< 士师记 7 >

1 耶路·巴力就是基甸,他和一切跟随的人早晨起来,在哈律泉旁安营。米甸营在他们北边的平原,靠近摩利冈。
Then Jerobaal, who is the same as Gedeon, rising up early and all the people with him, came to the fountain that is called Harad. Now the camp of Madian was in the valley on the north side of the high hill.
2 耶和华对基甸说:“跟随你的人过多,我不能将米甸人交在他们手中,免得以色列人向我夸大,说:‘是我们自己的手救了我们。’
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.
3 现在你要向这些人宣告说:‘凡惧怕胆怯的,可以离开基列山回去。’”于是有二万二千人回去,只剩下一万。
Speak to the people, and proclaim in the hearing of all, I Whosoever is fearful and timorous, let him return. So two and twenty thousand men went away from mount Galaad and returned home, and only ten thousand remained.
4 耶和华对基甸说:“人还是过多;你要带他们下到水旁,我好在那里为你试试他们。我指点谁说:‘这人可以同你去’,他就可以同你去;我指点谁说:‘这人不可同你去’,他就不可同你去。”
And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many, bring them to the waters, and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, This shall go with thee, let him go: whom I shall forbid to go, let him return.
5 基甸就带他们下到水旁。耶和华对基甸说:“凡用舌头舔水,像狗舔的,要使他单站在一处;凡跪下喝水的,也要使他单站在一处。”
And when the people were come down to the waters, the Lord said to Gedeon: They that shall lap the water with their tongues, as dogs are wont to lap, thou shalt set apart by themselves: but they that shall drink bowing down their knees, shall be on the other side.
6 于是用手捧着舔水的有三百人,其余的都跪下喝水。
And the number of them that had lapped water, casting it with the hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: and all the rest of the multitude had drunk kneeling.
7 耶和华对基甸说:“我要用这舔水的三百人拯救你们,将米甸人交在你手中;其余的人都可以各归各处去。”
And the Lord said to Gedeon: By the three hundred men, that lapped water, I will save you, and deliver Madian into thy hand: but let all the rest of the people return to their place.
8 这三百人就带着食物和角;其余的以色列人,基甸都打发他们各归各的帐棚,只留下这三百人。米甸营在他下边的平原里。
So taking victuals and trumpets according to their number, he ordered all the rest of the multitude to depart to their tents: and he with the three hundred gave himself to the battle. Now the camp of Madian was beneath him in the valley.
9 当那夜,耶和华吩咐基甸说:“起来,下到米甸营里去,因我已将他们交在你手中。
The same night the Lord said to him: Arise, and go down into the camp: because I have delivered them into thy hand.
10 倘若你怕下去,就带你的仆人普拉下到那营里去。
But if thou be afraid to go alone, let Phara thy servant go down with thee.
11 你必听见他们所说的,然后你就有胆量下去攻营。”于是基甸带着仆人普拉下到营旁。
And when thou shalt hear what they are saying, then shall thy hands be strengthened, and thou shalt go down more secure to the enemies’ camp. And he went down with Phara his servant into part of the camp, where was the watch of men in arms.
12 米甸人、亚玛力人,和一切东方人都布散在平原,如同蝗虫那样多。他们的骆驼无数,多如海边的沙。
But Madian and Amalec, and all the eastern people lay scattered in the valley, as a multitude of locusts: their camels also were innumerable as the sand that lieth on the sea shore.
13 基甸到了,就听见一人将梦告诉同伴说:“我做了一梦,梦见一个大麦饼滚入米甸营中,到了帐幕,将帐幕撞倒,帐幕就翻转倾覆了。”
And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbour a dream: and in this manner related what he had seen: I dreamt a dream, and it seemed to me as if a hearth cake of barley bread rolled and came down into the camp of Madian: and when it was come to a tent it struck it, and beat it down flat to the ground.
14 那同伴说:“这不是别的,乃是以色列人约阿施的儿子基甸的刀; 神已将米甸和全军都交在他的手中。”
He to whom he spoke, answered: This is nothing else but the sword of Gedeon the son of Joas a man of Israel. For the Lord hath delivered Madian, and all their camp into his hand.
15 基甸听见这梦和梦的讲解,就敬拜 神,回到以色列营中,说:“起来吧!耶和华已将米甸的军队交在你们手中了。”
And when Gedeon had heard the dream, and the interpretation thereof, he adored: and returned to the camp of Israel, and said: Arise, for the Lord hath delivered the camp of Madian into our hands.
16 于是基甸将三百人分作三队,把角和空瓶交在各人手里(瓶内都藏着火把),
And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17 吩咐他们说:“你们要看我行事:我到了营的旁边怎样行,你们也要怎样行。
And he said to them: What you shall see me do, do you the same: I will go into one part of the camp, and do you as I shall do.
18 我和一切跟随我的人吹角的时候,你们也要在营的四围吹角,喊叫说:‘耶和华和基甸的刀!’”
When the trumpet shall sound in my hand, do you also blow the trumpets on every side of the camp.
19 基甸和跟随他的一百人,在三更之初才换更的时候,来到营旁,就吹角,打破手中的瓶。
And Gedeon, and the three hundred men that were with him, went into part of the camp, at the beginning of the midnight watch, and the watchmen being alarmed, they began to sound their trumpets, and to clap the pitchers one against another.
20 三队的人就都吹角,打破瓶子,左手拿着火把,右手拿着角,喊叫说:“耶和华和基甸的刀!”
And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew, and they cried out: The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon;
21 他们在营的四围各站各的地方;全营的人都乱窜。三百人呐喊,使他们逃跑。
Standing every man in his place round about the enemies’ camp. So all the camp was troubled, and crying out and howling they fled away.
22 三百人就吹角,耶和华使全营的人用刀互相击杀,逃到西利拉的伯·哈示他,直逃到靠近他巴的亚伯·米何拉。
And the three hundred men nevertheless persisted sounding the trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into all the camp, and they killed one another,
23 以色列人就从拿弗他利、亚设,和玛拿西全地聚集来追赶米甸人。
Fleeing as far as Bethsetta, and the border of Abelmahula in Tebbath. But the men of Israel shouting from Nephtali and Aser, and from all Manasses pursued after Madian.
24 基甸打发人走遍以法莲山地,说:“你们下来攻击米甸人,争先把守约旦河的渡口,直到伯·巴拉。”于是以法莲的众人聚集,把守约旦河的渡口,直到伯·巴拉,
And Gedeon sent messengers into all mount Ephraim, saying: Come down to meet Madian, and take the waters before them to Bethbera and the Jordan. And all Ephraim shouted, and took the waters before them and the Jordan as far as Bethbera.
25 捉住了米甸人的两个首领:一名俄立,一名西伊伯;将俄立杀在俄立磐石上,将西伊伯杀在西伊伯酒榨那里;又追赶米甸人,将俄立和西伊伯的首级带过约旦河,到基甸那里。
And having taken two men of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: Oreb they slew in the rock of Oreb, and Zeb in the winepress of Zeb. And they pursued Madian, carrying the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon beyond the waters of the Jordan.

< 士师记 7 >