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！」
A rabble-rouser called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the tribe of Benjamin, happened to be there. He blew the ram's horn and shouted: “We have no interest in David, no commitment to Jesse's son. Israelites, let's all go home!”
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 abandoned David to follow Sheba, son of Bichri. But the men of Judah accompanied 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 look after the palace and put them in a house under guard. He took care of their needs but he didn't sleep with them. They were imprisoned until they died, living like 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 ordered Amasa, “Call up the army of Judah. Have them come to me within three days, and you come too.”
5 亞瑪撒就去招聚猶大人，卻耽延過了王所限的日期。
Amasa called up the army of Judah, but he took longer than the time he was given.
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。」
David then spoke to Abishai, saying, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri is going to cause us more trouble than Absalom did. Take the king's men and chase him down, or he will take over fortified towns and get away from 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 experienced fighters, marched out of Jerusalem to chase down 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。
While they were at the large rock in Gibeon, Amasa caught up with them. Joab was dressed for battle. Over his clothes was a belt around his waist with a dagger in its sheath. As he moved forward, it fell out.
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。
“How are you doing, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. Joab held Amasa by the beard with his right hand 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 wasn't prepared for the dagger in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed him in the belly and his intestines poured out onto the ground. Joab didn't need to stab him twice, because Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai set off in pursuit of Sheba.
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 men stood beside Amasa and called out, “If you're on Joab's side, and if you are on David's side, then 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 was there, lying in his blood in the middle of the main road. When the man saw that everybody was stopping to look, he pulled the body off the road into a field and threw a cloth 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。
Once Amasa's body was off the road, all the men followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba.
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。
In the meantime Sheba had gone around all the tribes of Israel and eventually ended up the town of Abel-beth-maacah. All the Bichrites gathered for battle and followed him into the town.
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。
Joab's army came and besieged Sheba in Abel-Beth-Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the town's outer wall. While all of Joab's army was battering the wall to knock it down,
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 from the town called out, “Listen! Please listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come over here so I can speak to you.’”
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。」
He went over to her, and the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “Yes, that's me,” he replied. “Please listen to what I, your servant, have to say,” she said. “I'm listening,” he replied.
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, “In times gone by people used to say, ‘If you want advice, go to Abel,’ and that's how arguments 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 one of the peaceful and faithful people of Israel. You're trying to destroy a town that's like a mother in Israel. Why do you want to tear down the Lord's possession?”
20 約押回答說：「我決不吞滅毀壞，
“Certainly not!” Joab answered. “It's not what I want—to destroy or tear down this town!
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's not the intention. But a man called Sheba, son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has rebelled against the king, against David. Just hand over this one man and I will withdraw from the town.” “Fine,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown over the wall to you.”
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。
The woman went and talked with everyone about her wise plan. So they cut off the head of Sheba and threw it to Joab. Then Joab blew the ram's horn to sound the retreat, and all his men left the town and went home. 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；
Joab commanded the whole army of Israel. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of 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；
Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, kept the official records.
25 示法作書記；撒督和亞比亞他作祭司長；
Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,
26 睚珥人以拉作大衛的宰相。
and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.
