< Judges 9 >
1 AND Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
耶路·巴力的儿子亚比米勒到了示剑见他的众母舅,对他们和他外祖全家的人说:
2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
“请你们问示剑的众人说,是耶路·巴力的众子七十人都管理你们好呢?还是一人管理你们好呢?你们又要记念我是你们的骨肉。”
3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
他的众母舅便将这一切话为他说给示剑人听,示剑人的心就归向亚比米勒。他们说:“他原是我们的弟兄”;
4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
就从巴力·比利土的庙中取了七十舍客勒银子给亚比米勒;亚比米勒用以雇了些匪徒跟随他。
5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
他往俄弗拉到他父亲的家,将他弟兄、耶路·巴力的众子七十人都杀在一块磐石上;只剩下耶路·巴力的小儿子约坦,因为他躲藏了。
6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
示剑人和米罗人都一同聚集,往示剑橡树旁的柱子那里,立亚比米勒为王。
7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
有人将这事告诉约坦,他就去站在基利心山顶上,向众人大声喊叫说:“示剑人哪,你们要听我的话, 神也就听你们的话。
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
有一时,树木要膏一树为王,管理他们,就去对橄榄树说:‘请你作我们的王。’
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
橄榄树回答说:‘我岂肯止住供奉神和尊重人的油,飘摇在众树之上呢?’
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
树木对无花果树说:‘请你来作我们的王。’
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
无花果树回答说:‘我岂肯止住所结甜美的果子,飘摇在众树之上呢?’
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
树木对葡萄树说:‘请你来作我们的王。’
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
葡萄树回答说:‘我岂肯止住使神和人喜乐的新酒,飘摇在众树之上呢?’
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
众树对荆棘说:‘请你来作我们的王。’
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
荆棘回答说:‘你们若诚诚实实地膏我为王,就要投在我的荫下;不然,愿火从荆棘里出来,烧灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’
16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
“现在你们立亚比米勒为王,若按诚实正直善待耶路·巴力和他的全家,这就是酬他的劳。
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
从前我父冒死为你们争战,救了你们脱离米甸人的手。
18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother; )
你们如今起来攻击我的父家,将他众子七十人杀在一块磐石上,又立他婢女所生的儿子亚比米勒为示剑人的王;他原是你们的弟兄。
19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
你们如今若按诚实正直待耶路·巴力和他的家,就可因亚比米勒得欢乐,他也可因你们得欢乐;
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
不然,愿火从亚比米勒发出,烧灭示剑人和米罗众人,又愿火从示剑人和米罗人中出来,烧灭亚比米勒。”
21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
约坦因怕他弟兄亚比米勒,就逃跑,来到比珥,住在那里。
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
亚比米勒管理以色列人三年。
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
神使恶魔降在亚比米勒和示剑人中间,示剑人就以诡诈待亚比米勒。
24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
这是要叫耶路·巴力七十个儿子所受的残害归与他们的哥哥亚比米勒,又叫那流他们血的罪归与帮助他杀弟兄的示剑人。
25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.
示剑人在山顶上设埋伏,等候亚比米勒。凡从他们那里经过的人,他们就抢夺。有人将这事告诉亚比米勒。
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄来到示剑,示剑人都信靠他。
27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.
示剑人出城到田间去,摘下葡萄,踹酒,设摆筵宴,进他们神的庙中吃喝,咒诅亚比米勒。
28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?
以别的儿子迦勒说:“亚比米勒是谁?示剑是谁?使我们服事他呢?他不是耶路·巴力的儿子吗?他的帮手不是西布勒吗?你们可以服事示剑的父亲哈抹的后裔。我们为何服事亚比米勒呢?
29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
惟愿这民归我的手下,我就除掉亚比米勒。”迦勒又对亚比米勒说:“增添你的军兵出来吧。”
30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
邑宰西布勒听见以别的儿子迦勒的话,就发怒,
31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
悄悄地打发人去见亚比米勒,说:“以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄到了示剑,煽惑城中的民攻击你。
32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the field:
现在你和跟随你的人今夜起来,在田间埋伏。
33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
到早晨太阳一出,你就起来闯城。迦勒和跟随他的人出来攻击你的时候,你便向他们见机而做。”
34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
于是,亚比米勒和跟随他的众人夜间起来,分作四队,埋伏等候示剑人。
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait.
以别的儿子迦勒出去,站在城门口。亚比米勒和跟随他的人从埋伏之处起来。
36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
迦勒看见那些人,就对西布勒说:“看哪,有人从山顶上下来了。”西布勒说:“你看见山的影子,以为是人。”
37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
迦勒又说:“看哪,有人从高处下来,又有一队从米恶尼尼橡树的路上而来。”
38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.
西布勒对他说:“你曾说,亚比米勒是谁,叫我们服事他?你所夸的口在哪里呢?这不是你所藐视的民吗?你现在出去,与他们交战吧!”
39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
于是迦勒率领示剑人出去,与亚比米勒交战。
40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
亚比米勒追赶迦勒;迦勒在他面前逃跑,有许多受伤仆倒的,直到城门。
41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
亚比米勒住在亚鲁玛。西布勒赶出迦勒和他弟兄,不准他们住在示剑。
42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
次日,民出到田间,有人告诉亚比米勒;
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.
他就把他的人分作三队,埋伏在田间,看见示剑人从城里出来,就起来击杀他们。
44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
亚比米勒和跟随他的一队向前闯去,站在城门口;那两队直闯到田间,击杀了众人。
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
亚比米勒整天攻打城,将城夺取,杀了其中的居民,将城拆毁,撒上了盐。
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
示剑楼的人听见了,就躲入巴力·比利土庙的卫所。
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
有人告诉亚比米勒说:“示剑楼的人都聚在一处。”
48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
亚比米勒和跟随他的人就都上撒们山。亚比米勒手拿斧子,砍下一根树枝,扛在肩上,对跟随他的人说:“你们看我所行的,也当赶紧照样行。”
49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
众人就各砍一枝,跟随亚比米勒,把树枝堆在卫所的四围,放火烧了卫所,以致示剑楼的人都死了,男女约有一千。
50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
亚比米勒到提备斯,向提备斯安营,就攻取了那城。
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
城中有一座坚固的楼;城里的众人,无论男女,都逃进楼去,关上门,上了楼顶。
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
亚比米勒到了楼前攻打,挨近楼门,要用火焚烧。
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
有一个妇人把一块上磨石抛在亚比米勒的头上,打破了他的脑骨。
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人,对他说:“拔出你的刀来,杀了我吧!免得人议论我说,他为一个妇人所杀。”于是少年人把他刺透,他就死了。
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
以色列人见亚比米勒死了,便各回自己的地方去了。
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
这样, 神报应亚比米勒向他父亲所行的恶,就是杀了弟兄七十个人的恶。
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
示剑人的一切恶, 神也都报应在他们头上;耶路·巴力的儿子约坦的咒诅归到他们身上了。