< 士師記 8 >

1 那時厄弗辣因人對基德紅說:「你去攻打米德楊時,沒有召叫我們,你為什麼這樣對待我們﹖」他們激烈的與他爭吵。
AND the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
2 他回答他們說:「我所行的怎能比得上你們呢﹖厄弗辣因所拾的不比阿彼厄則爾所收的葡萄更好嗎﹖
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?
3 天主將米德楊的首領敖勒布和則厄布交在你們手中,我所能行的怎能與你們相比﹖」為了他這番話,他們對他的怒氣,就平息了。基德紅乘勝追趕米德楊王
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
4 基德紅來到約但河,就渡過河;他與跟隨他的三百人,雖然都疲倦,仍繼續追趕。
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
5 他向穌苛特人說:「請你們給跟隨我的人幾個餅吃,因為他們疲倦了,我還願意追趕米德楊的兩個王子則巴黑和匝耳慕納。」
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 穌苛特人的頭目回答說:「難道則巴黑和匝耳慕納的手已在你的掌握中,我們就該把餅送給你的軍隊嗎﹖」
And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
7 基德紅說:「好罷! 幾時上主把則巴黑和匝耳慕納交在我手中,我必要用茨條和荊棘鞭撻你們的身體。」
And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 以後由那裏上去,到了培奴耳,也向他們說了同樣的話;培奴耳人回答他也像穌苛特人一樣。
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
9 他也對培奴耳人說:「當我平安回來時,我必拆毀這座碉堡。」
And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 那時則巴黑和匝耳慕納正在卡爾科爾,他們的軍隊約有一萬五千人,這是全部東方子民所剩的軍隊,因為已有十二萬持刀的被擊弊斃了。
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
11 基德紅從諾巴黑和約革治哈東面,順著住帳棚人的路上去,當敵人自以為安全的時候,襲擊了軍營,
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12 則巴黑和匝耳慕納落荒而逃,基德紅在後面追趕,捉住了那兩個米德楊王子則巴黑和匝耳慕納,並使全軍覆沒。
And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 約阿士的兒子基德紅,從戰場沿赫勒斯斜坡回來,
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
14 捉住了穌苛特的少年人,查問他。這少年人就給他寫下穌苛特的首領和長老的名字,共七十七人。
And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
15 基德紅遂往穌苛特人那裏去說:「看! 這是則巴黑和匝耳慕納,你們為了他們曾譏笑我說:難道則巴黑和匝耳慕納的手已在你掌握中,我們就該把餅送給你疲倦的人嗎﹖」
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
16 他於是捉住那城的長老,用曠野裏的茨條和荊棘懲罰了蘇苛特居民。
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
17 以後又把培奴耳的碉堡拆毀,殺戮了城內的居民。
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 然後詢問則巴黑和匝耳慕納說:「你們在大博爾山上殺戮的那些人是怎樣的人呢﹖」他們答說:「他們像你們一樣,個個都像君王的兒子。」
Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
19 基德紅說:「他們是我的兄弟,是我母親的兒子:上主永在:如果你保留了他們不死,我也就不殺你們。」
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 他遂對自己的長子耶特爾說:「起來,殺死他們! 」但是這孩童害怕,拔不出刀來,因為年紀還小。
And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 因此,則巴黑和匝耳慕納說:「你親自起來殺死我們罷! 因為人怎樣,他的力量也怎樣。」基德紅就起來殺了則巴黑和匝耳慕納,拿去他們駱駝頸上的月牙環。基德紅辭王位及其末年
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
22 事後,以色列人便對基德紅說:「你既然從米德楊手中拯救了我們,請你和你的子孫作我們的君王! 」
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 基德紅回答他們說:「我不作你的君王,我的子孫也不作你們的君王,唯有上主是你們的君王。」
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.
24 基德紅又向他們說:「我只向你們要求一件事:請將每人掠奪的金環給我。」原來依市瑪耳人都有金環。
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 他們答說:「我們情願給你。」於是舖開一件外衣,每人把所掠奪的金環擲在上面。
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26 他所要的金環共有一千七百「協刻耳」重;此外尚有月牙環、耳環和米德楊王所穿的紫紅衣,及他們駱駝頸上的項鏈。
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
27 基德紅用這些金子造了一個「厄弗得」便成了基德紅及其家族的羅網。
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28 米德楊在以色列子民前面屈服,再沒有抬起頭來。基德紅在世時,境內平安了四十年。
Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 約阿士的兒子耶魯巴耳回去,安居在自己家中。
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 基德紅有七十個兒子,都是他親生的,因為他有很多妻子。
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 他在舍根的妾也給他生了一個兒子,給他起名叫阿彼默肋客。
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 約阿士的兒子基德紅壽終正寢,埋在阿彼厄則爾的敖弗辣,他父親約阿士的墳墓裏。
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
33 基德紅死後,以色列子民又去跟從巴耳諸神行邪淫,立巴耳貝黎特當做他們的天主。
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
34 以色列子民忘記了上主他們的天主,曾從四周所有的敵人手中救了他們,
And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35 也沒有恩待耶魯巴耳即基德紅的家,以報答他施於以色列的恩惠。
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

< 士師記 8 >