1 Kings 20
1 Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.
[本哈達得進攻阿哈布]阿蘭王本哈達得召集了自己所有的軍隊，帶同三十二個王子，乘坐戰馬戰車，前去圍攻撒瑪黎雅。
2 Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
他先派使者進城，來見以色列王阿哈布，
3 saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”
對他說：「本哈達得這樣說：你的金銀全應歸我，只是你的妻子兒女，仍歸於你。」
4 And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”
以色列王回答說：「我主大王，就依照你的話，我和我的一切都歸於你。」
5 The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
不料，使者們又回答說：「本哈達得這樣說：我已派人通知你：將你的金銀和你的妻子兒女全交給我。
6 But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’”
須知，明天這時，我必派我的僕人到你這裏來，搜索你和你僕人的房屋，凡他們看中的東西，都要隨手拿去。」
7 Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
以色列王將國內所有長老召來，說：「你們想想看：這人要求是多麼無理! 他先派人要我的金銀，我沒有拒絕他；現在竟又派人來我這裏，要我的妻子兒女。」
8 And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”
眾長老和全體人民對他說：「你不要聽從，也不要應允! 」
9 So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.
因此，他對本哈達得的使者說：「你們回去告訴我主大王說：你第一次派人向你僕人所要求的，我必全照辦；至於這另一要求，我卻不能照辦。」使者遂回去，向本哈達得回話。
10 Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
本哈達得於是派人對阿哈布說：「如果撒瑪黎雅的塵土，足夠跟隨我的人每人抓一把，願眾神明嚴厲，且加倍嚴厲地懲罰我! 」
11 And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
以色列王回答說：「有句俗話說：佩帶武器的人，不可像卸去了武器的人那樣自負。」
12 Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.
本哈達得和眾王正在帳內飲酒，一聽見這話，就對他的臣僕說：「列隊進攻! 」他們即刻列隊攻城。阿哈布賴主獲勝
13 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
這時，忽然有一個先知，來見以色列王阿哈布說：「上主這樣說：你不是看見這支強大的軍隊嗎﹖今天，我要將他們交在你手中，叫你知道我是上主。」
14 “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.
阿哈布問說：「藉著誰﹖」先知回答說：「上主這樣說：藉著眾省長的少年軍人。」阿哈布又問說：「誰指揮作戰﹖」先知回答說：「你自己。」
15 So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.
於是阿哈布檢閱了眾省長的少年人，計有二百三十二人；然後又檢閱了所有軍人，即全體以色列子民，共七千人。
16 They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
到了中午，他們出發，那時，本哈達得正和協助他的三十二個王子在帳中飲酒。
17 And the young officers of the district governors marched out first. Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”
眾省長的少年軍人首先出發，本哈達得派出的探子回報他說：「有人從撒瑪黎雅出來了。」
18 “If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
他遂吩咐說：「如果他們前來，是為求和，將他們活活捉住；如果他們前來，是為交戰，也將他們活活捉住。」
19 Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,
眾省長的少年軍人和跟隨他們的軍隊衝出城來，
20 and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.
個個見人便殺，阿蘭人逃走，以色列人在後面乘勝追趕；阿蘭王本哈達得急速上馬與騎兵一起逃走。
21 Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
那時，以色列王出來，擄掠了許多戰馬和戰車，使阿蘭人大敗。
22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
那為先知前來對以色列王說：「你要發奮圖強，留心認清你當作的事，因為明年春季，阿蘭王必要再來攻擊你。」阿蘭王整軍再戰
23 Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.
阿蘭王的臣僕對阿蘭王說：「以色列的神是山神，所以他們必我們強；但如果我們在平原上與他們交戰，我們必會得勝。
24 So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
這是大王應該作的事：廢除眾王子各人的職位，另立軍長代替，
25 And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.” And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.
召募新軍，補充所損失的軍隊，照數補充戰馬戰車；然後在平原上與他們會戰，我們定能戰勝他們。」阿蘭王聽從了他們的建議，就這樣進行。本哈達得在戰再敗
26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
過年以後，本哈達得檢閱了阿蘭人上到阿費克，進攻以色列。
27 The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
以色列子民也動員起來，攜帶軍糧，出來迎戰；以色列子民在他們對面紮營，好像兩群山羊；至於阿蘭人卻遍地皆是。
28 Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
天主的人又前來對以色列王說：「上主這樣說：既然阿蘭人說：上主是山神而不是平原神，所以我必將這支龐大的軍隊交在你手中，叫你們知道我是上主。」
29 For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.
以色列人和阿蘭人相對紮營七天；第七天上，就交戰了；一天之內以色列子民殺死了十萬阿蘭步兵，
30 The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
其餘的人都逃入阿費克城內，城牆倒塌，壓死了殘存的兩萬七千人。本哈達得也逃入城內，藏在極嚴密的暗室內。本哈達得投降
31 Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
本哈達得的臣僕對本哈達得說：「看，我們聽說以色列家的君王，都是仁慈的君王，請你讓我們腰裏束上麻布，頭上繫上繩索，去見以色列王，或者他會保全你的性命。」
32 So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
於是他們腰裏束上麻布，頭上繫上繩索，去見以色列王說：「你的僕人本哈達得說：求你保全我的性命! 」阿哈布問說：「他還活著麼﹖他是我的兄弟。」
33 Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
這些人認為這話是個吉兆，急忙抓住他的話說：「本哈達得確是陛下的兄弟。」阿哈布說：「你們去領他來! 」本哈達得便出來參見君王；阿哈布請他上了自己的車。
34 Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” “By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.
本哈達得對君王說：「我父親從你父親手中搶去的城市，我都要歸還給你；並且你可在大馬士革設立市場，如同我父親在撒瑪黎雅所設立的一樣。」阿哈布說：「我就根據這條約放你走。」這樣，君王與他訂立了條約，放他走了。阿哈布失策受責
35 Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.
那時，有個先知的弟子奉上主的命，對自己的同伴說：「請你打我! 」那人卻拒絕打他。
36 Then the prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you depart from me a lion will kill you.” And when he left, a lion found him and killed him.
他就對那人說：「既然你不聽上主的命，看，你一離開我，就有一個獅子把你咬死。」那人一離開他，果然路上遇見一隻獅子，把他咬死了。
37 Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
以後，先知的弟子有遇見一個人，對他說：「請你打我! 」那人就動手打他，將他打傷了。
38 and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
先知便站在路旁，用頭巾遮住自己的眼睛，等候君王。
39 As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.’
君王從那裏經過時，他便對君王呼喊說：「你的僕人出來交戰，忽有一個人轉來，給我帶來一個人說：你要看守這個人，倘若失蹤了，定要你替他償命，或賠償一「塔冷通」銀子。
40 But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”
你的僕人正在東忙西亂時，那人不見了。」以色列王對他說：「這就是你的定案，你已經自下判決。」
41 Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
他於是急忙拉下他遮眼的頭巾，以色列王纔認出他原是一位先知。
42 And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”
先知對君王說：「上主這樣說：你既然親手放走了我所要消滅的人，所以你要替他償命，你的人民必意抵償他的人民。」
43 Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
以色列王悶悶不樂地回了撒瑪黎雅，進了自己的宮殿。
