民长记 Judges Chapter 8
    Judges

    Chapter8

    1ButtheEphraimitessaidtohim,"Whathaveyoudonetous,notcallinguswhenyouwenttofightagainstMidian?"Andtheyquarreledbitterlywithhim.

    那时厄弗辣因人对基德红说:"你去攻打米德杨时,没有召叫我们,你为什么这样对待我们?"他们激烈的与他争吵。

    2"WhathaveIaccomplishednowincomparisonwithyou?"heansweredthem."IsnotthegleaningofEphraimbetterthanthevintageofAbiezer?

    他回答他们说:"我所行的怎能比得上你们呢?厄弗辣因所拾的不比阿彼厄则尔所收的葡萄更好吗?

    3IntoyourpowerGoddeliveredtheprincesofMidian,OrebandZeeb.WhathaveIbeenabletodoincomparisonwithyou?"Whenhesaidthis,theirangeragainsthimsubsided.

    天主将米德杨的首领敖勒布和则厄布交在你们手中,我所能行的怎能与你们相比?"为了他这番话,他们对他的怒气,就平息了。

    4WhenGideonreachedtheJordanandcrosseditwithhisthreehundredmen,theywereexhaustedandfamished.

    基德红来到约旦河,就渡过河;他与跟随他的三百人,虽然都疲倦,仍继续追赶。

    5SohesaidtothemenofSuccoth,"Willyougivemyfollowerssomeloavesofbread?Theyareexhausted,andIampursuingZebahandZalmunna,kingsofMidian."

    他向稣苛特人说:"请你们给跟随我的人几个饼吃,因为他们疲倦了,我还愿意追赶米德杨的两个王子则巴黑和匝耳慕纳。"

    61ButtheprincesofSuccothreplied,"ArethehandsofZebahandZalmunnaalreadyinyourpossession,thatweshouldgivefoodtoyourarmy?"

    稣苛特人的头目回答说:"难道则巴黑和匝耳慕纳的手已在你的掌握中,我们就该把饼送给你的军队吗?"

    7Gideonsaid,"Verywell;whentheLORDhasdeliveredZebahandZalmunnaintomypower,Iwillgrindyourfleshinwiththethornsandbriersofthedesert."

    基德红说:"好罢!几时上主把则巴黑和匝耳慕纳交在我手中,我必要用茨条和荆棘鞭挞你们的身体。"

    8HewentupfromtheretoPenuelandmadethesamerequestofthem,butthemenofPenuelansweredhimashadthemenofSuccoth.

    以后由那里上去,到了培奴耳,也向他们说了同样的话;培奴耳人回答他也像稣苛特人一样。

    9SotothemenofPenuel,too,hesaid,"WhenIreturnintriumph,Iwilldemolishthistower."

    他也对培奴耳人说:"当我平安回来时,我必拆毁这座碉堡。"

    10NowZebahandZalmunnawereinKarkorwiththeirforceofaboutfifteenthousandmen;thesewereallwhowereleftofthewholeKedemitearmy,ahundredandtwentythousandswordsmenhavingfallen.

    那时则巴黑和匝耳慕纳正在卡尔科尔,他们的军队约有一万五千人,这是全部东方子民所剩下的军队,因为已有十二万持刀的被击毙了。

    11GideonwentupbytherouteofthenomadseastofNobahandJogbehah,andattackedthecampwhenitfeltsecure.

    基德红从诺巴黑和约革波哈东面,顺着住帐棚人的路上去,当敌人自以为安全的时候,袭击了军营,

    12ZebahandZalmunnafled.HepursuedthemandtookthetwokingsofMidian,ZebahandZalmunna,captive,throwingtheentirearmyintopanic.

    则巴黑和匝耳慕纳落荒而逃,基德红在后面追赶,捉住了那两个米德杨王子则巴黑和匝耳慕纳,并使全军覆没。

    13ThenGideon,sonofJoash,returnedfrombattlebythepassofHeres.

    约阿士的儿子基德红,从战场沿赫勒斯斜坡回来,

    14HecapturedayoungmanofSuccoth,whouponbeingquestionedlistedforhimtheseventy-sevenprincesandeldersofSuccoth.

    捉住了稣苛特的少年人,查问他。这少年人就给他写下稣苛特的首领和长老的名字,共七十七人。

    15SohewenttothemenofSuccothandsaid,"HereareZebahandZalmunna,withwhomyoutauntedme,'ArethehandsofZebahandZalmunnaalreadyinyourpossession,thatweshouldgivefoodtoyourwearyfollowers?'"

    基德红遂往稣苛特人那里去说:"看!这是则巴黑和匝耳慕纳,你们为了他们曾讥笑我说:难道则巴黑和匝耳慕纳的手已在你掌握中,我们就该把饼送给你疲倦的人吗?"

    16Hetooktheeldersofthecity,andthornsandbriersofthedesert,andgroundthesemenofSuccothintothem.

    他于是捉住那城的长老,用旷野里的茨条和荆棘惩罚了稣苛特居民。

    17HealsodemolishedthetowerofPenuelandslewthemenofthecity.

    以后又把培奴耳的碉堡拆毁,杀戮了城内的居民。

    18ThenhesaidtoZebahandZalmunna,"WherenowarethemenyoukilledatTabor?""Theyallresembledyou,"theyreplied."Theyappearedtobeprinces."

    然后询问则巴黑和匝耳慕纳说:"你们在大博尔山上杀戮的那些人是怎样的人呢?"他们答说:"他们像你们一样,个个都像君王的儿子。"

    19"Theyweremybrothers,mymother'ssons,"hesaid."AstheLORDlives,ifyouhadsparedtheirlives,Ishouldnotkillyou."

    基德红说:"他们是我的兄弟,是我母亲的儿子:上主永在:如果你保留了他们不死,我也就不杀你们。"

    20Thenhesaidtohisfirst-born,Jether,"Go,killthem."SinceJetherwasstillaboy,hewasafraidanddidnotdrawhissword.

    他遂对自己的长子耶特尔说:"起来,杀死他们!"但是这孩童害怕,拔不出刀来,因为年纪还小。

    21ZebahandZalmunnasaid,"Come,killusyourself,foraman'sstrengthisliketheman."SoGideonsteppedforwardandkilledZebahandZalmunna.Healsotookthecrescentsthatwereonthenecksoftheircamels.

    因此,则巴黑和匝耳慕纳说:"你亲自起来杀死我们罢!因为人怎样,他的力量也怎样。"基德红就起来杀了则巴黑和匝耳慕纳,拿去他们骆驼颈上的月牙环。

    22TheIsraelitesthensaidtoGideon,"Ruleoverus——you,yourson,andyourson'sson——foryourescuedusfromthepowerofMidian."

    事后,以色列人便对基德红说:"你既然从米德杨手中拯救了我们,请你和你的子孙作我们的君王!"

    23ButGideonansweredthem,"Iwillnotruleoveryou,norshallmysonruleoveryou.TheLORDmustruleoveryou."

    基德红回答他们说:"我不作你的君王,我的子孙也不作你们的君王,唯有上主是你们的君王。"

    242Gideonwentontosay,"Ishouldliketomakearequestofyou.Willeachofyougivemearingfromhisbooty?"(ForbeingIshmaelites,theenemyhadgoldrings.)

    基德红又向他们说:"我只向你们要求一件事:请将每人掠夺的金环给我。"原来依市玛耳人都有金环。

    25"Wewillgladlygivethem,"theyreplied,andspreadoutacloakintowhicheveryonethrewaringfromhisbooty.

    他们答说:"我们情愿给你。"于是铺开一件外衣,每人把所掠夺的金环掷在上面。

    26Thegoldringsthatherequestedweighedseventeenhundredgoldshekels,inadditiontothecrescentsandpendants,thepurplegarmentswornbythekingsofMidian,andthetrappingsthatwereonthenecksoftheircamels.

    他所要的金环共有一千七百"协刻耳"重;此外尚有月牙环、耳环和米德杨王所穿的紫红衣,及他们骆驼颈上的项链。

    27GideonmadeanephodoutofthegoldandplaceditinhiscityOphrah.However,allIsraelpaididolatroushomagetoitthere,andcausedtheruinofGideonandhisfamily.

    基德红用这些金子造了一个"厄弗得"安置在他本城敖弗辣。以色列众人都到那里行邪淫,因此这个"厄弗得"便成了基德红及其家族的罗网。

    28ThuswasMidianbroughtintosubjectionbytheIsraelites;nolongerdidtheyholdtheirheadshigh.Andthelandhadrestforfortyyears,duringthelifetimeofGideon.

    米德杨在以色列子民前面屈服,再没有抬起头来。基德红在世时,境内平安了四十年。

    29ThenJerubbaal,sonofJoash,wentbackhometostay.

    约阿士的儿子耶鲁巴耳回去,安居在自己家中。

    30NowGideonhadseventysons,hisdirectdescendants,forhehadmanywives.

    基德红有七十个儿子,都是他亲生的,因为他有很多妻子。

    313HisconcubinewholivedinShechemalsoborehimason,whomhenamedAbimelech.

    他在舍根的妾也给他生了一个儿子,给他起名叫阿彼默肋客。

    32AtagoodoldageGideon,sonofJoash,diedandwasburiedinthetombofhisfatherJoashinOphrahoftheAbiezrites.

    约阿士的儿子基德红寿终正寝,埋在阿彼厄则尔的敖弗辣,他父亲约阿士的坟墓里。

    334ButafterGideonwasdead,theIsraelitesagainabandonedthemselvestotheBaals,makingBaalofBeriththeirgod

    基德红死后,以色列子民又去跟从巴耳诸神行邪淫,立巴耳贝黎特当做他们的天主。

    34andforgettingtheLORD,theirGod,whohaddeliveredthemfromthepoweroftheirenemiesallaroundthem.

    以色列子民忘记了上主他们的天主,曾从四周所有的敌人手中救了他们,

    35NorweretheygratefultothefamilyofJerubbaal(Gideon)forallthegoodhehaddoneforIsrael.

    也没有恩待耶鲁巴耳即基德红的家,以报答他施于以色列的恩惠。

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    Footnotes(注解)

    1[6]Arethehandsinyourpossession?:i.e.,canyoualreadyboastofvictory?Thehandsaswellastheheadsofslainenemieswerecutoffandcountedastrophies;cf2Sam4:8;2Kings10:7-8;andtheUgariticAnathEpic,VAB,II10ff.

    2[24]Ishmaelites:hereasinGenesis37:25-28,thedesignationisnotethnic;itrefersrathertotheirstatusasnomads.

    3[31]Concubine:awifeofsecondaryrank.

    4[33]BaalofBerith:oneofthetitlesofBaalasworshipedbytheCanaanitesofShechem,meaning"thelordofthecovenant."