< 1 Samuel 7 >

1 Then the men of Kiriath-jearim arrived, and they led away the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab, in Gibeah. Then they sanctified Eleazar, his son, so that he might care for the ark of the Lord.
克黎雅特耶阿陵人遂下來,將上主的約櫃抬上去,送到住在丘嶺上的阿彼納達布家裏,並且祝聖他的兒子厄肋阿匝爾,看守上主的約櫃。
2 And it happened that, from that day, the ark of the Lord remained in Kiriath-jearim. And the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.
自從約櫃停放在克黎雅特耶阿陵的那天起,過了很長的時間,大約二十年之久,以色列全家又歸向上主。
3 Then Samuel spoke to the entire house of Israel, saying: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, take away strange gods from among you, the Baals and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone. And he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”
那時撒慕爾對以色列全家說:「如果你們全心歸向上主,就該將外邦的神由你們中間剷除,一心歸向上主,惟獨事奉上主,他必由培肋舍特人手中解救你們。」
4 Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.
以色列子民遂剷除了巴耳和阿市托勒特,唯獨事奉上主。
5 And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”
於是撒慕爾說:「你們把全以色列聚集在米茲帕,我要為你們懇求上主。」
6 And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
他們便集在米茲帕,汲了水來,倒在上主面前,並且在那一天禁食說:「我們犯了罪,得罪了上主! 」從此撒慕爾在米茲帕治理以色列子民。
7 And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.
培肋舍特人一聽說以色列子民聚集在米茲帕,培肋舍特的酋長就上來攻打以色列,以色列子民聽說培肋舍特人前來,大為震驚,
8 And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
對撒慕爾說:「你不要停止為我們哀求上主,我們的天主,好叫他救我們脫離培肋舍特人的威脅。」
9 Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.
撒慕爾遂拿了一隻還在吃奶的羔羊獻給上主,作全燔祭,為以色列呼籲上主,上主應允了他。
10 Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.
當撒慕爾正在奉獻全燔祭時,培肋舍特人前來,要與以色列交戰;但上主在那一天使雷聲向著培肋舍特人大作,恐嚇他們,他們就在以色列面前潰退了。
11 And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.
以色列人遂從米茲帕出來追擊培肋舍特人,擊殺他們直到貝特加爾下邊。
12 Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”
以後,撒慕爾取了一塊石頭,豎立在米茲帕與耶撒納中間,給那石起名叫厄本厄則爾,說:「直到這時上主救助了我們。」
13 And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.
培肋舍特人受了這次挫折以後,不敢再來侵犯以色列的邊境;撒慕爾活著時,上主的手常壓制了培肋舍特人。
14 And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
培肋舍特人由以色列奪去的城市,自厄刻龍直到加特,都歸還了以色列人;以色列人由培肋舍特人手中收復了自己的領土;在那時以色列和阿摩黎人之間平安無事。
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
撒慕爾一生做了以色列的民長。
16 And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.
他每年去視察貝特耳、基耳加耳和米茲帕,在這些地方治理以色列人。
17 And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.
以後他回到辣瑪,因為他的家在那裏,他也在那裏治理以色列人,並在那裏給上主建了一座祭壇。

< 1 Samuel 7 >