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。
Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and chariots. 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，
He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Ben Hadad says,
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。」
‘Your silver and your gold are mine. Your wives also and your children, even the best, 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。」
The king of Israel answered, “It is according to your saying, my lord, O king. I am yours, 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。
The messengers came again and said, “Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent indeed to you, saying, “You shall deliver me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your 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 to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants. Whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they will 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, “Please notice how this man seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I didn’t deny him.”
8 眾長老和全體人民對他說：「你不要聽從，也不要應允! 」
All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen, and don’t 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。
Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” The messengers departed and brought him back the message.
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! 」
Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough for handfuls for all the people who 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。」
The king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armour brag like he who takes 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
When Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, he said to his servants, “Prepare to attack!” So they prepared to attack 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。」
Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, “The LORD says, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today. Then you will 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。」
Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “The LORD says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
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 mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he mustered 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。
They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who 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。」
The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, “Men are coming 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。」
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have 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。
They each killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria 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。
The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians 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
The prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and plan what you must do, for at the return of the year, the king of Syria will come up against you.”
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。
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’s fight against them in the plain, and surely we will 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，
Do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their place.
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
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 they are.” He listened to 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。
At the return of the year, Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians 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。
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.
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。」
A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “The LORD says, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you 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，
They encamped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians 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 on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled and came into the city, into an inner room.
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。」
His servants said to him, “See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your 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 put sackcloth on their bodies and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” He said, “Is he still 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 observed diligently and hurried to take this phrase; and they said, “Your brother Ben Hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came out to him; and he caused him to come up into the 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
Ben Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” “I”, said Ahab, “will let you 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。
A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the LORD’s word, “Please strike me!” The man refused to strike 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 he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD’s voice, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” As soon as he had departed from him, a lion found him and killed 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, “Please strike me.” The man struck him and wounded 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。
As the king passed by, he cried to the king, and he said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle; and behold, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man! If by any means he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall 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。」
As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgement be. You yourself have 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。
He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognised that he was one 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。」
He said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life will take the place of his life, and your people take the place 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。
The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.
