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 again did evil in the sight of the Lord: and he delivered them into the hand of Madian 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 they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.
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 when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the eastern nations came up:
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 pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.
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 and all their flocks came with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched.
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 humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.
7 以色列人因米甸人的緣故，呼求耶和華，
And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites.
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，
And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of Egypt, and brought you 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 delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, 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: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear 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 the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Madian,
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！」
The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men.
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 Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us Out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the bands of Madian.
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 the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go in this thy strength, and then shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I have 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。」
He answered and said: I beseech thee, my lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, 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 the Lord said to him: I will be with thee: and thou shalt cut off Madian 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: If I have found grace before thee, give me a sign that it is thou that speakest to 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。」
And depart not hence, till I return to thee, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to thee. And he answered: I will wait thy coming.
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。
So Gedeon went in, and boiled a kid, and made unleavened loaves of a measure of flour: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a pot, he carried all under the oak, and presented to him.
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 the Lord said to him: Take the flesh and the unleavened loaves, and lay them upon that rock, and pour out the broth thereon. And when he had done 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。
The angel of the Lord put forth the tip of the rod, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and there arose a fire from the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and the angel of the Lord vanished 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 Gedeon seeing that it was the angel of the Lord, said: Alas, my Lord God: for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.
23 耶和華對他說：「你放心，不要懼怕，你必不致死。」
And the Lord said to him: Peace be with 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 Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord’s peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,
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，
That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father’s, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father’s: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:
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 thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove.
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。
Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had commanded him. But fearing his father’s house, and the men of that city, he would not do it by day, but did all 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 that town were risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second bullock laid upon the altar, which then 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 hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.
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 they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.
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！」
He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before tomorrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast 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。」
From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said: Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast 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。
Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.
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。
But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow 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 into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him.
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 Gedeon 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。」
I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.
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 rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.
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 he said again to God: let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with 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 that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
