< Kings III 21 >

1 And Achaab numbered the young men the heads of the districts, and they were two hundred and thirty: and afterwards he numbered the people, [even] every man fit for war, seven thousand.
[葡萄園的風波]這事以後,依次勒耳人納波特在依次勒耳,靠近撒瑪黎雅王阿哈布的宮殿,有一個葡萄園。
2 And he went forth at noon, an the son of Ader was drinking [and] getting drunk in Socchoth, he and the kings, [even] thirty and two kings, his allies.
阿哈布對納波特說:「請將你的葡萄園讓給我,我可以用作菜園,因為離我的宮殿很近;我願拿一個更好的葡萄園來與你交換;或者,如果你認為好,我也可以照葡萄園的價值給你錢。」
3 And the young men the heads of the districts went forth first; and they send and report to the king of Syria, saying, There are men come forth out of Samaria.
納波特回答阿哈布說:「上主決不許我將我祖先的產業讓給你! 」
4 And he said to them, If they come forth peaceably, take them alive; and if they come forth to war, take them alive:
阿哈布由於依次勒耳人納波特對他所說:「我決不將我祖先的產業讓給你」的話,便悶悶不樂地回到宮中,躺在床上,轉過臉去,不肯吃飯。
5 and let not the young men the heads of the districts go forth of the city. And the force that was behind them
他的妻子依則貝耳來見他,問他說:「你為什麼心裏這樣憂悶,連飯都不肯吃﹖」
6 struck each one the man next to him; and each one a second time struck the man next to him: and Syria fled, and Israel pursued them; and the son of Ader, [even] the king of Syria, escapes on the horse of a horseman.
阿哈布回答說:「因為我對依次勒耳人納波特說:請將你的葡萄園按現價賣給我,或者如果你願意,我可以拿另一個葡萄園來與你交換;他卻回答說:我決不將我的葡萄園讓給你。」
7 And the king of Israel went forth, and took all the horses and the chariots, and struck [the enemy] with a great slaughter in Syria.
他的妻室依則貝耳對他說:「你真會統治以色列! 只管起來吃飯,心情愉快,我必將依次勒耳人納波特的葡萄園交給你。」
8 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said, Strengthen yourself, and observe, and see what you shall do; for at the return of the year the son of Ader king of Syria comes up against you.
依則貝耳便以阿哈布的名義寫了一封信,蓋上君王的印章,送給與納波特同住一城的長老和官紳,
9 And the servants of the king of Syria, even they said, The God of Israel [is] a God of mountains, and not a God of valleys; therefore has he prevailed against us: but if we should fight against them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them.
信上寫道:「請你們宣布禁食,叫納波特坐上民眾的首位,
10 And do you this thing: Send away the kings, each one to his place, and set princes in their stead.
然後再叫兩個流氓坐在他的對面,作證控告他說:納波特辱罵了天主和君王,你們應將他拉出城外,用石頭砸死。」
11 And we will give you [another] army according to the army that was destroyed, and cavalry according to the cavalry, and chariots according to the chariots, and we will fight against them in the plain, and we shall prevail against them. And he listened to their voice, and did so.
那些與納波特同住在一城的長老和官紳,便照依則貝耳吩咐他們的,照她在送給他們的信上所寫的去行:
12 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that the son of Ader reviewed Syria, and went up to Apheca to war against Israel.
宣布禁食,叫納波特坐上民眾的首位,
13 And the children of Israel were numbered, and came to meet them: and Israel encamped before them as two little flocks of goats, but Syria filled the land.
兩個流氓前來坐在他的對面,當眾作證控告他說:「納波特辱罵了天主和君王。」眾人便將他拉出城外,用石頭砸死了。
14 And there came the man of God, and said to the king of Israel, Thus says the Lord, Because Syria has said, The Lord God of Israel [is] a God of the hills, and he [is] not a God of the valleys, therefore will I give this great army into your hand, and you shall know that I [am] the Lord.
然後派人告訴依則貝耳說:「納波特已用石頭砸死了。」
15 And they encamp one over against the other before them seven days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the battle drew on, and Israel struck Syria, [even] a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
依則貝耳聽說納波特已用石頭砸死了,就對阿哈布說:「你起來,去佔領依次勒耳人納波特,先前不肯照現價賣給你的葡萄園,因為納波特已經不在了,已經死了。」
16 And the rest fled to Apheca, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men that were left: and the son of Ader fled, and entered into an inner chamber, into a closet.
阿哈布一聽說納波特死了,就起身下到依次勒耳人納波特的葡萄園,霸佔了那葡萄園。厄里亞預言天主的懲罰
17 And he said to his servants, I know that the kings of Israel are merciful kings: let us now put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and let us go forth to the king of Israel, if by any means he will save our souls alive.
那時,有上主的話傳於提市貝人厄里亞說:「
18 So they girded sackcloth upon their loins, and put ropes upon their heads, and said to the king of Israel, Your servant the son of Ader says, Let our souls live, I pray you. And he said, Does he yet live? He is my brother.
你起來,下去會晤住在撒瑪黎雅的以色列王阿哈布;看,他現在正在納波特的葡萄園內,他下到那裏去霸佔了那葡萄園。
19 And the men divined, and offered drink-offerings; and they caught the word out of his mouth, and said, Your brother the son of Ader. And he said, Go you in and fetch him. And the son of Ader went out to him, and they cause him to go up to him into the chariot.
你要對他說:上主這樣說:你殺了人,還要霸佔他的產業嗎﹖繼而對他說:上主這樣說:狗在什麼地方,舔了納波特的血,也要在什麼地方舔你的血。」
20 And he said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore to you; and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made streets in Samaria; and I will let you go with a covenant. And he made a covenant with him, and let him go.
阿哈布對厄里亞說:「我的對頭,你又找到了我的錯嗎﹖」厄里亞答說:「是,我找到了你的錯,因為你出賣了你自己,去行上主視為惡的事。
21 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of the Lord, Strike me, I pray, And the man would not strike him.
我必要在你身上降災,消滅你的宗族;以色列所有屬於阿哈布的男子無論是自由的或不自由的,一概滅絕。
22 And he said to him, Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, therefore, behold, as you depart from me, a lion shall strike you: and he departed from him, and a lion found him, and struck him.
我要使你的家像乃巴特的兒子雅洛貝罕的家,又像阿希雅的兒子巴厄沙的家,因為你惹我發怒,使以色列陷於罪惡。
23 And he finds another man, and says, Strike me, I pray you. And the man struck him, and in striking wounded [him].
至於依則貝耳,上主也預言說:狗要在依則貝耳的田間,吞食依則貝耳。
24 And the prophet went and stood before the king of Israel by the way, and bound his eyes with a bandage.
凡屬阿哈布的人,死在城中的,要為狗吞食,死在田間的,要為空中的飛鳥啄食。」
25 And it came to pass as the king passed by, that he cried aloud to the king, and said, Your servant went out to war, and, behold, a man brought [another] man to me, and said to me, Keep his man; and if he should by any means escape, then your life shall go for his life, or you shall pay a talent of silver.
實在,從來沒有人像阿哈布一樣,受他的妻子依則貝耳的引誘,這樣出賣自己,行上主視為惡的事。
26 And it came to pass, that your servant looked round this way and that way, and the man was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, Behold, you have also destroyed snares [set] for me.
他行了最可憎惡的事,歸依了邪神偶像,全像上主從以色列子民前,趕走了阿摩黎人所行的一樣。阿哈布懺悔免罰
27 And he hasted, and took away the bandage from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognised him, that he was one of the prophets.
阿哈布一聽這些話,就撕破自己的衣服,身穿麻衣,禁食,穿著麻衣睡覺,低頭緩步行走。
28 And he said to him, Thus says the Lord, Because you have suffered to escape out of your hand a man appointed to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.
於是有上主的話傳於提市貝人厄里亞說:「
29 And the king of Israel departed confounded and discouraged, and came to Samaria.
阿哈布在我面前這樣自卑自賤,你看見了沒有﹖他既然在我面前自卑自賤,在他有生之日,我不降此災禍;但是,到他兒子的日子,我要使這災禍臨於他家。」

< Kings III 21 >