In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; {to cut: Heb. to cut off the ends}

And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

And {so} it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

And in those times {there was} no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations {were} upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, {that it was} very bitter: for {there was} not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

{They that were} full have hired out themselves for bread; and {they that were} hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon {is} like a threshingfloor, {it is} time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. {it is...: or, in the time that he thresheth her}

And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land.

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

And there will I nourish thee; for yet {there are} five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where {was} a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And {so} it was, {that} as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. {it fell on a day: Heb. there was a day} {constrained him: Heb. laid hold on him}

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. {Naomi: that is, Pleasant} {Mara: that is, Bitter}

And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. {substance: or, cattle}

Your country {is} desolate, your cities {are} burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and {it is} desolate, as overthrown by strangers. {overthrown...: Heb. the overthrow of}

And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken {it}. {archers: Heb. bows}

Wherefore, {as} I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish {thee}; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.