< 撒母耳記上 4 >

1 撒慕爾的話傳遍了全以色列。當時厄里已很老了,他的兩個兒子的品行在上主面前,比以前更壞了。那時,培肋舍特人集合起來攻打以色列人,以色列人便出來還擊他們,在厄本厄則爾旁紮了營,當時培肋舍特人已在阿費克紮了營。
And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek,
2 培肋舍特人就擺列陣勢攻打以色列人,戰鬥十分激烈;以色列人為培肋舍特打敗,在平原陣地上被擊斃的約有四千人。
and the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men.
3 軍隊回營後,以色列的長老說:「為什麼上主今天讓我們被培肋舍特人打敗﹖我們應從史羅把上主的約櫃抬來,讓約櫃來到我們中間,拯救我們擺脫敵人的壓迫。」
And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, 'Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.'
4 於是軍隊就派人到史羅去,從那裏把坐於革魯賓上的萬軍之上主的約櫃抬來;厄里的兩個兒子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也跟天主的約櫃來了。
And the people sendeth to Shiloh, and they take up thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs, and there [are] two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.
5 當上主的約櫃來到營內的時候,全以色列民就大聲歡呼,大地也震動了。
And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto the camp, that all Israel shout — a great shout — and the earth is moved.
6 培肋舍特人一聽見這樣的呼聲,就說:「希伯來人在營中為什麼這樣大聲歡呼﹖」後來纔知道,是上主的約櫃來到了他們的營中。
And the Philistines hear the noise of the shouting, and say, 'What [is] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?' and they perceive that the ark of Jehovah hath come in unto the camp.
7 培肋舍特人大為震驚,遂說:「希伯來人的神來到了他們的營中! 」繼而喊說:「我們有禍了! 至今從未有過這樣的事!
And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, 'God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, 'Woe to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore.
8 我們有禍了! 誰能從這大能的神手中救出我們呢﹖用各樣災禍在曠野中打擊了埃及人的,就是這個神啊!
Woe to us, who doth deliver us out of the hand of these honourable gods? these [are] the gods who are smiting the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.
9 培肋舍特人哪﹖你們應加強,要英勇,免得你們做希伯來人的奴才,像他們做過你們的奴才一樣。你們要英勇,奮鬥作戰! 」
Strengthen yourselves, and become men, O Philistines, lest ye do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you — then ye have become men, and have fought.'
10 培肋舍特人就開始進攻,以色列人中陣亡的步兵有三萬;
And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen;
11 天主的約櫃也被劫了去,厄里的兩個兒子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也同時陣亡了。
and the ark of God hath been taken, and the two sons of Eli have died, Hophni and Phinehas.
12 有個本雅明人從陣地逃出,當天來到了史羅,衣服已撕破,頭上滿是灰塵。
And a man of Benjamin runneth out of the ranks, and cometh into Shiloh, on that day, and his long robes [are] rent, and earth on his head;
13 他來到時,見厄里在門旁坐在椅子上,向大道觀望,因為他為天主的約櫃很是放心不下。那人一來到,就在城內佈開這凶信,全城因此哀號起來;
and he cometh in, and lo, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart hath been trembling for the ark of God, and the man hath come in to declare [it] in the city, and all the city crieth out.
14 厄里一聽見哀號聲,就問說:「這樣喧嚷,是什麼事﹖」那人就趕快前來報告給厄里,──
And Eli heareth the noise of the cry, and saith, 'What — the noise of this tumult!' And the man hasted, and cometh in, and declareth to Eli.
15 那時厄里已是九十八歲的人,眼睛雖然瞪著,卻什麼也看不見。──
And Eli is a son of ninety and eight years, and his eyes have stood, and he hath not been able to see.
16 對厄里說:「我是從營中來的,今天剛從戰場上逃回來的。」厄里問說:「我兒,事情怎樣﹖」
And the man saith unto Eli, 'I [am] he who hath come out of the ranks, and I out of the ranks have fled to-day;' and he saith, 'What hath been the matter, my son?'
17 報信的答說:「以色列人在培肋舍特人面前大敗,人民傷亡極大,你的兩個兒子也死了,天主的約櫃也被劫去了。」
And he who is bearing tidings answereth and saith, 'Israel hath fled before the Philistines, and also a great slaughter hath been among the people, and also thy two sons have died — Hophni and Phinehas — and the ark of God hath been captured.'
18 他一提到天主的約櫃,厄里就從椅子上往後一仰,跌在門檻上,跌斷了頸項,死了,因為他已年老,且又肥胖。──他四十年之久做了以色列人的民長。
And it cometh to pass, at his mentioning the ark of God, that he falleth from off the throne backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dieth, for the man [is] old and heavy, and he hath judged Israel forty years.
19 他的兒媳,丕乃哈斯的妻子,已經懷孕,快要臨盆;一聽說天主的約櫃被劫去,他的公公和丈夫已死的消息,突然感到陣痛,就彎下身去生產了。
And his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, [is] pregnant, about to bear, and she heareth the report of the taking of the ark of God, that her father-in-law and her husband have died, and she boweth, and beareth, for her pains have turned upon her.
20 她臨死時,侍立在旁的婦女向她說:「不必害怕,你生了一個兒子! 」她沒有答應,也沒有留意,
And at the time of her death, when the women who are standing by her say, 'Fear not, for a son thou hast borne,' she hath not answered, nor set her heart [to it];
21 只給孩子取名叫依加波得,說:「光榮已遠離了以色列。」這是指天主的約櫃,她的公公和丈夫都已被劫去,
and she calleth the youth I-Chabod, saying, 'Honour hath removed from Israel,' because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 所以她說:「光榮已遠離了以色列,」因為天主的約櫃已被劫去。
And she saith, 'Honour hath removed from Israel, for the ark of God hath been taken.'

< 撒母耳記上 4 >