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 there happened to be a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite. And he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no share in David, nor do we have any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, 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 Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bikri, but the men of Judah stayed by their king, 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。

Then David came to his palace at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women his secondary wives, whom he had left to keep the palace, and placed them under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were kept in confinement 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 me within three days, and be present 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 together, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been 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。」

David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Now then, take your lord's servants with you and pursue after him, otherwise he will get himself to fortified cities and escape 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 there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the warriors. And they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

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。

When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was wearing his military attire, and over it was a belt with a dagger in its sheath fastened at his waist, and as he advanced 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。

And Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Then Joab took 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。

But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he stabbed him with it in the abdomen, so that his intestines spilled out on the ground, and he did not do it to him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

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。」

And one of Joab's young men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever is the one that favors Joab and whoever belongs to David, 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 lay covered with his blood in the midst of the road, and anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. So when the man saw that all the people stopped, he dragged Amasa from the road into a field and threw a garment over him.

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。

When he was removed from the road, all the people followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.

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。

He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and all the Bikrites assembled 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 all the people who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. And they built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall so that it would collapse.

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。」

Then a wise woman called out from the wall, "Listen, listen. Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak to 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。」

So he approached her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" And he replied, "I am." Then she said, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he replied, "I'm listening."

18 婦人說：「古時有話說，當先在亞比拉求問，然後事就定妥。

Then she said, "In the past they used to say, 'Let them inquire in Abel and in Dan whether

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？」

that which the faithful of Israel established has been carried out.' You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of YHWH?"

20 約押回答說：「我決不吞滅毀壞，

Joab answered, "Far be it from me that I should 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 of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bikri, has rebelled against king David. Give up him alone and I will withdraw from the city." Then the woman said to Joab, "Look, his head will be thrown to you from 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 she spoke to all the city with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from him, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.

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 in command of the entire army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and in command of the Pelethites;

24 亞多蘭掌管服苦的人；亞希律的兒子約沙法作史官；

and Adoniram was in command of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

25 示法作書記；撒督和亞比亞他作祭司長；

and Shisha was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 睚珥人以拉作大衛的宰相。

and also Ira the Jairite was David's priest.