< 2 Chronicles 18 >
1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
[南北聯婚齊戰阿蘭]約沙法特的財產豐富,尊榮很大,且與阿哈布聯婚。
2 And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.
幾年內以後,他到撒瑪黎雅去見阿哈布。阿哈布為他和跟從他的隨員,宰殺了許多牛羊,慫恿他去攻打辣摩特基肋阿得。
3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
以色列王阿哈布對猶大王約沙法特說:「你願意同我一起去攻打辣摩特基肋阿得嗎﹖」約沙法特回答說:「你我原不分彼此,我的人民就是你的人民;我必與你同去作戰。」[假先知預言勝利]
4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
約沙法特對以色列王說:「請你先求問上主的答話! 」
5 So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
以色列王於是召集了先知,共四百人,問他們說:「我們應該上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得﹖還是不去呢﹖」他們回答說:「上主,天主必將那地交於大王手中。」
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
但是約沙法特說:「這裏就沒有一位上只的先知,我們可以託他求問嗎﹖」
7 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
以色列王回答約沙法特說:「還有一個人,可以託他求問天主,不過我憎恨他,因為他對我說預言,總不說吉祥話,常說兇言;這人就是依默拉的兒子米加雅。」約沙法特對他說:「請大王別這樣說! 」
8 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
於是以色列王召來一個宦官,吩咐他說:「快去將依默拉的兒子米加雅召來! 」
9 Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
當時以色列王和猶大王約沙法特在撒瑪黎雅城門前的廣場上,各穿朝服,坐在寶座上;所有的先知在他們面前說預言。
10 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
革納阿納的兒子漆德克雅帶了一些鐵角說:「上主這樣說:你要用這些鐵角刺殺阿蘭人,直到將他們消滅。」
11 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
所有的先知也這樣預言說:「你上辣摩特基肋阿得去必會勝利,上主必將那地交於大王手中! 」[米加雅預言戰敗]
12 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
那去召米加雅的使者對米加雅說:「看,先知們都異口同聲對君王說吉祥的話,希望你說的話也與他們每人說的話一樣,也是吉祥的話! 」
13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”
米加雅回答說:「我指著永生的上主起誓:我的天主吩咐什麼,我就說什麼! 」
14 When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”
米加雅來到王那裏,王就問他說:「米加雅,我們應該上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得,還是不去呢﹖」他回答說:「上去,必然勝利,他們必落在你們手中。」
15 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”
君王對他說:「我應當多少次叫你宣誓,你纔奉上主的名,對我說實話呢﹖」
16 So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
米加雅答說:「我看見全以色列散在山上,好像沒有牧人的羊群。上主說:這些人既然沒有主人,更好各自平安回家去罷! 」
17 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
以色列王對約沙法特說:「我不是告訴過你,他對我說預言,總不說吉祥話,只說兇言麼﹖」
18 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
米加雅答說:「請你們靜聽上主的話:我見上主坐在寶座上,天上的萬軍侍立在他左右。
19 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
上主問說:誰去唆使以色列王阿哈布上去,叫他陣王在辣摩特基肋阿得呢﹖那時有的說這樣,有的說那樣。
20 Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
以後有一個神出來,立在上主面前說:我能唆使他。上主的問他說:用什麼方法﹖
21 And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
那神答說:我去,在他所有先知們口中做虛言的神。上主回答說:你能唆使,也必會成功的,就去照樣辦罷!
22 So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
現在上主將虛言的神放入你這些先知口中,上主已注定你必遭殃。」
23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
那時,革納阿納的兒子漆德克雅前來,打米加雅的臉說:「上主的神由那條路離開了我,而同你說話呢﹖」
24 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
米加雅答說:「在你進入最嚴密的室內隱藏的那一天,你就會知道了! 」
25 And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
以色列王吩咐說:「將米加雅帶去,交給阿孟市長和約阿布王子,
26 and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
說君王這樣吩咐:將這人下在監裏,少給他吃的喝的,等我平安回來。」
27 But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
米加雅說:「你如果能平安回來,那麼,上主就沒藉我說過話。」又說:「眾百姓! 你們要聽清楚啊! 」[阿哈布陣亡]
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
以色列王遂與猶大王約沙法特上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得。
29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
以色列王對約沙法特說:「我要改裝上陣,你可仍穿朝服。」於是以色列王改裝上了陣。
30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
阿蘭王曾吩咐自己的戰車隊長說:「你們不必與大小將士交戰,只攻打以色列王。」
31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.
戰車隊長一看見約沙法特,便說:「這必是以色列王! 」遂將他包圍,向他進攻;約沙法特連聲叫苦,上主援助了他,天主使敵人遠離了他。
32 And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
戰車隊長見他不是以色列王,就不再追擊他。
33 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
有人偶然一箭,正射入以色列王的鎧甲與腰帶中,君王對駕車的人說:「轉回,載我離開陣地,我已受傷。」
34 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died.
但那天戰事越來越激烈,以色列王仍立在車上,抵抗阿蘭人,直到晚上;日落的時後,王就死了。