< 士師記 7 >

1 耶魯巴耳即基德紅和所有跟隨他的民眾一早起身,在哈洛得泉安營;米德楊的營幕就在他們北面,在摩勒山腳的平原裏。
Then Ierubbaal (who is Gideon) rose vp early, and all the people that were with him, and pitched beside the well of Harod, so that the hoste of the Midianites was on the Northside of them in the valley by the hill of Moreh.
2 上主對基德紅說:「跟隨你的民眾太多,我不能把米德楊交在他們手中,免得以色列對我自誇說:是自己的能力救了自己。
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people that are with thee, are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel make their vaunt against me, and say, Mine hand hath saued mee.
3 現在你要向民眾宣告說:凡害怕恐懼的可以回去,急速離開這裏。」於是民眾中有二萬二千回去,只剩下一萬人。
Now therefore proclaime in the audience of the people, and say, Who so is timerous or fearefull, let him returne, and depart earely from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people which were at mount Gilead, two and twentie thousand: so ten thousand remayned.
4 上主又對基德紅說:「民眾還是太多;領他們下到水邊去,我要在那裏為你檢驗他們。凡我告訴你說:這人可同你去,他就與你同去;凡我告訴你說:這人不可同你去,他就不可去。」
And the Lord said vnto Gideon, The people are yet too many: bring them downe vnto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and of whome I say vnto thee, This man shall goe with thee, the same shall go with thee: and of whomsoeuer I say vnto thee, This man shall not goe with thee, the same shall not go.
5 他就引民眾下到水邊;上主向基德紅說:「凡用舌頭舔水像狗舔水似的,將他們安置在一處;同樣,凡屈膝跪下飲水的,將他們安置在一處。」
So he brought downe the people vnto the water. And the Lord sayd vnto Gideon, As many as lap the water with their tongues, as a dog lappeth, them put by themselues, and euery one that shall bow downe his knees to drinke, put apart.
6 用手捧到嘴邊舔水的共有三百人;其餘民眾都是屈膝跪下喝水。
And the nomber of them that lapped by putting their handes to their mouthes, were three hundreth men: but all the remnant of the people kneeled downe vpon their knees to drinke water.
7 上主對基德紅說:「我要用這三百舔水的人拯救你們,把米德楊交於你手中。讓其餘的民眾各回本地去。」
Then the Lord sayde vnto Gideon, By these three hundreth men that lapped, will I saue you, and deliuer the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go euery man vnto his place.
8 基德紅便留下民眾的罐子和號角,打發眾以色列人各回自己的帳幕,只留下三百人。米德楊的營幕就在他們下面的平原裏。基德紅巧取米德楊營
So the people tooke vitailes with them, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and reteined the three hundreth men: and the hoste of Midian was beneath him in a valley.
9 當夜上主對他說:「起來,下去攻營! 我已將敵營交在你的手中了。
And the same night the Lord sayde vnto him, Arise, get thee downe vnto the hoste: for I haue deliuered it into thine hand.
10 如果你一人害怕下去,可帶你的隨從普辣一起下到營幕,
But if thou feare to go downe, then go thou, and Phurah thy seruant downe to the hoste,
11 聽他們說什麼;以後你的手就會堅強,敢下去攻營了。」於是他和他的隨從普辣便下去,來到營中駐軍的前哨。
And thou shalt hearken what they say, and so shall thine handes be strong to go downe vnto the hoste. Then went he downe and Phurah his seruant vnto the outside of the souldiers that were in the hoste.
12 那時米德楊、阿瑪肋克和東方的子民都散佈在平原裏,多如蝗蟲;他們的駱駝不可勝數,多如海邊的沙粒。
And the Midianites, and the Amalekites and all they of the East, lay in the valley like grashoppers in multitude, and their camels were without nomber, as the sande which is by the sea side for multitude.
13 基德紅來到時,正有一個人給他的同伴講夢說:「我作了一個夢:有一個大麥麵餅滾入米德楊營內,直滾向帳幕,將帳幕撞倒:翻轉朝上。」
And when Gideon was come, beholde, a man tolde a dreame vnto his neighbour, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dreame, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled from aboue into the hoste of Midian, and came vnto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and ouerturned it, that the tent fell downe.
14 他的同伴回答說:「這不是別的,這是以色列人約阿士的兒子基德紅的刀劍;天主已把米德楊及其全營交於他手中。」
And his fellow answered, and sayde, This is nothing els saue the sworde of Gideon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel: for into his hande hath God deliuered Midian and all the hoste.
15 基德紅一聽見這夢的敘述和解釋,就朝拜天主;然後回到以色列營中說:「起來! 因為上主已將米德楊的營幕交在你們手中了。」
When Gideon heard the dreame tolde, and the interpretation of the same, he worshipped, and returned vnto the hoste of Israel, and said, Vp: for the Lord hath deliuered into your hande the hoste of Midian.
16 他於是把三百人分作三隊,把號角和空罐子交在每人手中,把火把放在罐子裏;
And hee deuided the three hundreth men into three bandes, and gaue euery man a trumpet in his hande with emptie pitchers, and lampes within the pitchers.
17 然後吩咐他們說:「你們看我怎樣行,你們便怎樣行;一到營幕邊上,我怎樣作,你們也要怎樣作。
And he sayd vnto them, Looke on me, and do likewise, when I come to the side of the hoste: euen as I do, so do you.
18 當我與跟隨我的人吹號角時,你們也應該在營幕四周吹號角,並且喊叫;為上主,為基德紅! 」
When I blowe with a trumpet and all that are with me, blowe ye with trumpets also on euery side of the hoste, and say, For the Lord, and for Gideon.
19 在三更之初,當哨兵換防的時候,基德紅領著他那一百人來到營幕邊上,吹起號角來,打破手中的罐子。
So Gideon and the hundreth men that were with him, came vnto the outside of the hoste, in the beginning of the middle watche, and they raised vp the watchmen, and they blew with their trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their handes.
20 同時三隊一齊吹號角,打破罐子,左手拿著火把,右手拿著號角吹,並喊叫說:「刀劍為上主,為基德紅! 」
And the three companies blew with trumpets and brake the pitchers, and helde the lampes in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right. handes to blowe withall: and they cryed, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.
21 眾人都在營幕四周,各站在自己的地方。那時敵營驚醒,亂喊亂竄。
And they stoode, euery man in his place round about the hoste: and all the hoste ranne, and cryed, and fled.
22 當那三百人吹號角的時候,上主使敵營互相撕殺。以後朝著責勒達逃往貝特史大,直到面對塔巴特的阿貝耳默曷拉。米德楊慘敗
And the three hundreth blewe with trumpets, and the Lord set euery mans sworde vpon his neighbour, and vpon all the hoste: so the hoste fled to Beth-hashittah in Zererah, and to the border of Abel-meholah, vnto Tabbath.
23 那時以色列人從納斐塔里、阿協爾和默納協全地集合,追趕米德楊。
Then the men of Israel being gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, pursued after the Midianites.
24 基德紅又打發使者到全厄弗辣因山地說:「請下來攻打米德楊人,在他們前佔據約但河的渡口,直到貝特巴辣。」全厄弗辣因人就集合,佔據了約但河的渡口,一直到貝特巴辣。
And Gideon sent messengers vnto all mount Ephraim, saying, Come downe against the Midianites, and take before them the waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iorden. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered together and tooke the waters vnto Beth-barah, and Iorden.
25 他們捉住了米德楊的兩個領袖,即敖勒布和則厄布,在敖勒布石上把敖勒布殺死,在則厄布醡酒池裏把則厄布殺死;以後繼續追趕米德楊人,並把敖勒布和則厄布的頭送到約但對岸基德紅跟前。
And they tooke two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, and slew Oreb vpon the rocke Oreb, and slewe Zeeb at the winepresse of Zeeb, and pursued the Midianites, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyonde Iorden.

< 士師記 7 >