撒母耳記下 20
1 在那裏恰巧有一個匪徒，名叫示巴，是便雅憫人比基利的兒子。他吹角，說：「我們與大衛無分，與耶西的兒子無涉。以色列人哪，你們各回各家去吧！」
Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
2 於是以色列人都離開大衛，跟隨比基利的兒子示巴。但猶大人從約旦河直到耶路撒冷，都緊緊跟隨他們的王。
So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 大衛王來到耶路撒冷，進了宮殿，就把從前留下看守宮殿的十個妃嬪禁閉在冷宮，養活她們，不與她們親近。她們如同寡婦被禁，直到死的日子。
When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
4 王對亞瑪撒說：「你要在三日之內將猶大人招聚了來，你也回到這裏來。」
Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”
5 亞瑪撒就去招聚猶大人，卻耽延過了王所限的日期。
So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.
6 大衛對亞比篩說：「現在恐怕比基利的兒子示巴加害於我們比押沙龍更甚。你要帶領你主的僕人追趕他，免得他得了堅固城，躲避我們。」
And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
7 約押的人和基利提人、比利提人，並所有的勇士，都跟着亞比篩，從耶路撒冷出去追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.
8 他們到了基遍的大磐石那裏，亞瑪撒來迎接他們。那時約押穿着戰衣，腰束佩刀的帶子，刀在鞘內；約押前行，刀從鞘內掉出來。
And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.
9 約押左手拾起刀來，對亞瑪撒說：「我兄弟，你好啊！」就用右手抓住亞瑪撒的鬍子，要與他親嘴。
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
10 亞瑪撒沒有防備約押手裏所拿的刀；約押用刀刺入他的肚腹，他的腸子流在地上，沒有再刺他，就死了。 約押和他兄弟亞比篩往前追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
11 有約押的一個少年人站在亞瑪撒屍身旁邊，對眾人說：「誰喜悅約押，誰歸順大衛，就當跟隨約押去。」
One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”
12 亞瑪撒在道路上滾在自己的血裏。那人見眾民經過都站住，就把亞瑪撒的屍身從路上挪到田間，用衣服遮蓋。
But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.
13 屍身從路上挪移之後，眾民就都跟隨約押去追趕比基利的兒子示巴。
As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14 他走遍以色列各支派，直到伯‧瑪迦的亞比拉，並比利人的全地；那些地方的人也都聚集跟隨他。
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.
15 約押和跟隨的人到了伯‧瑪迦的亞比拉，圍困示巴，就對着城築壘；跟隨約押的眾民用錘撞城，要使城塌陷。
And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,
16 有一個聰明婦人從城上呼叫說：「聽啊，聽啊，請約押近前來，我好與他說話。」
a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”
17 約押就近前來，婦人問他說：「你是約押不是？」他說：「我是。」婦人說：「求你聽婢女的話。」約押說：「我聽。」
When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.
18 婦人說：「古時有話說，當先在亞比拉求問，然後事就定妥。
Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.
19 我們這城的人在以色列人中是和平、忠厚的。你為何要毀壞以色列中的大城，吞滅耶和華的產業呢？」
I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
20 約押回答說：「我決不吞滅毀壞，
“Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
21 乃因以法蓮山地的一個人－比基利的兒子示巴－舉手攻擊大衛王，你們若將他一人交出來，我便離城而去。」婦人對約押說：「那人的首級必從城牆上丟給你。」
That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 婦人就憑她的智慧去勸眾人。他們便割下比基利的兒子示巴的首級，丟給約押。約押吹角，眾人就離城而散，各歸各家去了。約押回耶路撒冷，到王那裏。
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23 約押作以色列全軍的元帥；耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅統轄基利提人和比利提人；
Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
24 亞多蘭掌管服苦的人；亞希律的兒子約沙法作史官；
Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
25 示法作書記；撒督和亞比亞他作祭司長；
Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26 睚珥人以拉作大衛的宰相。
and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
