士師記 8
1 以法蓮人對基甸說：「你去與米甸人爭戰，沒有招我們同去，為甚麼這樣待我們呢？」他們就與基甸大大地爭吵。
The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply.
2 基甸對他們說：「我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？以法蓮拾取剩下的葡萄不強過亞比以謝所摘的葡萄嗎？
He said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 上帝已將米甸人的兩個首領俄立和西伊伯交在你們手中；我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？」基甸說了這話，以法蓮人的怒氣就消了。
God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated towards him when he had said that.
4 基甸和跟隨他的三百人到約旦河過渡，雖然疲乏，還是追趕。
Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
5 基甸對疏割人說：「求你們拿餅來給跟隨我的人吃，因為他們疲乏了；我們追趕米甸人的兩個王西巴和撒慕拿。」
He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
6 疏割人的首領回答說：「西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裏，你使我們將餅給你的軍兵嗎？」
The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”
7 基甸說：「耶和華將西巴和撒慕拿交在我手之後，我就用野地的荊條和枳棘打傷你們。」
Gideon said, “Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”
8 基甸從那裏上到毗努伊勒，對那裏的人也是這樣說；毗努伊勒人也與疏割人回答他的話一樣。
He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 他向毗努伊勒人說：「我平平安安回來的時候，我必拆毀這樓。」
He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”
10 那時西巴和撒慕拿，並跟隨他們的軍隊都在加各，約有一萬五千人，就是東方人全軍所剩下的；已經被殺約有十二萬拿刀的。
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew sword.
11 基甸就由挪巴和約比哈東邊，從住帳棚人的路上去，殺敗了米甸人的軍兵，因為他們坦然無懼。
Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army felt secure.
12 西巴和撒慕拿逃跑；基甸追趕他們，捉住米甸的二王西巴和撒慕拿，驚散全軍。
Zebah and Zalmunna fled and he pursued them. He took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army.
13 約阿施的兒子基甸由希列斯坡從陣上回來，
Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.
14 捉住疏割的一個少年人，問他：「疏割的首領長老是誰？」他就將首領長老七十七個人的名字寫出來。
He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him; and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, seventy-seven men.
15 基甸到了疏割，對那裏的人說：「你們從前譏誚我說：『西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裏，你使我們將餅給跟隨你的疲乏人嗎？』現在西巴和撒慕拿在這裏。」
He came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”
16 於是捉住那城內的長老，用野地的荊條和枳棘責打 疏割人；
He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
17 又拆了毗努伊勒的樓，殺了那城裏的人。
He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
18 基甸問西巴和撒慕拿說：「你們在他泊山所殺的人是甚麼樣式？」回答說：「他們好像你，各人都有王子的樣式。」
Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”
19 基甸說：「他們是我同母的弟兄，我指着永生的耶和華起誓，你們從前若存留他們的性命，我如今就不殺你們了。」
He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”
20 於是對他的長子益帖說：「你起來殺他們。」但益帖因為是童子，害怕，不敢拔刀。
He said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up and kill them!” But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.
21 西巴和撒慕拿說：「你自己起來殺我們吧！因為人如何，力量也是如何。」基甸就起來，殺了西巴和撒慕拿，奪獲他們駱駝項上戴的月牙圈。
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.
22 以色列人對基甸說：「你既救我們脫離米甸人的手，願你和你的兒孫管理我們。」
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”
23 基甸說：「我不管理你們，我的兒子也不管理你們，惟有耶和華管理你們。」
Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. The LORD shall rule over you.”
24 基甸又對他們說：「我有一件事求你們：請你們各人將所奪的耳環給我。」（原來仇敵是以實瑪利人，都是戴金耳環的。）
Gideon said to them, “I do have a request: that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 他們說：「我們情願給你」，就鋪開一件外衣，各人將所奪的耳環丟在其上。
They answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it.
26 基甸所要出來的金耳環重一千七百舍客勒金子。此外還有米甸王所戴的月環、耳墜，和所穿的紫色衣服，並駱駝項上的金鍊子。
The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, in addition to the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
27 基甸以此製造了一個以弗得，設立在本城俄弗拉。後來以色列人拜那以弗得行了邪淫；這就作了基甸和他全家的網羅。
Gideon made an ephod out of it, and put it in Ophrah, his city. Then all Israel played the prostitute with it there; and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.
28 這樣，米甸人被以色列人制伏了，不敢再抬頭。基甸還在的日子，國中太平四十年。
So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 約阿施的兒子耶路‧巴力回去，住在自己家裏。
Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
30 基甸有七十個親生的兒子，因為他有許多的妻。
Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.
31 他的妾住在示劍，也給他生了一個兒子。基甸與他起名叫亞比米勒。
His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
32 約阿施的兒子基甸，年紀老邁而死，葬在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉，在他父親約阿施的墳墓裏。
Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 基甸死後，以色列人又去隨從諸巴力行邪淫，以巴力‧比利土為他們的神。
As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.
34 以色列人不記念耶和華－他們的上帝，就是拯救他們脫離四圍仇敵之手的，
The children of Israel didn’t remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;
35 也不照着耶路‧巴力，就是基甸向他們所施的恩惠厚待他的家。
neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
