4 For even the sparrow has found a home for himself, and the turtle-dove a nest for herself, where she may lay her young: your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
4 For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
Sanballat talked with his friends and the army at Samaria. He said, “What are these weak Jews doing? Do they think we will leave them alone? Do they think they will offer sacrifices? {\cf2\super [13]} Maybe they think they can finish building in only one day. They can’t bring stones back to life from these piles of trash and dirt. These are just piles of ashes and dirt!”
We must make plans to stop the Israelites from growing stronger. If there is a war, the people of Israel might join our enemies. Then they might defeat us and escape from us.”
Before the Lord showed me that the people were against me, I was like a gentle lamb waiting to be butchered. I did not understand that they were against me. They were saying these things about me: “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit! Let us kill him! Then people will forget him.”
The Lord says these things:\par “The descendants {\cf2\super [262]} of Israel will never stop being a nation.\par That would happen only if I lost control\par of the sun, moon, stars, and sea.”\par
Moab will not be praised again.\par Men in Heshbon will plan Moab’s defeat.\par They will say,\par ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’\par Madmenah, you will also be silenced.\par The sword will chase you.\par
This special king will say things against God Most High. And that king will hurt and kill God’s special people. That king will try to change the times and laws that have already been set. God’s special people will be in that king’s power for 3 1/2 years. {\cf2\super [82]}