< 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。
Afterwarde the children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gaue them into the handes of Midian seuen yeres.
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 preuayled against Israel, and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dennes in the mountaines, and caues, and strong holdes.
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,
When Israel had sowen, then came vp the Midianites, the Amalekites, and they of the East, and came vpon 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 camped by them, and destroyed the fruite of the earth, euen til thou come vnto Azzah, and left no foode for Israel, neither sheepe, nor oxe, nor asse.
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 went vp, and their cattel, and came with their tentes as grashoppers in multitude: so that they and their camels were without number: and they came 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。
So was Israel exceedingly impouerished by the Midianites: therefore the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord.
And when the children of Israel cryed vnto the Lord because of the Midianites,
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,
The Lord sent vnto the children of Israel a Prophet, who sayd vuto them, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, I haue brought you vp from Egypt, and haue 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 I haue deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and haue cast them out before you, and giuen 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 sayde vnto you, I am the Lord your God: feare not the gods of the Amorites in whose lande you dwell: but ye haue not obeyed my voyce.
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 the Angell of the Lord came, and sate vnder the oke which was in Ophrah, that perteined vnto Ioash the father of the Ezrites, and his sonne Gideon threshed wheate by the winepresse, to hide 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!」
Then the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him, and said vnto him, The Lord is with thee, thou valiant man.
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。」
To whome Gideon answered, Ah my Lord, if the Lord be with vs, why then is all this come vpon vs? and where be all his miracles which our fathers tolde vs of, and sayd, Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the hand of the Midianites.
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 vpon him, and sayd, Goe in this thy might, and thou shalt saue Israel out of the handes of the Midianites: haue 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 answered him, Ah my Lord, whereby shall I saue Israel? beholde, my father is poore in Manasseh, and I am the least in my fathers 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。」
Then the Lord sayd vnto him, I wil therefore be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites, 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 answered him, I pray thee, if I haue founde fauour in thy sight, then shewe me a signe, that thou 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, vntil I come vnto thee, and bring mine offring, and lay it before thee. And he sayde, I will tary vntill thou come againe.
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。
Then Gideon went in, and made ready a kidde, and vnleauened bread of an Ephah of floure, and put the flesh in a basket, and put the broth in a pot, and brought it out vnto him vnder the oke, 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 Angell of God saide vnto him, Take the flesh and the vnleauened bread, and lay them vpon this stone, and powre 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。
Then the Angell of the Lord put forth the ende of the staffe that he had in his hand, and touched the flesh and the vnleauened bread: and there arose vp fire out of the stone, and consumed the flesh and the vnleauened bread: so the Angel of the Lord 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 when Gideon perceiued that it was an Angel of the Lord, Gideon then sayde, Alas, my Lord God: for because I haue seene an Angell of the Lord face to face, I shall die.
23 耶和華對他說:「你放心,不要懼怕,你必不致死。」
And the Lord said vnto him, Peace be vnto thee: feare 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。)
Then Gideon made an altar there vnto the Lord, and called it, Iehouah shalom: vnto this day it is in Ophrah, of the father of the 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 the same night the Lord sayd vnto him, Take thy fathers yong bullocke, and an other bullocke of seuen yeeres olde, and destroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue 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 vnto the Lord thy God vpon the top of this rocke, in a plaine place: and take the seconde bullocke, and offer a burnt offringe with the woode of the groue, which thou shalt cut downe.
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 Gideon tooke tenne men of his seruants, and did as ye Lord bade him: but because he feared to doe it by day for his fathers housholde, and the men of the citie, 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 citie arose early in the morning, beholde, the altar of Baal was broken, and the groue cut downe that was by it, and the seconde bullocke offred vpon the altar that was made.
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。」
Therefore they saide one to another, Who hath done this thing? and when they inquired and asked, they saide, Gideon the sonne of Ioash hath 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。」
Then the men of the citie said vnto Ioash, Bring out thy sonne, that hee may dye: for he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath also cut downe the groue 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 Ioash said vnto all that stood by him, Will ye pleade Baals cause? or will ye saue him? he that will contend for him, let him dye or the morning. If he be God, let him pleade for himselfe against him that hath cast downe 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 in that day was Gideon called Ierubbaal, that is, Let Baal pleade for himselfe because he hath broken downe 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。
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and they of ye East, were gathered together, aud went and pitched in the valley of Izreel.
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 vpon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was ioyned with 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 thorowout al Manasseh, which also was ioyned with him, and he sent messengers vnto Asher, and to Zebulun and to Naphtali, and they came vp to meete 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,
Then Gideon said vnto God, If thou wilt saue Israel by mine hand, as thou hast sayd,
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。」
Beholde, I wil put a fleece of wooll in the threshing place: if the dewe come on the fleece onely, and it be drie vpon all the earth, then shall I be sure, that thou wilt saue Israel by mine 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 so it was: for he rose vp earely on the morow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, and filled a bowle 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。」
Againe, Gideon sayde vnto God, Be not angry with me, that I may speake once more: let me prooue once againe, I pray thee, with the fleece: let it now be drie onely vpon the fleece, and let dewe be vpon all the ground.
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 same night: for it was drie vpon the fleece onely, and there was dewe on all the ground.