列王紀上 20
1 [本哈達得進攻阿哈布]阿蘭王本哈達得召集了自己所有的軍隊，帶同三十二個王子，乘坐戰馬戰車，前去圍攻撒瑪黎雅。
And Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his host together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
2 他先派使者進城，來見以色列王阿哈布，
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city,
3 對他說：「本哈達得這樣說：你的金銀全應歸我，只是你的妻子兒女，仍歸於你。」
and said unto him: 'Thus saith Ben-hadad: Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.'
4 以色列王回答說：「我主大王，就依照你的話，我和我的一切都歸於你。」
And the king of Israel answered and said: 'It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king: I am thine, and all that I have.'
5 不料，使者們又回答說：「本哈達得這樣說：我已派人通知你：將你的金銀和你的妻子兒女全交給我。
And the messengers came again, and said: 'Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying: I sent indeed unto thee, saying: Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6 須知，明天這時，我必派我的僕人到你這裏來，搜索你和你僕人的房屋，凡他們看中的東西，都要隨手拿去。」
but I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.'
7 以色列王將國內所有長老召來，說：「你們想想看：這人要求是多麼無理! 他先派人要我的金銀，我沒有拒絕他；現在竟又派人來我這裏，要我的妻子兒女。」
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said: 'Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.'
8 眾長老和全體人民對他說：「你不要聽從，也不要應允! 」
And all the elders and all the people said unto him: 'Hearken thou not, neither consent.'
9 因此，他對本哈達得的使者說：「你們回去告訴我主大王說：你第一次派人向你僕人所要求的，我必全照辦；至於這另一要求，我卻不能照辦。」使者遂回去，向本哈達得回話。
Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad: 'Tell my lord the king: All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do.' And the messengers departed, and brought him back word.
10 本哈達得於是派人對阿哈布說：「如果撒瑪黎雅的塵土，足夠跟隨我的人每人抓一把，願眾神明嚴厲，且加倍嚴厲地懲罰我! 」
And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said: 'The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.'
11 以色列王回答說：「有句俗話說：佩帶武器的人，不可像卸去了武器的人那樣自負。」
And the king of Israel answered and said: 'Tell him: Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast himself as he that putteth it off.'
12 本哈達得和眾王正在帳內飲酒，一聽見這話，就對他的臣僕說：「列隊進攻! 」他們即刻列隊攻城。阿哈布賴主獲勝
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the booths, that he said unto his servants: 'Set yourselves in array.' And they set themselves in array against the city.
13 這時，忽然有一個先知，來見以色列王阿哈布說：「上主這樣說：你不是看見這支強大的軍隊嗎﹖今天，我要將他們交在你手中，叫你知道我是上主。」
And, behold, a prophet came near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.'
14 阿哈布問說：「藉著誰﹖」先知回答說：「上主這樣說：藉著眾省長的少年軍人。」阿哈布又問說：「誰指揮作戰﹖」先知回答說：「你自己。」
And Ahab said: 'By whom?' And he said: 'Thus saith the LORD: By the young men of the princes of the provinces.' Then he said: 'Who shall begin the battle?' And he answered: 'Thou.'
15 於是阿哈布檢閱了眾省長的少年人，計有二百三十二人；然後又檢閱了所有軍人，即全體以色列子民，共七千人。
Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16 到了中午，他們出發，那時，本哈達得正和協助他的三十二個王子在帳中飲酒。
And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
17 眾省長的少年軍人首先出發，本哈達得派出的探子回報他說：「有人從撒瑪黎雅出來了。」
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying: 'There are men come out from Samaria.'
18 他遂吩咐說：「如果他們前來，是為求和，將他們活活捉住；如果他們前來，是為交戰，也將他們活活捉住。」
And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.'
19 眾省長的少年軍人和跟隨他們的軍隊衝出城來，
So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them.
20 個個見人便殺，阿蘭人逃走，以色列人在後面乘勝追趕；阿蘭王本哈達得急速上馬與騎兵一起逃走。
And they slew every one his man; and the Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen.
21 那時，以色列王出來，擄掠了許多戰馬和戰車，使阿蘭人大敗。
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Arameans with a great slaughter.
22 那為先知前來對以色列王說：「你要發奮圖強，留心認清你當作的事，因為明年春季，阿蘭王必要再來攻擊你。」阿蘭王整軍再戰
And the prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said unto him: 'Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest; for at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against thee.'
23 阿蘭王的臣僕對阿蘭王說：「以色列的神是山神，所以他們必我們強；但如果我們在平原上與他們交戰，我們必會得勝。
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto 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 shall be stronger than they.
24 這是大王應該作的事：廢除眾王子各人的職位，另立軍長代替，
And do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors in their room:
25 召募新軍，補充所損失的軍隊，照數補充戰馬戰車；然後在平原上與他們會戰，我們定能戰勝他們。」阿蘭王聽從了他們的建議，就這樣進行。本哈達得在戰再敗
and number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.' And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
26 過年以後，本哈達得檢閱了阿蘭人上到阿費克，進攻以色列。
And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27 以色列子民也動員起來，攜帶軍糧，出來迎戰；以色列子民在他們對面紮營，好像兩群山羊；至於阿蘭人卻遍地皆是。
And the children of Israel were mustered, and were victualled, and went against them; and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Arameans filled the country.
28 天主的人又前來對以色列王說：「上主這樣說：既然阿蘭人說：上主是山神而不是平原神，所以我必將這支龐大的軍隊交在你手中，叫你們知道我是上主。」
And a man of God came near and spoke unto the king of Israel, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: Because the Arameans have said: The LORD is a God of the hills, but he is not a God of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.'
29 以色列人和阿蘭人相對紮營七天；第七天上，就交戰了；一天之內以色列子民殺死了十萬阿蘭步兵，
And they encamped one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel slew of the Arameans a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 其餘的人都逃入阿費克城內，城牆倒塌，壓死了殘存的兩萬七千人。本哈達得也逃入城內，藏在極嚴密的暗室內。本哈達得投降
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31 本哈達得的臣僕對本哈達得說：「看，我們聽說以色列家的君王，都是仁慈的君王，請你讓我們腰裏束上麻布，頭上繫上繩索，去見以色列王，或者他會保全你的性命。」
And his servants said unto him: 'Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; peradventure he will save thy life.'
32 於是他們腰裏束上麻布，頭上繫上繩索，去見以色列王說：「你的僕人本哈達得說：求你保全我的性命! 」阿哈布問說：「他還活著麼﹖他是我的兄弟。」
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said: 'Thy servant Ben-hadad saith: I pray thee, let me live.' And he said: 'Is he yet alive? he is my brother.'
33 這些人認為這話是個吉兆，急忙抓住他的話說：「本哈達得確是陛下的兄弟。」阿哈布說：「你們去領他來! 」本哈達得便出來參見君王；阿哈布請他上了自己的車。
Now the men took it for a sign, and hastened to catch it from him; and they said: 'Thy brother Ben-hadad.' Then he said: 'Go ye, bring him.' Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into his chariot.
34 本哈達得對君王說：「我父親從你父親手中搶去的城市，我都要歸還給你；並且你可在大馬士革設立市場，如同我父親在撒瑪黎雅所設立的一樣。」阿哈布說：「我就根據這條約放你走。」這樣，君王與他訂立了條約，放他走了。阿哈布失策受責
And Ben-hadad said unto him: 'The cities which my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.' 'And I, said Ahab, will let thee go with this covenant.' So he made a covenant with him, and let him go.
35 那時，有個先知的弟子奉上主的命，對自己的同伴說：「請你打我! 」那人卻拒絕打他。
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his fellow by the word of the LORD: 'Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man refused to smite him.
36 他就對那人說：「既然你不聽上主的命，看，你一離開我，就有一個獅子把你咬死。」那人一離開他，果然路上遇見一隻獅子，把他咬死了。
Then said he unto him: 'Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee.' And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him; and slew him.
37 以後，先知的弟子有遇見一個人，對他說：「請你打我! 」那人就動手打他，將他打傷了。
Then he found another man, and said: 'Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man smote him, smiting and wounding him.
38 先知便站在路旁，用頭巾遮住自己的眼睛，等候君王。
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.
39 君王從那裏經過時，他便對君王呼喊說：「你的僕人出來交戰，忽有一個人轉來，給我帶來一個人說：你要看守這個人，倘若失蹤了，定要你替他償命，或賠償一「塔冷通」銀子。
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said: 'Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said: Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40 你的僕人正在東忙西亂時，那人不見了。」以色列王對他說：「這就是你的定案，你已經自下判決。」
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.'
41 他於是急忙拉下他遮眼的頭巾，以色列王纔認出他原是一位先知。
And he hastened, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
42 先知對君王說：「上主這樣說：你既然親手放走了我所要消滅的人，所以你要替他償命，你的人民必意抵償他的人民。」
And he said unto him: 'Thus saith the LORD: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.'
43 以色列王悶悶不樂地回了撒瑪黎雅，進了自己的宮殿。
And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.
