列王紀上 18
1 過了許久，到第三年，耶和華的話臨到以利亞說：「你去，使亞哈得見你；我要降雨在地上。」
For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
2 以利亞就去，要使亞哈得見他。那時，撒馬利亞有大饑荒；
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 亞哈將他的家宰俄巴底召了來。（俄巴底甚是敬畏耶和華，
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 耶洗別殺耶和華眾先知的時候，俄巴底將一百個先知藏了，每五十人藏在一個洞裏，拿餅和水供養他們。）
One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
5 亞哈對俄巴底說：「我們走遍這地，到一切水泉旁和一切溪邊，或者找得着青草，可以救活騾馬，免得絕了牲畜。」
[By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
6 於是二人分地遊行，亞哈獨走一路，俄巴底獨走一路。
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 俄巴底在路上恰與以利亞相遇，俄巴底認出他來，就俯伏在地，說：「你是我主以利亞不是？」
While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
8 回答說：「是。你去告訴你主人說，以利亞在這裏。」
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 俄巴底說：「僕人有甚麼罪，你竟要將我交在亞哈手裏，使他殺我呢？
Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
10 我指着永生耶和華－你的上帝起誓，無論哪一邦哪一國，我主都打發人去找你。若說你沒有在那裏，就必使那邦那國的人起誓說，實在是找不着你。
Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
11 現在你說，要去告訴你主人說，以利亞在這裏；
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 恐怕我一離開你，耶和華的靈就提你到我所不知道的地方去。這樣，我去告訴亞哈，他若找不着你，就必殺我；僕人卻是自幼敬畏耶和華的。
But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
13 耶洗別殺耶和華眾先知的時候，我將耶和華的一百個先知藏了，每五十人藏在一個洞裏，拿餅和水供養他們，豈沒有人將這事告訴我主嗎？
My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
14 現在你說，要去告訴你主人說，以利亞在這裏，他必殺我。」
Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
15 以利亞說：「我指着所事奉永生的萬軍之耶和華起誓，我今日必使亞哈得見我。」
But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
16 於是俄巴底去迎着亞哈，告訴他；亞哈就去迎着以利亞。
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 亞哈見了以利亞，便說：「使以色列遭災的就是你嗎？」
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 以利亞說：「使以色列遭災的不是我，乃是你和你父家；因為你們離棄耶和華的誡命，去隨從巴力。
Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
19 現在你當差遣人，招聚以色列眾人和事奉巴力的那四百五十個先知，並耶洗別所供養事奉亞舍拉的那四百個先知，使他們都上迦密山去見我。」
So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
20 亞哈就差遣人招聚以色列眾人和先知都上迦密山。
So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
21 以利亞前來對眾民說：「你們心持兩意要到幾時呢？若耶和華是上帝，就當順從耶和華；若巴力是上帝，就當順從巴力。」眾民一言不答。
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
22 以利亞對眾民說：「作耶和華先知的只剩下我一個人；巴力的先知卻有四百五十個人。
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 當給我們兩隻牛犢，巴力的先知可以挑選一隻，切成塊子，放在柴上，不要點火；我也預備一隻牛犢放在柴上，也不點火。
Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
24 你們求告你們神的名，我也求告耶和華的名。那降火顯應的神，就是上帝。」眾民回答說：「這話甚好。」
Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
25 以利亞對巴力的先知說：「你們既是人多，當先挑選一隻牛犢，預備好了，就求告你們神的名，卻不要點火。」
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
26 他們將所得的牛犢預備好了，從早晨到午間，求告巴力的名說：「巴力啊，求你應允我們！」卻沒有聲音，沒有應允的。他們在所築的壇四圍踊跳。
So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
27 到了正午，以利亞嬉笑他們，說：「大聲求告吧！因為他是神，他或默想，或走到一邊，或行路，或睡覺，你們當叫醒他。」
About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
28 他們大聲求告，按着他們的規矩，用刀槍自割、自刺，直到身體流血。
So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
29 從午後直到獻晚祭的時候，他們狂呼亂叫，卻沒有聲音，沒有應允的，也沒有理會的。
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 以利亞對眾民說：「你們到我這裏來。」眾民就到他那裏。他便重修已經毀壞耶和華的壇。
Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
31 以利亞照雅各子孫支派的數目，取了十二塊石頭（耶和華的話曾臨到雅各說：「你的名要叫以色列」），
Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
32 用這些石頭為耶和華的名築一座壇，在壇的四圍挖溝，可容穀種二細亞，
With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
33 又在壇上擺好了柴，把牛犢切成塊子放在柴上，對眾人說：「你們用四個桶盛滿水，倒在燔祭和柴上」；
He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
34 又說：「倒第二次。」他們就倒第二次；又說：「倒第三次。」他們就倒第三次。
Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
35 水流在壇的四圍，溝裏也滿了水。
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 到了獻晚祭的時候，先知以利亞近前來，說：「亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的上帝，耶和華啊，求你今日使人知道你是以色列的上帝，也知道我是你的僕人，又是奉你的命行這一切事。
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
37 耶和華啊，求你應允我，應允我！使這民知道你－耶和華是上帝，又知道是你叫這民的心回轉。」
Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
38 於是，耶和華降下火來，燒盡燔祭、木柴、石頭、塵土，又燒乾溝裏的水。
Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
39 眾民看見了，就俯伏在地，說：「耶和華是上帝！耶和華是上帝！」
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 以利亞對他們說：「拿住巴力的先知，不容一人逃脫！」眾人就拿住他們。以利亞帶他們到基順河邊，在那裏殺了他們。
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
41 以利亞對亞哈說：「你現在可以上去吃喝，因為有多雨的響聲了。」
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
42 亞哈就上去吃喝。以利亞上了迦密山頂，屈身在地，將臉伏在兩膝之中；
So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
43 對僕人說：「你上去，向海觀看。」僕人就上去觀看，說：「沒有甚麼。」他說：「你再去觀看。」如此七次。
Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
44 第七次僕人說：「我看見有一小片雲從海裏上來，不過如人手那樣大。」以利亞說：「你上去告訴亞哈，當套車下去，免得被雨阻擋。」
But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
45 霎時間，天因風雲黑暗，降下大雨。亞哈就坐車往耶斯列去了。
Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
46 耶和華的靈降在以利亞身上，他就束上腰，奔在亞哈前頭，直到耶斯列的城門。
Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
