< 撒母耳記上 15 >
1 撒母耳對掃羅說:「耶和華差遣我膏你為王,治理他的百姓以色列;所以你當聽從耶和華的話。
Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
2 萬軍之耶和華如此說:『以色列人出埃及的時候,在路上亞瑪力人怎樣待他們,怎樣抵擋他們,我都沒忘。
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they ambushed them on their way up from Egypt.
3 現在你要去擊打亞瑪力人,滅盡他們所有的,不可憐惜他們,將男女、孩童、吃奶的,並牛、羊、駱駝,和驢盡行殺死。』」
Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
4 於是掃羅招聚百姓在提拉因,數點他們,共有步兵二十萬,另有猶大人一萬。
So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.
6 掃羅對基尼人說:「你們離開亞瑪力人下去吧,恐怕我將你們和亞瑪力人一同殺滅;因為以色列人出埃及的時候,你們曾恩待他們。」於是基尼人離開亞瑪力人去了。
And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.
9 掃羅和百姓卻憐惜亞甲,也愛惜上好的牛、羊、牛犢、羊羔,並一切美物,不肯滅絕。凡下賤瘦弱的,盡都殺了。
Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to destroy them, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
11 「我立掃羅為王,我後悔了;因為他轉去不跟從我,不遵守我的命令。」撒母耳便甚憂愁,終夜哀求耶和華。
“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.
12 撒母耳清早起來,迎接掃羅。有人告訴撒母耳說:「掃羅到了迦密,在那裏立了紀念碑,又轉身下到吉甲。」
Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.”
13 撒母耳到了掃羅那裏,掃羅對他說:「願耶和華賜福與你,耶和華的命令我已遵守了。」
When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
14 撒母耳說:「我耳中聽見有羊叫、牛鳴,是從哪裏來的呢?」
But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”
15 掃羅說:「這是百姓從亞瑪力人那裏帶來的;因為他們愛惜上好的牛羊,要獻與耶和華-你的上帝;其餘的,我們都滅盡了。」
Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”
16 撒母耳對掃羅說:「你住口吧!等我將耶和華昨夜向我所說的話告訴你。」掃羅說:「請講。」
“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied.
17 撒母耳對掃羅說:「從前你雖然以自己為小,豈不是被立為以色列支派的元首嗎?耶和華膏你作以色列的王。
And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel
18 耶和華差遣你,吩咐你說,你去擊打那些犯罪的亞瑪力人,將他們滅絕淨盡。
and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’
19 你為何沒有聽從耶和華的命令,急忙擄掠財物,行耶和華眼中看為惡的事呢?」
So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”
20 掃羅對撒母耳說:「我實在聽從了耶和華的命令,行了耶和華所差遣我行的路,擒了亞瑪力王亞甲來,滅盡了亞瑪力人。
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction.
21 百姓卻在所當滅的物中,取了最好的牛羊,要在吉甲獻與耶和華-你的上帝。」
The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
22 撒母耳說: 耶和華喜悅燔祭和平安祭, 豈如喜悅人聽從他的話呢? 聽命勝於獻祭; 順從勝於公羊的脂油。
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
23 悖逆的罪與行邪術的罪相等; 頑梗的罪與拜虛神和偶像的罪相同。 你既厭棄耶和華的命令, 耶和華也厭棄你作王。
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
24 掃羅對撒母耳說:「我有罪了,我因懼怕百姓,聽從他們的話,就違背了耶和華的命令和你的言語。
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
25 現在求你赦免我的罪,同我回去,我好敬拜耶和華。」
Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”
26 撒母耳對掃羅說:「我不同你回去;因為你厭棄耶和華的命令,耶和華也厭棄你作以色列的王。」
“I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.”
27 撒母耳轉身要走,掃羅就扯住他外袍的衣襟,衣襟就撕斷了。
As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
28 撒母耳對他說:「如此,今日耶和華使以色列國與你斷絕,將這國賜與比你更好的人。
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
29 以色列的大能者必不致說謊,也不致後悔;因為他迥非世人,決不後悔。」
Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”
30 掃羅說:「我有罪了,雖然如此,求你在我百姓的長老和以色列人面前抬舉我,同我回去,我好敬拜耶和華-你的上帝。」
“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
31 於是撒母耳轉身跟隨掃羅回去,掃羅就敬拜耶和華。
So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 撒母耳說:「要把亞瑪力王亞甲帶到我這裏來。」亞甲就歡歡喜喜地來到他面前,心裏說,死亡的苦難必定過去了。
Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33 撒母耳說:「你既用刀使婦人喪子,這樣,你母親在婦人中也必喪子。」於是,撒母耳在吉甲耶和華面前將亞甲殺死。
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
34 撒母耳回了拉瑪。掃羅上他所住的基比亞,回自己的家去了。
Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.
35 撒母耳直到死的日子,再沒有見掃羅;但撒母耳為掃羅悲傷,是因耶和華後悔立他為以色列的王。
And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.