士师记 9
1 耶路·巴力的儿子亚比米勒到了示剑见他的众母舅，对他们和他外祖全家的人说：
And Abimelech the son of Jerobaal went to Sichem to his mother’s brethren and spoke to them, and to all the kindred of his mother’s father, saying:
2 “请你们问示剑的众人说，是耶路·巴力的众子七十人都管理你们好呢？还是一人管理你们好呢？你们又要记念我是你们的骨肉。”
Speak to all the men of Sichem: whether is better for you that seventy men all the sons of Jerobaal should rule over you, or that one man should rule over you? And withal consider that I am your bone, and your flesh.
3 他的众母舅便将这一切话为他说给示剑人听，示剑人的心就归向亚比米勒。他们说：“他原是我们的弟兄”；
And his mother’s brethren spoke of him to all the men of Sichem, all these words, and they inclined their hearts after Abimelech, saying: He is our brother:
4 就从巴力·比利土的庙中取了七十舍客勒银子给亚比米勒；亚比米勒用以雇了些匪徒跟随他。
And they gave him seventy weight of silver out of the temple of Baalberith: wherewith he hired to himself men that were needy, and vagabonds, and they followed him.
5 他往俄弗拉到他父亲的家，将他弟兄、耶路·巴力的众子七十人都杀在一块磐石上；只剩下耶路·巴力的小儿子约坦，因为他躲藏了。
And he came to his father’s house in Ephra, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.
6 示剑人和米罗人都一同聚集，往示剑橡树旁的柱子那里，立亚比米勒为王。
And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.
7 有人将这事告诉约坦，他就去站在基利心山顶上，向众人大声喊叫说：“示剑人哪，你们要听我的话， 神也就听你们的话。
This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.
8 有一时，树木要膏一树为王，管理他们，就去对橄榄树说：‘请你作我们的王。’
The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 橄榄树回答说：‘我岂肯止住供奉神和尊重人的油，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
10 树木对无花果树说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 无花果树回答说：‘我岂肯止住所结甜美的果子，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 树木对葡萄树说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 葡萄树回答说：‘我岂肯止住使神和人喜乐的新酒，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 众树对荆棘说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 荆棘回答说：‘你们若诚诚实实地膏我为王，就要投在我的荫下；不然，愿火从荆棘里出来，烧灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’
And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.
16 “现在你们立亚比米勒为王，若按诚实正直善待耶路·巴力和他的全家，这就是酬他的劳。
Now therefore if you have done well, and without sin in appointing Abimelech king over you, and have dealt well with Jerobaal, and with his house, and have made a suitable return for the benefits of him, who fought for you,
17 从前我父冒死为你们争战，救了你们脱离米甸人的手。
And exposed his life to dangers, to deliver you from the hands of Madian,
18 你们如今起来攻击我的父家，将他众子七十人杀在一块磐石上，又立他婢女所生的儿子亚比米勒为示剑人的王；他原是你们的弟兄。
And you are now risen up against my father’s house, and have killed his sons seventy men upon one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his handmaid king over the inhabitants of Sichem, because he is your brother:
19 你们如今若按诚实正直待耶路·巴力和他的家，就可因亚比米勒得欢乐，他也可因你们得欢乐；
If therefore you have dealt well, and without fault with Jerobaal, and his house, rejoice ye this day in Abimelech, and may he rejoice in you.
20 不然，愿火从亚比米勒发出，烧灭示剑人和米罗众人，又愿火从示剑人和米罗人中出来，烧灭亚比米勒。”
But if unjustly: let fire come out from him, and consume the inhabitants of Sichem, and the town of Mello: and let fire come out from the men of Sichem, and from the town of Mello, and devour Abimelech.
21 约坦因怕他弟兄亚比米勒，就逃跑，来到比珥，住在那里。
And when he had said thus he fled, and went into Bera: and dwelt there for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 亚比米勒管理以色列人三年。
So Abimelech reigned over Israel for three years.
23 神使恶魔降在亚比米勒和示剑人中间，示剑人就以诡诈待亚比米勒。
And the Lord sent a very evil spirit between Abimelech and the inhabitants of Sichem: who began to detest him,
24 这是要叫耶路·巴力七十个儿子所受的残害归与他们的哥哥亚比米勒，又叫那流他们血的罪归与帮助他杀弟兄的示剑人。
And to leave the crime of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerobaal, and the shedding of their blood upon Abimelech their brother, and upon the rest of the princes of the Sichemites, who aided him.
25 示剑人在山顶上设埋伏，等候亚比米勒。凡从他们那里经过的人，他们就抢夺。有人将这事告诉亚比米勒。
And they set an ambush against him on the top of the mountains: and while they waited for his coming, they committed robberies, taking spoils of all that passed by: and it was told Abimelech.
26 以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄来到示剑，示剑人都信靠他。
And Gaal the son of Obed came with his brethren, and went over to Sichem. And the inhabitants of Sichem taking courage at his coming,
27 示剑人出城到田间去，摘下葡萄，踹酒，设摆筵宴，进他们神的庙中吃喝，咒诅亚比米勒。
Went out into the fields, wasting the vineyards, and treading down the grapes: and singing and dancing they went into the temple of their god, and in their banquets and cups they cursed Abimelech.
28 以别的儿子迦勒说：“亚比米勒是谁？示剑是谁？使我们服事他呢？他不是耶路·巴力的儿子吗？他的帮手不是西布勒吗？你们可以服事示剑的父亲哈抹的后裔。我们为何服事亚比米勒呢？
And Gaal the son of Obed cried: Who is Abimelech, and what is Sichem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerobaal, and hath made Zebul his servant ruler over the men of Emor the father of Sichem? Why then shall we serve him?
29 惟愿这民归我的手下，我就除掉亚比米勒。”迦勒又对亚比米勒说：“增添你的军兵出来吧。”
Would to God that some man would put this people under my hand, that I might remove Abimelech out of the way. And it was said to Abimelech: Gather together the multitude of an army, and come.
30 邑宰西布勒听见以别的儿子迦勒的话，就发怒，
For Zebul the ruler of the city, hearing the words of Gaal, the son of Obed, was very angry,
31 悄悄地打发人去见亚比米勒，说：“以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄到了示剑，煽惑城中的民攻击你。
And sent messengers privately to Abimelech, saying: Behold Gaal the son of Obed is come into Sichem with his brethren, and endeavoureth to set the city against thee.
32 现在你和跟随你的人今夜起来，在田间埋伏。
Arise therefore in the night with the people that is with thee and he hid in the field:
33 到早晨太阳一出，你就起来闯城。迦勒和跟随他的人出来攻击你的时候，你便向他们见机而做。”
And betimes in the morning at sun rising set upon the city. And when he shall come out against thee with his people, do to him what thou shalt be able.
34 于是，亚比米勒和跟随他的众人夜间起来，分作四队，埋伏等候示剑人。
Abimelech therefore arose with all his army by night, and laid ambushes near Sichem in four places.
35 以别的儿子迦勒出去，站在城门口。亚比米勒和跟随他的人从埋伏之处起来。
And Gaal the son of Obed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech rose up, and all his army with him from the places of the ambushes.
36 迦勒看见那些人，就对西布勒说：“看哪，有人从山顶上下来了。”西布勒说：“你看见山的影子，以为是人。”
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul: Behold a multitude cometh down from the mountains. And he answered him: Thou seest the shadows of the mountains as if they were the heads of men, and this is thy mistake.
37 迦勒又说：“看哪，有人从高处下来，又有一队从米恶尼尼橡树的路上而来。”
Again Gaal said: Behold there cometh people down from the middle of the land, and one troop cometh by the way that looketh towards the oak.
38 西布勒对他说：“你曾说，亚比米勒是谁，叫我们服事他？你所夸的口在哪里呢？这不是你所藐视的民吗？你现在出去，与他们交战吧！”
And Zebul said to him: Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst? Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people which thou didst despise? Go out, and fight against him.
39 于是迦勒率领示剑人出去，与亚比米勒交战。
So Gaal went out in the sight of the people of Sichem, and fought against Abimelech,
40 亚比米勒追赶迦勒；迦勒在他面前逃跑，有许多受伤仆倒的，直到城门。
Who chased and put him to flight, and drove him to the city: and many were slain of his people, even to the gate of the city:
41 亚比米勒住在亚鲁玛。西布勒赶出迦勒和他弟兄，不准他们住在示剑。
And Abimelech sat down in Ruma: but Zebul drove Gaal, and his companions out of the city, and would not suffer them to abide in it.
42 次日，民出到田间，有人告诉亚比米勒；
So the day following the people went out into the field. And it was told Abimelech.
43 他就把他的人分作三队，埋伏在田间，看见示剑人从城里出来，就起来击杀他们。
And he took his army, and divided it into three companies, and laid ambushes in the fields. And seeing that the people came out of the city, he arose and set upon them,
44 亚比米勒和跟随他的一队向前闯去，站在城门口；那两队直闯到田间，击杀了众人。
With his own company, assaulting and besieging the city: whilst the two other companies chased the enemies that were scattered about the field.
45 亚比米勒整天攻打城，将城夺取，杀了其中的居民，将城拆毁，撒上了盐。
And Abimelech assaulted the city all that day: and took it, and killed the inhabitants thereof, and demolished it, so that he sowed salt in it.
46 示剑楼的人听见了，就躲入巴力·比利土庙的卫所。
And when they who dwelt in the tower of Sichem had heard this, they went into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a covenant with him, and from thence the place had taken its name, and it was exceeding strong.
47 有人告诉亚比米勒说：“示剑楼的人都聚在一处。”
Abimelech also hearing that the men of the tower of Sichem were gathered together,
48 亚比米勒和跟随他的人就都上撒们山。亚比米勒手拿斧子，砍下一根树枝，扛在肩上，对跟随他的人说：“你们看我所行的，也当赶紧照样行。”
Went up into mount Selmon he and all his people with him: and taking an axe, he cut down the bough of a tree, and laying it on his shoulder and carrying it, he said to his companions: What you see me do, do you out of hand.
49 众人就各砍一枝，跟随亚比米勒，把树枝堆在卫所的四围，放火烧了卫所，以致示剑楼的人都死了，男女约有一千。
So they cut down boughs from the trees, every man as fast as he could, and followed their leader. And surrounding the fort they set it on fire: and so it came to pass that with the smoke and with the fire a thousand persons were killed, men and women together, of the inhabitants of the tower of Sichem.
50 亚比米勒到提备斯，向提备斯安营，就攻取了那城。
Then Abimelech departing from thence came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army.
51 城中有一座坚固的楼；城里的众人，无论男女，都逃进楼去，关上门，上了楼顶。
And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves.
52 亚比米勒到了楼前攻打，挨近楼门，要用火焚烧。
And Abimelech coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it:
53 有一个妇人把一块上磨石抛在亚比米勒的头上，打破了他的脑骨。
And behold a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull.
54 他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人，对他说：“拔出你的刀来，杀了我吧！免得人议论我说，他为一个妇人所杀。”于是少年人把他刺透，他就死了。
And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him.
55 以色列人见亚比米勒死了，便各回自己的地方去了。
And when he was dead, all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes.
56 这样， 神报应亚比米勒向他父亲所行的恶，就是杀了弟兄七十个人的恶。
And God repaid the evil, that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren.
57 示剑人的一切恶， 神也都报应在他们头上；耶路·巴力的儿子约坦的咒诅归到他们身上了。
The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham the son of Jerobaal came upon them.
