< Kings III 20 >

1 And Nabuthai the Jezraelite had a vineyard, near the threshing floor of Achaab king of Samaria.
[本哈達得進攻阿哈布]阿蘭王本哈達得召集了自己所有的軍隊,帶同三十二個王子,乘坐戰馬戰車,前去圍攻撒瑪黎雅。
2 And Achaab spoke to Nabuthai, saying, Give me your vineyard, and I will have it for a garden of herbs, for it [is] near my house: and I will give you another vineyard better than it; or if it please you, I will give you money, the price of this your vineyard, and I will have it for a garden of herbs.
他先派使者進城,來見以色列王阿哈布,
3 And Nabuthai said to Achaab, My God forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.
對他說:「本哈達得這樣說:你的金銀全應歸我,只是你的妻子兒女,仍歸於你。」
4 And the spirit of Achaab was troubled, and he lay down upon his bed, and covered his face, and ate no bread.
以色列王回答說:「我主大王,就依照你的話,我和我的一切都歸於你。」
5 And Jezabel his wife went in to him, and spoke to him, [saying], Why [is] your spirit troubled, and [why] do you eat no bread?
不料,使者們又回答說:「本哈達得這樣說:我已派人通知你:將你的金銀和你的妻子兒女全交給我。
6 And he said to her, Because I spoke to Nabuthai the Jezraelite, saying, Give me your vineyard for money; or if you will, I will give you another vineyard for it: and he said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.
須知,明天這時,我必派我的僕人到你這裏來,搜索你和你僕人的房屋,凡他們看中的東西,都要隨手拿去。」
7 And Jezabel his wife said to him, Do you now thus act the king over Israel? arise, and eat bread, and be your own [master], and I will give you the vineyard of Nabuthai the Jezraelite.
以色列王將國內所有長老召來,說:「你們想想看:這人要求是多麼無理! 他先派人要我的金銀,我沒有拒絕他;現在竟又派人來我這裏,要我的妻子兒女。」
8 And she wrote a letter in the name of Achaab, and sealed it with his seal, and sent the letter to the elders, and to the freemen who lived with Nabuthai.
眾長老和全體人民對他說:「你不要聽從,也不要應允! 」
9 And it was written in the letters, saying, Keep a fast, and set Naboth in a chief place among the people.
因此,他對本哈達得的使者說:「你們回去告訴我主大王說:你第一次派人向你僕人所要求的,我必全照辦;至於這另一要求,我卻不能照辦。」使者遂回去,向本哈達得回話。
10 And set two men, sons of transgressors, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, He blessed God and the king: and let them lead him forth, and stone him, and let them die.
本哈達得於是派人對阿哈布說:「如果撒瑪黎雅的塵土,足夠跟隨我的人每人抓一把,願眾神明嚴厲,且加倍嚴厲地懲罰我! 」
11 And the men of his city, the elders, and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezabel sent to them, and as it had been written in the letters which she sent to them.
以色列王回答說:「有句俗話說:佩帶武器的人,不可像卸去了武器的人那樣自負。」
12 And they proclaimed a fast, and set Nebuthai in a chief place among the people.
本哈達得和眾王正在帳內飲酒,一聽見這話,就對他的臣僕說:「列隊進攻! 」他們即刻列隊攻城。阿哈布賴主獲勝
13 And two men, sons of transgressors, came in, and sat opposite him, and bore witness against him, saying, You have blessed God and the king. And they led him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, and he died.
這時,忽然有一個先知,來見以色列王阿哈布說:「上主這樣說:你不是看見這支強大的軍隊嗎﹖今天,我要將他們交在你手中,叫你知道我是上主。」
14 And they sent to Jezabel, saying, Nabuthai is stoned, and is dead.
阿哈布問說:「藉著誰﹖」先知回答說:「上主這樣說:藉著眾省長的少年軍人。」阿哈布又問說:「誰指揮作戰﹖」先知回答說:「你自己。」
15 And it came to pass, when Jezabel heard [it], that she said to Achaab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Nabuthai the Jezraelite, who would not sell it to you: for Nebuthai is not alive, for he is dead.
於是阿哈布檢閱了眾省長的少年人,計有二百三十二人;然後又檢閱了所有軍人,即全體以色列子民,共七千人。
16 And it came to pass, when Achaab heard that Nabuthai the Jezraelite was dead, that he tore his garments, and put on sackcloth. And it came to pass afterward, that Achaab arose and went down to the vineyard of Nabuthai the Jezraelite, to take possession of it.
到了中午,他們出發,那時,本哈達得正和協助他的三十二個王子在帳中飲酒。
17 And the Lord spoke to Eliu the Thesbite, saying,
眾省長的少年軍人首先出發,本哈達得派出的探子回報他說:「有人從撒瑪黎雅出來了。」
18 Arise, and go down to meet Achaab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, for he [is] in the vineyard of Nabuthai, for he has gone down there to take possession of it.
他遂吩咐說:「如果他們前來,是為求和,將他們活活捉住;如果他們前來,是為交戰,也將他們活活捉住。」
19 And you shall speak to him, saying, Thus says the Lord, Forasmuch as you have slain and taken possession, therefore thus says the Lord, In every place where the swine and the dogs have licked the blood of Nabuthai, there shall the dogs lick your blood; and the harlots shall wash themselves in your blood.
眾省長的少年軍人和跟隨他們的軍隊衝出城來,
20 And Achaab said to Eliu, Hast you found me, mine enemy? and he said, I have found [you]: because you have wickedly sold yourself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger;
個個見人便殺,阿蘭人逃走,以色列人在後面乘勝追趕;阿蘭王本哈達得急速上馬與騎兵一起逃走。
21 behold, I bring evil upon you: and I will kindle a fire after you, and I will utterly destroy every male of Achaab, and him that is shut up and him that is left in Israel.
那時,以色列王出來,擄掠了許多戰馬和戰車,使阿蘭人大敗。
22 And I will make your house as the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and as the house of Baasa son of Achia, because of the provocations wherewith you have provoked [me], and caused Israel to sin.
那為先知前來對以色列王說:「你要發奮圖強,留心認清你當作的事,因為明年春季,阿蘭王必要再來攻擊你。」阿蘭王整軍再戰
23 And the Lord spoke of Jezabel, saying, The dogs shall devour her within the fortification of Jezrael.
阿蘭王的臣僕對阿蘭王說:「以色列的神是山神,所以他們必我們強;但如果我們在平原上與他們交戰,我們必會得勝。
24 Him that is dead of Achaab in the city shall the dogs eat, and him that is dead of him in the field shall the birds of the sky eat.
這是大王應該作的事:廢除眾王子各人的職位,另立軍長代替,
25 But Achaab [did] wickedly, in that he sold himself to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his wife Jezabel led him astray.
召募新軍,補充所損失的軍隊,照數補充戰馬戰車;然後在平原上與他們會戰,我們定能戰勝他們。」阿蘭王聽從了他們的建議,就這樣進行。本哈達得在戰再敗
26 And he did very abominably in following after the abominations, according to all that the Amorite did, whom the Lord utterly destroyed from before the children of Israel.
過年以後,本哈達得檢閱了阿蘭人上到阿費克,進攻以色列。
27 And because of the word, Achaab was pierced with sorrow before the Lord, and he both went weeping, and tore his garment, and girded sackcloth upon his body, and fasted; he put on sackcloth also in the day that he struck Nabuthai the Jezraelite, and went his way.
以色列子民也動員起來,攜帶軍糧,出來迎戰;以色列子民在他們對面紮營,好像兩群山羊;至於阿蘭人卻遍地皆是。
28 And the word of the Lord came by the hand of his servant Eliu concerning Achaab, and the Lord said,
天主的人又前來對以色列王說:「上主這樣說:既然阿蘭人說:上主是山神而不是平原神,所以我必將這支龐大的軍隊交在你手中,叫你們知道我是上主。」
29 Hast you seen how Achaab has been pricked [to the heart] before me? I will not bring on the evil in his days, but in his son's days will I bring on the evil.
以色列人和阿蘭人相對紮營七天;第七天上,就交戰了;一天之內以色列子民殺死了十萬阿蘭步兵,
30 And the son of Ader gathered all his forces, and went up and besieged Samaria, [he] and thirty-two kings with him, and all [his] horse and chariots: and they went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
其餘的人都逃入阿費克城內,城牆倒塌,壓死了殘存的兩萬七千人。本哈達得也逃入城內,藏在極嚴密的暗室內。本哈達得投降
31 And he sent into the city to Achaab king of Israel, and said to him, Thus says the son of Ader,
本哈達得的臣僕對本哈達得說:「看,我們聽說以色列家的君王,都是仁慈的君王,請你讓我們腰裏束上麻布,頭上繫上繩索,去見以色列王,或者他會保全你的性命。」
32 Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your children are mine.
於是他們腰裏束上麻布,頭上繫上繩索,去見以色列王說:「你的僕人本哈達得說:求你保全我的性命! 」阿哈布問說:「他還活著麼﹖他是我的兄弟。」
33 And the king of Israel answered and said, As you have said, my lord, O king, I am your, and all mine [also].
這些人認為這話是個吉兆,急忙抓住他的話說:「本哈達得確是陛下的兄弟。」阿哈布說:「你們去領他來! 」本哈達得便出來參見君王;阿哈布請他上了自己的車。
34 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus says the son of Ader, I sent to you, saying, You shall give me your silver and your gold, and your wives and your children.
本哈達得對君王說:「我父親從你父親手中搶去的城市,我都要歸還給你;並且你可在大馬士革設立市場,如同我父親在撒瑪黎雅所設立的一樣。」阿哈布說:「我就根據這條約放你走。」這樣,君王與他訂立了條約,放他走了。阿哈布失策受責
35 For at this time to-morrow I will send my servants to you, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants, and it shall be that all the desirable objects of their eyes on which they shall lay their hands, they shall even take [them].
那時,有個先知的弟子奉上主的命,對自己的同伴說:「請你打我! 」那人卻拒絕打他。
36 And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Take notice now and consider, that this man seeks mischief: for he has sent to me concerning my wives, and concerning my sons, an concerning my daughters: I have not kept back from him my silver and my gold.
他就對那人說:「既然你不聽上主的命,看,你一離開我,就有一個獅子把你咬死。」那人一離開他,果然路上遇見一隻獅子,把他咬死了。
37 And the elders and all the people said to him, Listen not, and consent not.
以後,先知的弟子有遇見一個人,對他說:「請你打我! 」那人就動手打他,將他打傷了。
38 And he said to the messengers of the son of Ader, Say to your master, All things that you have sent to your servant about at first I will do; but this thing I shall not be able to do. And the men departed, and carried back the answer to him.
先知便站在路旁,用頭巾遮住自己的眼睛,等候君王。
39 And the son of Ader sent to him, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for foxes to all the people, even my infantry.
君王從那裏經過時,他便對君王呼喊說:「你的僕人出來交戰,忽有一個人轉來,給我帶來一個人說:你要看守這個人,倘若失蹤了,定要你替他償命,或賠償一「塔冷通」銀子。
40 And the king of Israel answered and said, Let it be sufficient; let not the humpbacked boast as he that is upright.
你的僕人正在東忙西亂時,那人不見了。」以色列王對他說:「這就是你的定案,你已經自下判決。」
41 And it came to pass when he returned him this answer, he and all the kings with him were drinking in tents: and he said to his servants, Form a trench. And they made a trench against the city.
他於是急忙拉下他遮眼的頭巾,以色列王纔認出他原是一位先知。
42 And, behold, a prophet came to Achaab king of Israel, and said, Thus says the Lord, Hast you seen this great multitude? behold, I give it this day into your hands; and you shall know that I [am] the Lord.
先知對君王說:「上主這樣說:你既然親手放走了我所要消滅的人,所以你要替他償命,你的人民必意抵償他的人民。」
43 And Achaab said, Whereby? And he said, Thus says the Lord, by the young men of the heads of the districts. And Achaab said, Who shall begin the battle? and he said, You.
以色列王悶悶不樂地回了撒瑪黎雅,進了自己的宮殿。

< Kings III 20 >