< 撒母耳記上 4 >
1 以色列人出去與非利士人打仗,安營在以便以謝;非利士人安營在亞弗。
And it happened that, in those days, the Philistines assembled to fight. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and he made camp beside the Stone of Assistance. But the Philistines went to Aphek,
2 非利士人向以色列人擺陣。兩軍交戰的時候,以色列人敗在非利士人面前;非利士人在戰場上殺了他們的軍兵約有四千人。
and they positioned their troops against Israel. Then, when the conflict began, Israel turned his back to the Philistines. And they were cut down in that conflict, in various places in the fields, about four thousand men.
3 百姓回到營裏,以色列的長老說:「耶和華今日為何使我們敗在非利士人面前呢?我們不如將耶和華的約櫃從示羅抬到我們這裏來,好在我們中間救我們脫離敵人的手。」
And the people returned to the camp. And those greater by birth of Israel said: “Why has the Lord struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring to ourselves the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. And let it enter into our midst, so that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4 於是百姓打發人到示羅,從那裏將坐在二基路伯上萬軍之耶和華的約櫃抬來。以利的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈與上帝的約櫃同來。
Therefore, the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, sitting upon the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 耶和華的約櫃到了營中,以色列眾人就大聲歡呼,地便震動。
And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord had arrived in the camp, all of Israel shouted with a great clamor, and the land resounded.
6 非利士人聽見歡呼的聲音,就說:「在希伯來人營裏大聲歡呼,是甚麼緣故呢?」隨後就知道耶和華的約櫃到了營中。
And the Philistines heard the voice of the clamor, and they said, “What is this voice of a great clamor in the camp of the Hebrews?” And they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp.
7 非利士人就懼怕起來,說:「有神到了他們營中」;又說:「我們有禍了!向來不曾有這樣的事。
And the Philistines were afraid, saying, “God has entered into the camp.” And they groaned, saying:
8 我們有禍了!誰能救我們脫離這些大能之神的手呢?從前在曠野用各樣災殃擊打埃及人的,就是這些神。
“Woe to us! For there was no such great exultation yesterday, or the day before. Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these sublime gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with all the plagues, in the desert.”
9 非利士人哪,你們要剛強,要作大丈夫,免得作希伯來人的奴僕,如同他們作你們的奴僕一樣。你們要作大丈夫,與他們爭戰。」
“Be strengthened, and be manly, O Philistines! Otherwise, you may serve the Hebrews, as they also have served you. Be strengthened and wage war!”
10 非利士人和以色列人打仗,以色列人敗了,各向各家奔逃,被殺的人甚多,以色列的步兵仆倒了三萬。
Therefore, the Philistines fought, and Israel was cut down, and each one fled to his own tent. And an exceedingly great slaughter occurred. And thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell.
11 上帝的約櫃被擄去,以利的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈也都被殺了。
And the ark of God was captured. Also, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 當日,有一個便雅憫人從陣上逃跑,衣服撕裂,頭蒙灰塵,來到示羅。
Now a man of Benjamin, rushing from the troops, arrived at Shiloh on the same day, with his clothing torn, and with his head sprinkled with dust.
13 到了的時候,以利正在道旁坐在自己的位上觀望,為上帝的約櫃心裏擔憂。那人進城報信,合城的人就都呼喊起來。
And when he had arrived, Eli was sitting on a seat opposite the way, gazing out. For his heart was fearful on behalf of the ark of God. Then, after this man entered the city, he announced it to the city. And the entire city wailed.
14 以利聽見呼喊的聲音就問說:「這喧嚷是甚麼緣故呢?」那人急忙來報信給以利。
And Eli heard the sound of the outcry, and he said, “What is this sound, this tumult?” And the man hurried, and he went and announced it to Eli.
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had dimmed, so that he was not able to see.
16 那人對以利說:「我是從陣上來的,今日我從陣上逃回。」以利說:「我兒,事情怎樣?」
And he said to Eli: “I am the one who came from the battle. And it is I who fled from the troops today.” And he said to him, “What has happened, my son?”
17 報信的回答說:「以色列人在非利士人面前逃跑,民中被殺的甚多!你的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈也都死了,並且上帝的約櫃被擄去。」
And responding, the man reported and said: “Israel has fled before the Philistines. And a great ruin has happened to the people. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, also have died. And the ark of God has been captured.”
18 他一提上帝的約櫃,以利就從他的位上往後跌倒,在門旁折斷頸項而死;因為他年紀老邁,身體沉重。以利作以色列的士師四十年。
And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from the seat backwards, toward the door, and, having broken his neck, he died. For he was an old man of great age. And he judged Israel for forty years.
19 以利的兒婦、非尼哈的妻懷孕將到產期,她聽見上帝的約櫃被擄去,公公和丈夫都死了,就猛然疼痛,曲身生產;
Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, and her delivery was near. And upon hearing the news that the ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she bent down and went into labor. For her pains rushed upon her suddenly.
20 將要死的時候,旁邊站着的婦人們對她說:「不要怕!你生了男孩子了。」她卻不回答,也不放在心上。
Then, when she was near death, those who were standing around her said to her, “You should not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond to them, and she did not notice them.
21 她給孩子起名叫以迦博,說:「榮耀離開以色列了!」這是因上帝的約櫃被擄去,又因她公公和丈夫都死了。
And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory of Israel has been taken away,” because the ark of God was captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 她又說:「榮耀離開以色列,因為上帝的約櫃被擄去了。」
And she said, “The glory has been taken away from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured.