< 歷代志下 14 >
1 阿彼雅與列祖同眠,葬仔達味城;他的兒子阿撒繼位為王。他在位時,國內平安了十年。
So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years.
2 [阿撒的熱誠和努力]阿撒行了上主他的天主視為善,視為正直得事,
Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of YHWH his God:
3 除掉了外邦的祭壇和高丘,毀壞了柱像,拆除了木偶,
for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the Asherim,
4 並命令猶大應尋求上主他們祖先的天主,遵行他的法律和誡命,
and commanded Judah to seek YHWH, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
5 也鏟除了猶大各城內的高丘和太陽柱。那時,國家在他統治下安享太平。
Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
6 他又在猶大修築了幾座堅城,因為境內平靖,數年沒有戰爭,上主賜予他平安。
He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because YHWH had given him rest.
7 阿撒對猶大人說:「我們必須建築這些城邑,四周建築城垣堡壘,安置大門和門閂;地域仍屬我們,是因為我們尋求了上主,我們的天主。我們既尋求了他,他便使我們四境平靖。」於是他們興工建築,事事順利。
For he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities, and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is still ours. Since we have sought YHWH our God, he has sought us and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
8 阿撒的軍隊,持盾持戈的猶大人三十萬,持牌挽弓的本雅明人二十八萬:這些人都是勇士。[則辣黑進攻失敗]
Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.
9 那時,雇士人則辣黑率領百萬大軍,戰車三百輛,前來進攻,到了瑪勒沙。
There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Mareshah.
10 阿撒出來迎戰,陳兵在離瑪勒沙不遠的責法達山谷。
Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11 阿撒呼籲上主他的天主說:「上主! 在強弱懸殊之下,無人能似你能協助。上主,我們的天主! 求你協助我們,因為我們只有依賴你,奉你的名來迎擊這支大軍。上主,你是我們的天主,不要讓人勝過你! 」
Asa cried to YHWH his God, and said, "YHWH, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and those who have no strength. Help us, YHWH our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. YHWH, you are our God. Do not let man prevail against you."
12 於是上主在阿撒和猶大人前打擊了雇士人,雇士人遂逃走。
So YHWH struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
13 阿撒帶著跟隨他的軍民,追擊他們直到革辣爾。雇士人甚至沒有一個活的,都喪亡了,因為他們為上主和他的軍隊擊潰。猶大人奪取了很多財物。
Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before YHWH, and before his army; and they carried away very much booty.
14 他們又攻破了革辣爾四周所有的城池,因為上主的恐怖籠罩了這些城池;猶大人又將所有的城擄掠一空,因為城中有許多財物。
They struck all the cities around Gerar; for the fear of YHWH came on them: and they plundered all the cities; for there was a great amount of plunder in them.
15 隨後又毀壞了群畜的圍欄,掠取了許多羊群和駱駝,便回耶路撒冷去了。
They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.