撒母耳記下 20
1 當時，在那裏有個敗類，始叫舍尸巴，是本雅明人彼革黎的兒子。吹著號，喊說：「我們和達味沒有關係，對葉瑟兒子的產業沒有分子。以色列人! 各自回本家吧!
There was a man there [at Gilgal] named Sheba. He was a man who always caused trouble. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Bichri. He blew a trumpet and called out, “We have nothing to do with [DOU] David, that son of Jesse! So, men of Israel, let’s go to our homes!”
2 因此，眾以色列人離開達味，跟隨了彼革黎的兒子舍巴；但猶大人仍然緊隨他們的君王，由約旦河直到了耶路撒冷。
So all the men from the other Israeli tribes deserted David and went with Sheba, but the men of Judah stayed with David. They wanted him to be their king, and went with him from near the Jordan [River] up to Jerusalem.
3 達味王進了耶路撒冷的宮殿，就將他留下看守宮殿的十個個嬪妃，留在禁官裏，養活她們，卻不再親近她們。她們被禁在冷官內，一直到死，終身守寡。
When David arrived at the palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten slave wives whom he had left there to take care of the palace and put them in another house. He put a guard at that house, and he provided for them what they needed, but he never had sexual relations [EUP] with them again. So they remained shut up in their house until they died. It was as though they were widows.
4 王對阿瑪撒說：「三天之內，你應給我召集猶大人，你也親自也該來到這裏」。
[One day] the king said to Amasa, “Summon the soldiers of Judah to come here within three days, and you be here also.”
5 阿彼撒去召集猶大人，但他遲延耽擱，過了君王他所定的期限。
So Amasa went to summon them, but he did not return within the time that David told him to.
6 達味就對阿彼撒說：「現今彼革黎的兒子舍巴危害我們，恐怕甚於阿貝沙隆。你快去領你主人的軍隊去追趕他，免得他佔了設防的城，由我們眼前逃脫」。
So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba will harm us more than Absalom did. So you take my soldiers and pursue him. If you do not do that, he and his soldiers may occupy/capture some of the (fortified towns/towns that have walls around them), and escape from us. [IDM]”
7 約阿布的部下，革肋提人和培肋提人，以及所有的勇士，都跟阿彼撒去了。他們由耶路撒冷出發，趕走彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
So Abishai [and Joab] and the king’s bodyguards and the other soldiers left Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba.
8 當他們來到基貝紅的大石旁，阿瑪撒也迎面而來。約阿布身穿戰袍，束著腰帶，腰間掛著一把帶鞘的刀。約阿布的刀出鞘落地。
When they arrived at the huge rock in [the] Gibeah [region], Amasa met them. Joab was wearing a soldier’s uniform. He had a dagger/long knife fastened to his belt. When he came close [to Amasa, he allowed] the dagger [to] fall on the ground.
9 約阿布對阿瑪撒說：「吾兄，你好﹖」約阿布遂用石手抓住阿瑪撒的鬍鬚，與他親吻。
Joab said to Amasa, “Are things going well with you, my friend?” Then Joab grabbed Amasa’s beard with his right hand, in order to kiss him.
10 阿瑪撒沒有提防約阿布手中的刀；約阿布就用刀刺穿了他的肚腹，五臟傾流在地上，沒有再刺第二下，他就死了。約阿布與自己的兄弟阿彼瑟，便往前追趕彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
But Amasa did not see that Joab was holding [another] dagger in his [other] hand. And Joab stabbed it into Amasa’s belly, and his insides spilled out onto the ground. Amasa died [immediately]; Joab did not need to stab him again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to pursue Sheba.
11 看守阿瑪撒屍首的約阿布的一個兵士喊說：「誰喜愛約阿布，誰屬達味，就跟約阿布去! 」
One of Joab’s soldiers stood alongside Amasa’s body and called out, “Everyone who wants Joab [to be our commander] and who wants David [to be our king], go with Joab!”
12 阿瑪撒此時臥在路中血泊中，那人見眾人停留不前，就將阿瑪撒的屍首，由路上搬到田裏，上面蓄上一件衣服，因為他見軍人到了那裏，就停在屍首前。
Amasa’s body was lying on the road. It was covered with blood. The soldier of Joab [who had called out] saw that many others of Joab’s soldiers were stopping [to see it], so he dragged Amasa’s body off the road into a field, and threw a cloth/blanket over the body.
13 屍首由路上搬走後，軍人就都過去，跟隨約阿布追趕彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
After the body had been taken off the road, all the soldiers went with Joab to pursue Sheba.
14 舍巴走遍了以色列各支派，人都不理他。隨後到了貝特瑪阿加的阿貝耳，眾彼革黎人卻聚集起來，跟隨了他。
Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel, and arrived at Abel-Beth-Maacah [town in the northern part of Israel]. There, all the members of [his father] Bichri’s clan gathered, and went with Sheba into the town.
15 約阿布大軍前來，把他包圍在貝特瑪阿加的阿貝內，興築攻城的壁壘。跟隨約阿布的大軍遂下手挖城牆，使牆倒塌。
The soldiers who were with Joab [found out that Sheba had gone there, so they] went there and surrounded the town. They built a dirt ramp up against the town wall. They also pounded against the wall [with heavy poles], to cause it to collapse.
16 當時城中有個聰明的婦人，站在城牆上喊說：「請聽! 請聽! 你們對約阿布說：來這裏，我有話對你說」。
Then a wise woman who was in that town [stood on the top of the wall and] shouted down, “Listen to me! Tell Joab to come here, because I want to talk to him!”
17 約阿布來到她那裏，婦人便問說：「你是約阿布嗎﹖」他答說：「我是」。她便對他說：「請你聽你婢女一言! 」他答說：「我聽」。
So [after they told Joab], he came there, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “Yes, I am.” She said to him, “Listen to what I say.” He replied, “I am listening.”
18 她說：「從前有句話說：你去問問阿貝耳，事便可解決。
She said, “Long ago people used to say, ‘Go to Abel [town] to get good advice about your problems.’ And that is what people did.
19 我在以色列算是一座和平忠厚的城，你卻圖謀消滅一座以色列的母城。為什麼你要吞滅上主的產業﹖」
We are peaceful and loyal Israelis. Our people here are important and respected [IDM]. So (why are you trying to destroy a town that belongs to Yahweh?/you should not be trying to destroy a town that belongs to Yahweh.)” [RHQ]
20 約阿布答說：「決無此事，我決無意消滅或破壞。
Job replied, “I would certainly never want to ruin or destroy your town!
21 完全不是這麼一回事；只因厄弗辣因山地的一人，即彼革黎的兒子名叫舍巴的，造反抗拒達味王；只要你們將他交來，我即撤離此城」。婦人對約阿布說：「請看，他的頭由城上拋給你」。
That is not what we want to do. But Bichri’s son Sheba, a man from the hilly area in the tribe of Ephraim, is rebelling against King David. Put this man into our hands, and then we will (go away from/not attack) this town.” The woman replied to Joab, “Okay, what we will do is, we will [cut off] his head [and] throw it over the wall to you.”
22 婦人就去憑自己的智慧勸說眾百姓。他們便砍了彼革黎的兒子舍巴的頭，拋給約阿布。約阿布遂吹起號角，撤兵離城，各自了本家。約阿布也回了耶路撒冷君王那裏。
Then this wise woman went to the elders of the town and told them what she had said to Joab. So they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall to Joab. Then Joab blew his trumpet [to signal that the battle was ended], and all his soldiers left the town and returned to their homes. And Joab returned to Jerusalem and told the king [what had happened].
23 約阿布統率以色列的眾軍隊；約雅達的兒子貝納雅管理革勒提人和培肋提人；
Joab was the commander of the entire Israeli army. Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was the commander of David’s bodyguards;
24 阿多蘭管理奴役；阿希路得的兒子約沙法特作御史；
Adoram supervised the men who were forced to work [for the king]; Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the man who reported [to the people everything that David decided];
25 史沙作書記；匝多克和厄貝雅塔爾作司祭；
Sheva was the official secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;
26 此外，雅提爾人依辣也也作達味的司祭。
and Ira from Jair [town] was also one of David’s priests.
