‘They won’t realise it until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.’
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? ’
For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, ‘They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished.’ But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
The officials then said to the king, ‘This man ought to die, because he is weakening the morale of the warriors who remain in this city and of all the people by speaking to them in this way. This man is not pursuing the welfare of this people, but their harm.’
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
He said, ‘Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.