< 1 Samuel 4 >
1 Now at that time the Philistines came together to make war against Israel, and the men of Israel went out to war against the Philistines and took up their position at the side of Eben-ezer: and the Philistines put their forces in position in Aphek.
撒慕爾的話傳遍了全以色列。當時厄里已很老了,他的兩個兒子的品行在上主面前,比以前更壞了。那時,培肋舍特人集合起來攻打以色列人,以色列人便出來還擊他們,在厄本厄則爾旁紮了營,當時培肋舍特人已在阿費克紮了營。
2 And the Philistines put their forces in order against Israel, and the fighting was hard, and Israel was overcome by the Philistines, who put to the sword about four thousand of their army in the field.
培肋舍特人就擺列陣勢攻打以色列人,戰鬥十分激烈;以色列人為培肋舍特打敗,在平原陣地上被擊斃的約有四千人。
3 And when the people came back to their tents, the responsible men of Israel said, Why has the Lord let the Philistines overcome us today? Let us get the ark of the Lord's agreement here from Shiloh, so that it may be with us and give us salvation from the hands of those who are against us.
軍隊回營後,以色列的長老說:「為什麼上主今天讓我們被培肋舍特人打敗﹖我們應從史羅把上主的約櫃抬來,讓約櫃來到我們中間,拯救我們擺脫敵人的壓迫。」
4 So the people sent to Shiloh and got the ark of the agreement of the Lord of armies whose resting-place is between the winged ones; and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the ark of God's agreement.
於是軍隊就派人到史羅去,從那裏把坐於革魯賓上的萬軍之上主的約櫃抬來;厄里的兩個兒子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也跟天主的約櫃來了。
5 And when the ark of the Lord's agreement came into the tent-circle, all Israel gave a great cry, so that the earth was sounding with it.
當上主的約櫃來到營內的時候,全以色列民就大聲歡呼,大地也震動了。
6 And the Philistines, hearing the noise of their cry, said, What is this great cry among the tents of the Hebrews? Then it became clear to them that the ark of the Lord had come to the tent-circle.
培肋舍特人一聽見這樣的呼聲,就說:「希伯來人在營中為什麼這樣大聲歡呼﹖」後來纔知道,是上主的約櫃來到了他們的營中。
7 And the Philistines, full of fear, said, God has come into their tents. And they said, Trouble is ours! for never before has such a thing been seen.
培肋舍特人大為震驚,遂說:「希伯來人的神來到了他們的營中! 」繼而喊說:「我們有禍了! 至今從未有過這樣的事!
8 Trouble is ours! Who will give us salvation from the hands of these great gods? These are the gods who sent all sorts of blows on the Egyptians in the waste land.
我們有禍了! 誰能從這大能的神手中救出我們呢﹖用各樣災禍在曠野中打擊了埃及人的,就是這個神啊!
9 Be strong, O Philistines, be men! Do not be servants to the Hebrews as they have been to you: go forward to the fight without fear.
培肋舍特人哪﹖你們應加強,要英勇,免得你們做希伯來人的奴才,像他們做過你們的奴才一樣。你們要英勇,奮鬥作戰! 」
10 So the Philistines went to the fight, and Israel was overcome, and every man went in flight to his tent: and great was the destruction, for thirty thousand footmen of Israel were put to the sword.
培肋舍特人就開始進攻,以色列人中陣亡的步兵有三萬;
11 And the ark of God was taken; and Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were put to the sword.
天主的約櫃也被劫了去,厄里的兩個兒子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也同時陣亡了。
12 And a man of Benjamin went running from the fight and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothing out of order and earth on his head.
有個本雅明人從陣地逃出,當天來到了史羅,衣服已撕破,頭上滿是灰塵。
13 And when he came, Eli was seated by the wayside watching: and in his heart was fear for the ark of God. And when the man came into the town and gave the news, there was a great outcry.
他來到時,見厄里在門旁坐在椅子上,向大道觀望,因為他為天主的約櫃很是放心不下。那人一來到,就在城內佈開這凶信,全城因此哀號起來;
14 And Eli, hearing the noise and the cries, said, What is the reason of this outcry? And the man came quickly and gave the news to Eli.
厄里一聽見哀號聲,就問說:「這樣喧嚷,是什麼事﹖」那人就趕快前來報告給厄里,──
15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed so that he was not able to see.
那時厄里已是九十八歲的人,眼睛雖然瞪著,卻什麼也看不見。──
16 And the man said to Eli, I have come from the army and have come in flight today from the fight. And he said, How did it go, my son?
對厄里說:「我是從營中來的,今天剛從戰場上逃回來的。」厄里問說:「我兒,事情怎樣﹖」
17 And the man said, Israel went in flight from the Philistines, and there has been great destruction among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.
報信的答說:「以色列人在培肋舍特人面前大敗,人民傷亡極大,你的兩個兒子也死了,天主的約櫃也被劫去了。」
18 And at these words about the ark of God, Eli, falling back off his seat by the side of the doorway into the town, came down on the earth so that his neck was broken and death overtook him, for he was an old man and of great weight. He had been judging Israel for forty years.
他一提到天主的約櫃,厄里就從椅子上往後一仰,跌在門檻上,跌斷了頸項,死了,因為他已年老,且又肥胖。──他四十年之久做了以色列人的民長。
19 And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child and near the time when she would give birth; and when she had the news that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, her pains came on her suddenly and she gave birth.
他的兒媳,丕乃哈斯的妻子,已經懷孕,快要臨盆;一聽說天主的約櫃被劫去,他的公公和丈夫已死的消息,突然感到陣痛,就彎下身去生產了。
20 And when she was very near death the women who were with her said, Have no fear, for you have given birth to a son. But she made no answer and gave no attention to it.
她臨死時,侍立在旁的婦女向她說:「不必害怕,你生了一個兒子! 」她沒有答應,也沒有留意,
21 And she gave the child the name of Ichabod, saying, The glory has gone from Israel: because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
只給孩子取名叫依加波得,說:「光榮已遠離了以色列。」這是指天主的約櫃,她的公公和丈夫都已被劫去,
22 And she said, The glory is gone from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken.
所以她說:「光榮已遠離了以色列,」因為天主的約櫃已被劫去。