As for their enemies, ¹  they decreased in number and were beaten down, because of painful distress ²  and suffering.

So see here, I have stretched out my hand against you and cut off your rations. I have delivered you into the power of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed by your obscene conduct.

Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.” ¹  Indeed, ²  the Lord God of Israel has spoken.

Wealth gained quickly ¹  will dwindle away, ²  but the one who gathers it little by little ³  will become rich. ⁴ 

Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away.

You ¹  go get straw for yourselves wherever you can ²  find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’”

Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury ¹  will suffer loss.

The waters kept receding steadily ¹  from the earth, so that they ²  had gone down ³  by the end of the 150 days.

Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eye was not dull ¹  nor had his vitality ²  departed.

When these things had been accomplished ¹  and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered ²  Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided ³  against her.

“At that time ¹  Jacob’s splendor will be greatly diminished, ²  and he will become skin and bones. ³ 

The canals ¹  will stink; ²  the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up; the bulrushes and reeds will decay,

For all of them will shave their heads in mourning. They will all cut off their beards to show their sorrow. They will all make gashes in their hands. They will all put on sackcloth. ¹ 

Why should the name of our father be lost from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession ¹  among the relatives ²  of our father.”

They devoured ¹  on the right, but were still hungry, they ate on the left, but were not satisfied. People even ate ²  the flesh of their own arm! ³ 

like heat ¹  in a dry land, you humble the boasting foreigners. ²  Just as the shadow of a cloud causes the heat to subside, ³  so he causes the song of tyrants to cease. ⁴ 

Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving ¹  and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. ²  I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised.

He takes his battle position ¹  and shakes ²  the earth; with a mere look he frightens ³  the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrate; ⁴  the primeval hills are flattened. He travels on the ancient roads. ⁵