士師記 6
1 以色列人又行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，耶和華就把他們交在米甸人手裏七年。
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 米甸人壓制以色列人；以色列人因為米甸人，就在山中挖穴、挖洞、建造營寨。
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites the children of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
3 以色列人每逢撒種之後，米甸人、亞瑪力人，和東方人都上來攻打他們，
And it came to pass when Israel sowed, that Midian came up, and Amalek, and the children of the east, and came up against them.
4 對着他們安營，毀壞土產，直到迦薩，沒有給以色列人留下食物，牛、羊、驢也沒有留下；
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the land, until thou come to Gazah, and they left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 因為那些人帶着牲畜帳棚來，像蝗蟲那樣多，人和駱駝無數，都進入國內，毀壞全地。
For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number; and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 以色列人因米甸人的緣故，極其窮乏，就呼求耶和華。
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of Midian. And the children of Israel cried to Jehovah.
7 以色列人因米甸人的緣故，呼求耶和華，
And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried to Jehovah because of Midian,
8 耶和華就差遣先知到以色列人那裏，對他們說：「耶和華－以色列的上帝如此說：『我曾領你們從埃及上來，出了為奴之家，
that Jehovah sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9 救你們脫離埃及人的手，並脫離一切欺壓你們之人的手，把他們從你們面前趕出，將他們的地賜給你們』；
and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land,
10 又對你們說：『我是耶和華－你們的上帝。你們住在亞摩利人的地，不可敬畏他們的神。你們竟不聽從我的話。』」
and I said to you, I am Jehovah your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But ye have not hearkened to my voice.
11 耶和華的使者到了俄弗拉，坐在亞比以謝族人約阿施的橡樹下。約阿施的兒子基甸正在酒醡那裏打麥子，為要防備米甸人。
And an angel of Jehovah came and sat under the terebinth that was in Ophrah, that [belonged] to Joash the Abi-ezrite. And his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, to secure [it] from the Midianites.
12 耶和華的使者向基甸顯現，對他說：「大能的勇士啊，耶和華與你同在！」
And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to him, and said to him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 基甸說：「主啊，耶和華若與我們同在，我們何致遭遇這一切事呢？我們的列祖不是向我們說『耶和華領我們從埃及上來』嗎？他那樣奇妙的作為在哪裏呢？現在他卻丟棄我們，將我們交在米甸人手裏。」
And Gideon said to him, Ah my Lord, if Jehovah be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his miracles that our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? And now Jehovah hath cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian.
14 耶和華觀看基甸，說：「你靠着你這能力去從米甸人手裏拯救以色列人，不是我差遣你去的嗎？」
And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have not I sent thee?
15 基甸說：「主啊，我有何能拯救以色列人呢？我家在瑪拿西支派中是至貧窮的。我在我父家是至微小的。」
And he said to him, Ah Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my thousand is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16 耶和華對他說：「我與你同在，你就必擊打米甸人，如擊打一人一樣。」
And Jehovah said to him, I will certainly be with thee; and thou shalt smite Midian as one man.
17 基甸說：「我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你給我一個證據，使我知道與我說話的就是主。
And he said to him, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, shew me a sign that it is thou who talkest with me.
18 求你不要離開這裏，等我歸回將禮物帶來供在你面前。」主說：「我必等你回來。」
Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19 基甸去預備了一隻山羊羔，用一伊法細麵做了無酵餅，將肉放在筐內，把湯盛在壺中，帶到橡樹下，獻在使者面前。
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid of the goats, and an ephah of flour in unleavened cakes: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the terebinth, and presented it.
20 上帝的使者吩咐基甸說：「將肉和無酵餅放在這磐石上，把湯倒出來。」他就這樣行了。
And the Angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 耶和華的使者伸出手內的杖，杖頭挨了肉和無酵餅，就有火從磐石中出來，燒盡了肉和無酵餅。耶和華的使者也就不見了。
And the Angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the Angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight.
22 基甸見他是耶和華的使者，就說：「哀哉！主耶和華啊，我不好了，因為我覿面看見耶和華的使者。」
And Gideon perceived that he was an angel of Jehovah; and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! for because I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face...
23 耶和華對他說：「你放心，不要懼怕，你必不致死。」
And Jehovah said to him, Peace be unto thee: fear not; thou shalt not die.
24 於是基甸在那裏為耶和華築了一座壇，起名叫「耶和華沙龍」。（這壇在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉直到如今。）
And Gideon built there an altar to Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
25 當那夜，耶和華吩咐基甸說：「你取你父親的牛來，就是那七歲的第二隻牛，並拆毀你父親為巴力所築的壇，砍下壇旁的木偶，
And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Take the young bullock, which thy father hath, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;
26 在這磐石上整整齊齊地為耶和華－你的上帝築一座壇，將第二隻牛獻為燔祭，用你所砍下的木偶作柴。」
and build an altar to Jehovah thy God upon the top of this strong place in the ordered manner, and take the second bullock, and offer up a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah that thou shalt cut down.
27 基甸就從他僕人中挑了十個人，照着耶和華吩咐他的行了。他因怕父家和本城的人，不敢在白晝行這事，就在夜間行了。
And Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Jehovah had said to him. And it came to pass, because he feared his father's house, and the men of the city, if he did it by day, that he did it by night.
28 城裏的人清早起來，見巴力的壇拆毀，壇旁的木偶砍下，第二隻牛獻在新築的壇上，
And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered up upon the altar that was built.
29 就彼此說：「這事是誰做的呢？」他們訪查之後，就說：「這是約阿施的兒子基甸做的。」
And they said one to another, Who has done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.
30 城裏的人對約阿施說：「將你兒子交出來，好治死他；因為他拆毀了巴力的壇，砍下壇旁的木偶。」
And the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.
31 約阿施回答站着攻擊他的眾人說：「你們是為巴力爭論嗎？你們要救他嗎？誰為他爭論，趁早將誰治死！巴力若果是神，有人拆毀他的壇，讓他為自己爭論吧！」
And Joash said to all that stood near him, Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that contends for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning. If he be a god, let him plead for himself, because they have broken down his altar.
32 所以當日人稱基甸為耶路‧巴力，意思說：「他拆毀巴力的壇，讓巴力與他爭論。」
And on that day they called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead with him, because he has broken down his altar.
33 那時，米甸人、亞瑪力人，和東方人都聚集過河，在耶斯列平原安營。
And all Midian and Amalek and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.
34 耶和華的靈降在基甸身上，他就吹角；亞比以謝族都聚集跟隨他。
And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon, and he blew the trumpet, and the Abi-ezrites were gathered after him.
35 他打發人走遍瑪拿西地，瑪拿西人也聚集跟隨他；又打發人去見亞設人、西布倫人、拿弗他利人，他們也都出來與他們會合。
And he sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were gathered after him; and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36 基甸對上帝說：「你若果照着所說的話，藉我手拯救以色列人，
And Gideon said to God, If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,
37 我就把一團羊毛放在禾場上：若單是羊毛上有露水，別的地方都是乾的，我就知道你必照着所說的話，藉我手拯救以色列人。」
behold, I put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if dew shall be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said.
38 次日早晨基甸起來，見果然是這樣；將羊毛擠一擠，從羊毛中擰出滿盆的露水來。
And it was so. And when he rose up early on the morrow, he pressed the fleece together, and wrung dew out of the fleece, a bowl-full of water.
39 基甸又對上帝說：「求你不要向我發怒，我再說這一次：讓我將羊毛再試一次。但願羊毛是乾的，別的地方都有露水。」
And Gideon said to God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once! Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it, I pray thee, be dry upon the fleece only, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
40 這夜上帝也如此行：獨羊毛上是乾的，別的地方都有露水。
And God did so that night, and it was dry upon the fleece only, but on all the ground there was dew.
