< Judges 20 >
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
於是以色列全體子民出動,從丹到貝爾舍巴,以及基肋阿得地,全會眾集合起來好像一個人一樣,來到米茲帕上主面前。
2 And the chief of all the people, [even] of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
全民眾,即以色列各支派的首領,都參與天主百姓的集會;拿刀的步兵,共有四十萬。
3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?
本雅明子孫也聽說以色列子民上到了米茲帕。以色列子民說:「這件惡事是怎樣發生的,請你們述說一遍! 」
4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that [belongeth] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
那被殺的女子的丈夫肋末人就回答說:「我與我的妾來到屬本雅明的基貝亞,要在那裏過夜,
5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, [and] thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.
基貝亞的公民起來攻擊我,夜間包圍我過夜的住宅,企圖殺害我,並把我的妾強姦致死。
6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
因為他們在以色列中間行了這窮兇極惡的醜事,我遂將我的妾切成碎塊,遍送以色列基業各地。
7 Behold, ye [are] all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
以色列子孫,請你們說出你們的意見和對策。」
8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any [of us] go to his tent, neither will we any [of us] turn into his house.
那時全體民眾好像一個人一樣都起來說:「我們中誰也不要返回自己的帳幕,誰也不要回自己的家,
9 But now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gibeah; [we will go up] by lot against it;
現在我們就要這樣對付基貝亞,抽籤進攻,
10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
由以色列各支派中,每百人抽十人,每千人抽百人,每萬人抽千人,給民眾運送軍糧;待眾人到達本雅明的基貝亞後,按照那城在以色列中間所行醜事報復它。」
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
於是以色列人聯合起來攻擊那城,彼此合作有如一人。本雅明備戰
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you?
以色列眾支派差人往本雅明支派的各家說:「你們中間怎樣發生了這樣的惡事﹖
13 Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [are] in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:
現在你們把那些人,即基貝亞的無賴之徒,交出來,我們好處死他們,從以色列中鏟除這邪惡。」本雅明子孫卻不肯聽從他兄弟們以色列子民的呼聲;
14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
本雅明子孫反而從各城聚集起來,來到基貝亞,要與以色列子民交戰。
15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
那一天,本雅明人從各城來的共計兩萬六千拿刀的,基貝亞的居民尚未計算在內。
16 Among all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair [breadth], and not miss.
在這些人中,還有特選的七百精兵,能左右開弓,個個能用機絃拋石,毫釐不爽。
17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these [were] men of war.
本雅明人除外,以色列人共有四十萬拿刀的,個個都是戰士。兩次進攻失利
18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first.
以色列子民起身上到貝特耳,求問天主說:「我們中誰該先上去與本雅明子孫作戰﹖」上主答說:「猶大先去。」
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
於是以色列子明早晨起來,對著基貝亞安營。
20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
以色列人出來要與本雅明人交戰,遂在基貝亞前面擺陣等待他們。
21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
本雅明子孫從基貝亞出來迎戰,那一天殺死了兩萬兩千以色列人。
22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
以後,眾以色列又鼓起勇氣,又在前一日布陣的地方布陣。
23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
事前,以色列子民先上到貝特耳,在上主面前哀哭,一直到晚上,然後求問上主說:「我們可否再去與我們的弟兄本雅明交戰﹖」上主答說:「可上去攻打。」
24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
於是第二天,以色列子民又去攻打本雅明子孫。
25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
本雅明人第二天也從基貝亞出來與以色列人交戰,又殺死一萬八千以色列子民,都是拿刀的人。
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
以色列眾子民,即全民眾,又上到貝特耳,坐在上主面前哀哭,整日禁食到晚上;以後,在上主面前獻了全燔祭與和平祭。【
27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days,
那時天主的約櫃正在那裏,同時有亞郎的子孫厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯在約櫃前供職。】以色列子民又求問上主說:「我們是否應再去與我們的弟兄本雅明人交戰﹖或是休戰﹖」上主答說:「你們應上去,因為我明天必將他們交在你們手中。」
28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days, ) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
以色列人就在基貝亞四周設下伏兵。
29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
第三天以色列子民上去攻打本雅明子孫,在基貝亞對面布陣,像前兩次一樣。
30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
本雅明子孫出來迎敵,被引出城外,在兩條大路上,─一條通往貝特耳,一條通往基貝紅,─像前兩次一樣,開始殺敵,在田野就殺死了約有三十個以色列人。
31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, [and] were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, [and] kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
本雅明子孫遂說:「他們像前次一樣,在我們面前打敗了。」但以色列子民卻說:「我們不如後退,引他們遠離城,到大路上來。」
32 And the children of Benjamin said, They [are] smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.
當以色列眾人從他們的地方起來,在巴耳塔瑪爾布陣的時候,以色列的伏兵從革巴西邊埋伏的地方衝出來;
33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gibeah.
全以色列中所選出的一萬精兵齊來攻打基貝亞,戰爭非常激烈,但是本雅明人還不知道大禍臨頭。
34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil [was] near them.
上主在以色列前打擊本雅明人,那一天以色列子民殺死本雅明人共有二萬五千一百,都是拿刀的人。
35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
這樣,本雅明子孫看出自己失敗。原來以色列人依仗在基貝亞所設下的伏兵,先在本雅明人前退怯;
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
伏兵急速衝入基貝亞,衝進之後,用刀屠殺了全城的人。
37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew [themselves] along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
原先以色列人與伏兵約定,在城內放火,以煙火上騰為號。
38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
以色列人在戰場上撤退的時候,本雅明動手殺死以色列人約有三十人,他們想:「的確,他們如前一仗一樣,在我們前殺敗了。」
39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite [and] kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as [in] the first battle.
當煙柱信號從城中上騰的時候,本雅明人轉過身來,見全城煙火沖天;
40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
那時以色列人也轉身回來;本雅明人大為驚慌,因為看見大禍臨頭,
41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
遂在以色列人面前轉向曠野的路上逃去,但戰士卻追蹤而至,從城裏出來的人也夾擊他們;
42 Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which [came] out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
這樣,以色列人擊潰了本雅明人,追擊他們,從諾哈蹂躪他們,直到革巴對面的東方之地。
43 [Thus] they inclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
本雅明人陣亡一萬八千,都是勇士。
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of valour.
其餘的人都轉身向著曠野逃往黎孟岩石,以色列人在路上又掃蕩了他們中五千人;以後,直追到革巴,擊殺了二千人。
45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
那一日,本雅明中陣亡的,共有二萬五千人,
46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour.
所剩下的六百人,
47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
轉身逃往曠野,直到黎孟岩石,在黎孟岩石中住了四個月。
48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
以色列人又回到本雅明子孫那裏,把各城的人和牲畜,以及所遇見的都用刀殺盡;並將所經過的城池放火燒燬。