士師記 6
1 以色列的子民又行了上主視為惡的事，上主把他們交於米德楊人手中七年之久。
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 米德楊人的勢力勝過了以色列，以色列子民為了防禦米德楊人，修築了山洞、地洞和山寨。
The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds.
3 每逢以色列人撒種之後，米德楊人、阿瑪肋克人和東方子民就上來攻打他們；
So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came up against them.
4 對著他們紮營，毀壞地產直到迦薩一帶，沒有給以色列留下一點食糧，連羊、牛、驢也沒有留下；
They encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza. They left no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep, ox, or donkey.
5 因為他們總是帶著家畜和帳棚上來，多如蝗蟲；他們來的人和駱駝多得無數，踏入境內，毀壞田地。
For they came up with their livestock and their tents. They came in as locusts for multitude. Both they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to destroy it.
6 以色列為了米德楊人的原故，很是窮困，因此以色列子民呼籲了上主。
Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.
7 當以色列子民為了米德楊的原故，呼籲上主時，
When the children of Israel cried to the LORD because of Midian,
8 上主就派了一位先知到以色列子民那裏，對他們說：「上主以色列的天主這樣說：是我使你們由埃及上來，領你們離開了為奴之家；
The LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage.
9 是我從埃及人的手中，從一切壓迫你們的人手中救出你們來；是我從你們面前把他們趕走，把他們的地賜給你們。
I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land.
10 我曾對你們說過：我是上主你們的天主，你們在阿摩黎地方，切不可敬畏他們的神! 但是你們沒有聽從我的話。」基德紅被召
I said to you, “I am the LORD your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not listened to my voice.’”
11 上主的使者來到，坐在敖弗辣的一棵屬於阿彼厄則爾人約阿士的篤耨樹下，當時他的兒子基德紅正在釀酒池裏打麥子，躲避米德楊人。
The LORD’s angel came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 上主的使者顯現給他，對他說：「英勇的壯士，願上主與你同在! 」
The LORD’s angel appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!”
13 基德紅回答他說：「我主，請原諒! 如果上主與我們同在，我們怎會遭遇這些困難﹖他們曾向我們說過：看，是上主領我們出離埃及，但是現在上主拋棄了我們，將我們交在米德楊人的掌握中。」
Gideon said to him, “Oh, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Didn’t the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.”
14 上主注視他說：「憑你這種力量，你去拯救以色列脫離米德楊人的掌握。看，是我派遣你。」
The LORD looked at him, and said, “Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Haven’t I sent you?”
15 他回答說：「我主，請原諒! 我憑什麼拯救以色列﹖看，我家在默納協支派中是最卑微的，我在我父親家中又是最小的一個。」
He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
16 上主對他說：「有我與你同在，你必擊敗米德楊人，如擊一個人一樣。」
The LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
17 基德紅又向他說：「我若在你面前蒙恩，請你給我一個記號，證明與我說話的是你。
He said to him, “If now I have found favour in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.
18 請你不要離開此地，等我回到你這裏，帶來禮物，擺在你前。」他答應說：「我等你回來。」
Please don’t go away until I come to you, and bring out my present, and lay it before you.” He said, “I will wait until you come back.”
19 基德紅就去預備了一隻小公山羊，又用一「厄法」麥粉作了無酵餅，把肉放在筐裏，把湯盛在罐裏，帶到篤耨樹下獻給他。
Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes of an efah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
20 天主的使者對他說：「拿出肉和無酵餅來，放在這磐石上，把湯倒出來! 」他就照樣作了。
The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” He did so.
21 上主的使者遂伸出手中的棍杖，杖頭一觸及肉和無酵餅，磐石便起火，把肉和無酵餅吞噬了；上主的使者便從他眼前隱沒了。
Then the LORD’s angel stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. Then the LORD’s angel departed out of his sight.
22 基德紅遂知道他是上主的使者說：「哎呀！我主上主，我竟然面對面地看見上主的使者！」
Gideon saw that he was the LORD’s angel; and Gideon said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Because I have seen the LORD’s angel face to face!”
23 但上主對他說：「你放心! 不必害怕，你不會死!
The LORD said to him, “Peace be to you! Don’t be afraid. You shall not die.”
24 基德紅就在那裏給上主立了一座祭壇，稱為雅威沙隆；至今還在阿彼厄則耳人的敖弗辣那裏。德基紅拆毀巴耳祭壇
Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it “The LORD is Peace.” To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 當夜上主對他說：「取你父親的一隻牛，即那隻七歲的肥牛，以後拆毀你父親的巴耳祭壇，打碎旁邊的阿舍辣；
That same night, the LORD said to him, “Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.
26 給上主你的天主在這磐石頂上建一座祭壇，準備妥當，將那隻肥牛獻為全燔祭，用打碎的阿舍辣作木柴。」
Then build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”
27 基德紅就從僕人中選出十個人，照上主吩咐他的作了；但因為害怕父親的家人和城裏的人，不敢在白天行事，就在黑夜作了。
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken to him. Because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, but he did it by night.
28 城裏的人早晨起來，看見巴耳的祭壇已毀，旁邊所有的阿舍辣也被打碎，那隻肥牛也獻於新築的祭壇上，
When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built.
29 就彼此詢問說：「誰作了這事﹖」經過考察追問之後，斷定說：「必是約阿士的兒子基德紅作了這事。」
They said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” When they enquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”
30 因此本城的人對約阿士說：「將你的兒子交出來，將他處死! 因為他拆毀了巴耳的祭壇，打碎了旁邊的阿舍辣。」
Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
31 約阿士回答所有反對他的人說：「你們要為巴耳辯護麼﹖或者你們要就助他嗎﹖誰為他辯護，明天早晨便該處以死刑! 他如果是神，讓他為自己辯護罷! 因為有人拆毀了他的祭壇。」
Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”
32 因此當天人就稱基德紅為「耶魯巴耳，」好像說：「讓巴耳與他爭辯，因為基德紅拆毀了他的祭壇。」基德紅求證
Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.”
33 那時，米德楊、阿瑪肋克和東方子民都聚集起來，過了河，在依次勒耳平原安了營。
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
34 上主的神充滿了基德紅，他一吹號角，阿彼厄則爾人便應召前來跟隨他；
But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a shofar; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him.
35 他又打發使者走遍默納協，默納協人也應召前來跟隨他；他又打發使者往阿協爾、則步隆和納斐塔里去，他們也都上來與他們會合。
He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36 基德紅就對天主說：「如果你按你所說的，真要藉著我的手拯救以色列，
Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken,
37 看我將剪下的一把羊毛放在禾場上，若露水單單落在羊毛上，而遍地都是乾的，那麼我便曉得，如你所說的，你真要藉我的手拯救以色列。」
behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I’ll know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.”
38 次日清早起來，果然如此，基德紅把羊毛一擰，從羊毛裏擰出一碗露水。
It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39 基德紅又向天主說：「如果我再說一次，求你別對我發怒! 請讓我用這羊毛再試一次：單單羊毛是乾的，而遍地都是露水。」
Gideon said to God, “Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.”
40 那一業天主果然這樣作了，單單羊毛是乾的，而遍地都是露水。
God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
