Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot<n id="1" /> away; for she thought,<n id="2" /> &#8220;I refuse to watch the child die.&#8221;<n id="3" /> So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably.<n id="4" />p>

Now an archer shot an arrow at random,<n id="1" /> and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king<n id="2" /> ordered his charioteer, &#8220;Turn around and take me from the battle line,<n id="3" /> because I&#8217;m wounded.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men in their combined armies, warriors who carried shields and swords, were equipped with bows, and were trained for war.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, equipped with large shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin who carried small shields and were adept archers; they were all skilled warriors.

Now an archer shot an arrow at random<n id="1" /> and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king<n id="2" /> ordered his charioteer, &#8220;Turn around and take me from the battle line,<n id="3" /> for I am wounded.&#8221;

From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears,<n id="1" /> shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people<n id="2" /> of Judah

I will perform a mighty act among them<n id="1" /> and then send some of those who remain to the nations &#8211; to Tarshish, Pul,<n id="2" /> Lud<n id="3" /> (known for its archers<n id="4" />), Tubal, Javan,<n id="5" /> and to the distant coastlands<n id="6" /> that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.

<p class="poetry">Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.p> <p class="poetry">They are cruel and show no mercy.p> <p class="poetry">They sound like the roaring seap> <p class="poetry">as they ride forth on their horses.p> <p class="poetry">Lined up in formation like men going into battlep> <p class="poetry">to attack you, Daughter Zion.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows.p> <p class="poetry">Their tongues are always ready to shoot out lies.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They have become powerful in the land,p> <p class="poetry">but they have not done so by honest means.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, they do one evil thing after another<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and do not pay attention to me.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Call for archers<n id="1" /> to come against Babylon!p> <p class="poetry">Summon against her all who draw the bow!p> <p class="poetry">Set up camp all around the city!p> <p class="poetry">Do not allow anyone to escape!p> <p class="poetry">Pay her back for what she has done.p> <p class="poetry">Do to her what she has done to others.p> <p class="poetry">For she has proudly defied me,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.p> <p class="poetry">They are cruel and show no mercy.p> <p class="poetry">They sound like the roaring seap> <p class="poetry">as they ride forth on their horses.p> <p class="poetry">Lined up in formation like men going into battle,p> <p class="poetry">they are coming against you, fair Babylon!<n id="1" />p>

like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain.<n id="1" /> This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the <sc>Lordsc>. When I saw<n id="2" /> it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling<n id="1" /> &#8211; the shields,<n id="2" /> bows and arrows, war clubs and spears &#8211; they will burn them for seven years.

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;At that time<n id="1" /> I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals,p> <p class="poetry">the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground.p> <p class="poetry">I will abolish<n id="2" /> the warrior&#8217;s bow and swordp> <p class="poetry">&#8211; that is, every weapon of warfare<n id="3" /> &#8211; from the land,p> <p class="poetry">and I will allow them to live securely.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will remove<n id="1" /> the chariot from Ephraimp> <p class="poetry">and the warhorse from Jerusalem,p> <p class="poetry">and the battle bow will be removed.p> <p class="poetry">Then he will announce peace to the nations.p> <p class="poetry">His dominion will be from sea to seap> <p class="poetry">and from the Euphrates River<n id="2" /> to the ends of the earth.p>