< 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。
Now, Ben-hadad, king of Syria, had gathered together all his forces, and, thirty-two kings, were with him, and horses and chariots, —then came he up, and laid siege to Samaria, and made war against it.
2 他先派使者進城,來見以色列王阿哈布,
And he sent messengers unto Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, —Thus, saith Ben-hadad,
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。」
Thy silver and thy gold, are, mine, and, thy wives and thy sons, 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。」
Then responded the king of Israel, and said, According to thy word, my lord O king! thine, am I, 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 back again, and said, Thus, speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, —Because I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons, to me, shalt thou give,
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。」
Therefore, about this time to-morrow, will I send my servants unto thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, —and it shall be, that, all the delight of thine eyes, shall they put in their hand, and take 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 called the king of Israel, for all the elders of the land, and said—Mark, I pray you, and see, how this man is seeking, mischief, —for he had sent unto me, for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I refused 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, —Do not thou hearken, neither do thou 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。
So he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad—Say ye to my lord the king, —All that thou didst send for, to thy servant at the first, will I do, but, this thing, I cannot do. And the messengers departed, and took 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! 」
Then Ben-hadad sent unto him and said, —So, let the gods do to me, and, so, let them add, —if the dust of Samaria suffice by handfuls, for all the people who are at my feet.
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 responded and said: Tell him, —Let not, him that girdeth, boast himself like him, that looseneth.
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 he heard this message, as, he, was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants—Make ready! So they made ready, 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 lo! a certain prophet, drew near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, —Thus, saith Yahweh, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? Behold me! delivering it into thy hand, to-day, so shalt thou know that, I, am, Yahweh.
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 Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then said he—Who shall begin the war? And he said—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 numbered he the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were found to be, two hundred and thirty-two, —and, after them, he numbered all the people all the sons of Israel, 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 forth at noon. Now, Ben-hadad, was drinking himself drunk, in the pavilions, he and the thirty-two kings helping 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。」
Then went forth the young men of the princes of the provinces, first, —and, when Ben-hadad sent, they told him, saying—Men, have come forth, out of 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—If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, —or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them.
19 眾省長的少年軍人和跟隨他們的軍隊衝出城來,
Now, when, these, had come forth out of the city, even the young men of the princes of the provinces, —with the force which was following 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。
then smote they every one his man, and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, —but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on 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 forth, and took the horses and the chariots, —and he went on smiting the Syrians, with a great smiting.
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
Then drew near the prophet, unto the king of Israel, and said unto him—Go strengthen thyself, and mark and see, what thou wilt do, —for, at the return of the year, is, the king of Syria, coming 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 Syria, said unto him, —Gods of the mountains, are their gods, for this cause, prevailed they against us, —but, only let us fight with them in the plain, and verily we shall prevail against them.
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,
But, this thing, do, —set aside the kings, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
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, thou, must number thee a force, like the force which thou hast lost, both horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and, if we fight with them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them. 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 so it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, —and came up to Aphek, to fight with 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 sons of Israel, were numbered, and provisioned, and went to meet them, —and the sons of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, whereas, the Syrians, filled the land.
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。」
Then approached the man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said—Thus, saith Yahweh—Because the Syrians have said—A god of the mountains, is Yahweh, but, not a god of the vales, is he, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude, into thy hand, so shalt thou know, that, I, am Yahweh.
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,
So they encamped, these, over against, those, seven days, —and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel smote the Syrians, 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
And they who were left fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who were left, —and, Ben-hadad, fled, and came into the city, into a chamber within a 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, Lo! we pray thee, we have heard, of the kings of the house of Israel, that, kings known for lovingkindness, they are. Let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes about our head, and let us go forth unto the king of Israel, peradventure he will save alive thy soul.
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 upon their loins, and [put] ropes about their heads, and came in unto the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant, Ben-hadad, saith, —Let my soul live, I pray thee. And he said, —Is he yet alive? My brother, he is.
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, could divine, so they hastened to let him confirm the word of his own accord, and they said, —Thy brother, is Ben-hadad! He said therefore, —Go fetch him. So Ben-hadad came forth unto him, and he made him come up unto him on 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 he said unto him—The cities which my father took from thy father, will I restore, and, bazaars, shalt thou make thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. So then, I, with this covenant, will let thee go. So he solemnised with him a covenant, 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 neighbour, by the word of Yahweh—Smite me, I pray thee. But 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。
So he said to him—Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh, lo! when thou art departing from me, there shall smite thee a lion. And when he departed from beside him, a lion found him, and smote 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 found he another man, and said, —Smite me, I pray thee. So the man smote him—kept on smiting and wounding.
38 先知便站在路旁,用頭巾遮住自己的眼睛,等候君王。
Then the prophet departed, and waited for the king, by the way, —and disguised himself with his turban 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 so it was, when, the king, was passing, he, cried out unto the king, —and said—Thy servant, went out in the midst of the battle, and lo! a man, turned aside and brought unto me a man, and said—Keep this man, if he be, missing, then shall, thy life, go for, his life, or, a talent of silver, shalt thou weigh out.
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 so it was, as thy servant was busy here and there, that, he, was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him—Such, is thy judgment, thou 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。
Then hastened he, and removed the turban from over his eyes, —and the king of Israel knew him, that, of the prophets, was, he.
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 Yahweh, Because thou hast let go the man whom I had devoted, out of thy hand, therefore shall, thy life, be instead of, his life, and, thy people, instead of, 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 departed unto his house, sullen and disturbed, —and entered Samaria.

< 列王紀上 20 >