撒母耳记下 20
1 在那里恰巧有一个匪徒，名叫示巴，是便雅悯人比基利的儿子。他吹角，说：“我们与大卫无分，与耶西的儿子无涉。以色列人哪，你们各回各家去吧！”
And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.”
2 于是以色列人都离开大卫，跟随比基利的儿子示巴。但犹大人从约旦河直到耶路撒冷，都紧紧跟随他们的王。
And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
3 大卫王来到耶路撒冷，进了宫殿，就把从前留下看守宫殿的十个妃嫔禁闭在冷宫，养活她们，不与她们亲近。她们如同寡妇被禁，直到死的日子。
And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.
4 王对亚玛撒说：“你要在三日之内将犹大人招聚了来，你也回到这里来。”
Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”
5 亚玛撒就去招聚犹大人，却耽延过了王所限的日期。
Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him.
6 大卫对亚比筛说：“现在恐怕比基利的儿子示巴加害于我们比押沙龙更甚。你要带领你主的仆人追赶他，免得他得了坚固城，躲避我们。”
And David said to Abishai: “Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.”
7 约押的人和基利提人、比利提人，并所有的勇士，都跟着亚比筛，从耶路撒冷出去追赶比基利的儿子示巴。
And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.
8 他们到了基遍的大磐石那里，亚玛撒来迎接他们。那时约押穿着战衣，腰束佩刀的带子，刀在鞘内；约押前行，刀从鞘内掉出来。
And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.
9 约押左手拾起刀来，对亚玛撒说：“我兄弟，你好啊！”就用右手抓住亚玛撒的胡子，要与他亲嘴。
Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him.
10 亚玛撒没有防备约押手里所拿的刀；约押用刀刺入他的肚腹，他的肠子流在地上，没有再刺他，就死了。 约押和他兄弟亚比筛往前追赶比基利的儿子示巴。
But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.
11 有约押的一个少年人站在亚玛撒尸身旁边，对众人说：“谁喜悦约押，谁归顺大卫，就当跟随约押去。”
Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.”
12 亚玛撒在道路上滚在自己的血里。那人见众民经过都站住，就把亚玛撒的尸身从路上挪到田间，用衣服遮盖。
Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.
13 尸身从路上挪移之后，众民就都跟随约押去追赶比基利的儿子示巴。
Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri.
14 他走遍以色列各支派，直到伯·玛迦的亚比拉，并比利人的全地；那些地方的人也都聚集跟随他。
Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.
15 约押和跟随的人到了伯·玛迦的亚比拉，围困示巴，就对着城筑垒；跟随约押的众民用锤撞城，要使城塌陷。
And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls.
16 有一个聪明妇人从城上呼叫说：“听啊，听啊，请约押近前来，我好与他说话。”
And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”
17 约押就近前来，妇人问他说：“你是约押不是？”他说：“我是。”妇人说：“求你听婢女的话。”约押说：“我听。”
And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”
18 妇人说：“古时有话说，当先在亚比拉求问，然后事就定妥。
And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.
19 我们这城的人在以色列人中是和平、忠厚的。你为何要毁坏以色列中的大城，吞灭耶和华的产业呢？”
Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?”
20 约押回答说：“我决不吞灭毁坏，
And responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.
21 乃因以法莲山地的一个人—比基利的儿子示巴—举手攻击大卫王，你们若将他一人交出来，我便离城而去。”妇人对约押说：“那人的首级必从城墙上丢给你。”
The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.’
22 妇人就凭她的智慧去劝众人。他们便割下比基利的儿子示巴的首级，丢给约押。约押吹角，众人就离城而散，各归各家去了。约押回耶路撒冷，到王那里。
Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 约押作以色列全军的元帅；耶何耶大的儿子比拿雅统辖基利提人和比利提人；
Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.
24 亚多兰掌管服苦的人；亚希律的儿子约沙法作史官；
Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.
25 示法作书记；撒督和亚比亚他作祭司长；
Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26 睚珥人以拉作大卫的宰相。
But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.
