767 verses about Weakness

Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

Yahweh’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

The servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

Muster an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than them.” He listened to their voice, and did so.

The children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and went against them. The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats; but the Syrians filled the country.

But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner room.

A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me out of the battle; for I am severely wounded.”

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them.

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die?

If we say, ‘We will enter into the city,’ then the famine is in the city, and we will die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die.”

But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”

For he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing.

Now Elisha became sick with the illness of which he died; and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.

For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for all, slave and free, and there was no helper for Israel.

Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go into his hand, and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him.

They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘Today is a day of trouble, of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to deliver them.

Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like grain blasted before it has grown up.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.

Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Yahweh God.

Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them.

Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died.

Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.”

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceedingly great: yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but just the physicians.

Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.

The men who have been mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and with the plunder clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and gave him trouble, but didn’t strengthen him.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”

Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading, and there is much rubble; so that we are not able to build the wall.”

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.

But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

Isn’t it that I have no help in me, That wisdom is driven quite from me?

“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

The caravans that travel beside them turn away. They go up into the waste, and perish.

The caravans of Tema looked. The companies of Sheba waited for them.

For now you are nothing. You see a terror, and are afraid.

Do you intend to reprove words, since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?

so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)

If he is pleased to contend with him, he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.

then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.

He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.

My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

The steps of his strength shall be shortened. His own counsel shall cast him down.

His strength shall be famished. Calamity shall be ready at his side.

If it is true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.

He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree.

My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

How much less man, who is a worm, the son of man, who is a worm!”

“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!

I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?

Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together.

For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.

As through a wide breach they come, in the middle of the ruin they roll themselves in.

“Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.

He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.

His flesh is so consumed away, that it can’t be seen. His bones that were not seen stick out.

Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?

“Behold, I am of small account. What shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

Will he make many petitions to you, or will he speak soft words to you?

Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle, and do so no more.

Behold, the hope of him is in vain. Won’t one be cast down even at the sight of him?

Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears.

My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries.

From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength.