1 Kings 20
1 Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, gathered all his army, and he persuaded 32 other kings to join him with their armies and horses and chariots. They marched to Samaria [city, the capital of Israel], and surrounded it, and [prepared to] attack it.
スリヤの王ベネハダデはその軍勢をことごとく集めた。三十二人の王が彼と共におり、また馬と戦車もあった。彼は上ってサマリヤを囲み、これを攻めた。
2 Ben-Hadad sent messengers into the city to King Ahab, to say this to him: “This is what King Ben-Hadad says:
また彼は町に使者をつかわし、イスラエルの王アハブに言った、「ベネハダデはこう申します、
3 ‘[You must give to] me all your silver and gold, your (good-looking/most beautiful) wives/women and strongest children.’”
『あなたの金銀はわたしのもの、またあなたの妻たちと子供たちの最も美しい者もわたしのものです』」。
4 The king of Israel replied to them, “Tell this to King Ben-Hadad: ‘I agree to do what you requested. You can have me and everything that I own.’”
イスラエルの王は答えた、「王、わが主よ、仰せのとおり、わたしと、わたしの持ち物は皆あなたのものです」。
5 [The messengers told that to] Ben-Hadad, and he [sent them back with] another message: “I sent a message to you saying that you must give me all your silver and gold and your wives and your children.
使者は再びきて言った、「ベネハダデはこう申します、『わたしはさきに人をつかわして、あなたの金銀、妻子を引きわたせと言いました。
6 But [in addition to that], about this time tomorrow, I will send some of my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials, and to bring to me everything that pleases them.”
しかし、あすの今ごろ、しもべたちをあなたにつかわします。彼らはあなたの家と、あなたの家来の家を探って、すべて彼らの気にいる物を手に入れて奪い去るでしょう』」。
7 King Ahab summoned all the leaders of Israel, and said to them, “You can see/realize for yourselves that this man is trying to cause much trouble. He sent me a message insisting that I must give him my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I agreed to do that.”
そこでイスラエルの王は国の長老をことごとく召して言った、「よく注意して、この人が無理な事を求めているのを知りなさい。彼は人をつかわして、わたしの妻子と金銀を求めたが、わたしはそれを拒まなかった」。
8 The leaders and all the other people said to him, “Do not pay any attention to him! Do not do what he is requesting!”
すべての長老および民は皆彼に言った、「聞いてはなりません。承諾してはなりません」。
9 So Ahab said to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell the king that I agree to give him the things that he first requested, but I do not agree to allow his officials to take anything that they want from my palace and from the houses of my officials.” So the messengers [reported that to King Ben-Hadad, and they] returned with another message from Ben-Hadad.
それで彼はベネハダデの使者に言った、「王、わが主に告げなさい。『あなたが初めに要求されたことは皆いたしましょう。しかし今度の事はできません』」。使者は去って復命した。
10 In that message he said, “[We will destroy] your city [completely, with the result that] there will not be enough dust and rubble left for each of my soldiers to have one handful! I hope/wish that the gods will strike me dead if we do not do that!”
ベネハダデは彼に人をつかわして言った、「もしサマリヤのちりが、わたしに従うすべての民の手を満たすに足りるならば、神々がどんなにでも、わたしを罰してくださるように」。
11 King Ahab replied [to the messengers], “Tell King Ben-Hadad that a soldier who is putting on his armor [preparing to fight a battle] [MTY] should not boast at that time; he [should wait until] after he wins the battle.”
イスラエルの王は答えた、「『武具を帯びる者は、それを脱ぐ者のように誇ってはならない』と告げなさい」。
12 Ben-Hadad heard that message while he and the other rulers were drinking [wine] in their temporary shelters. He told his men to prepare to attack [MTY] the city. So his men did that.
ベネハダデは仮小屋で、王たちと酒を飲んでいたが、この事を聞いて、その家来たちに言った、「戦いの備えをせよ」。彼らは町にむかって戦いの備えをした。
13 At that moment, a prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘[Do not be at all afraid of] [RHQ] the large enemy army that you see! I will enable your army to defeat them today, and you will know that it is I, Yahweh, [who have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
この時ひとりの預言者がイスラエルの王アハブのもとにきて言った、「主はこう仰せられる、『あなたはこの大軍を見たか。わたしはきょう、これをあなたの手にわたす。あなたは、わたしが主であることを、知るようになるであろう』」。
14 Ahab asked, “What group [of our army] will defeat them?” The prophet replied, “The young soldiers who are commanded by the district governors will do it.” The king asked, “Who should lead the attack?” The prophet replied, “You should!”
アハブは言った、「だれにさせましょうか」。彼は言った、「主はこう仰せられる、『地方の代官の家来たちにさせよ』」。アハブは言った、「だれが戦いを始めましょうか」。彼は答えた、「あなたです」。
15 So Ahab gathered the young soldiers who were commanded by the district governors. There were 232 of those men. Then he also summoned all the Israeli army. There were [only] 7,000 soldiers.
そこでアハブは地方の代官の家来たちを調べたところ二百三十二人あった。次にすべての民、すなわちイスラエルのすべての人を調べたところ七千人あった。
16 They started to attack at noon, while Ben-Hadad and the other rulers were getting drunk in their temporary shelters.
彼らは昼ごろ出ていったが、ベネハダデは仮小屋で、味方の三十二人の王たちと共に酒を飲んで酔っていた。
17 The young soldiers advanced first. Some scouts who had been sent out by Ben-Hadad reported to him, “There are men coming out of Samaria [city]”!
地方の代官の家来たちが先に出ていった。ベネハダデは斥候をつかわしたが、彼らは「サマリヤから人々が出てきた」と報告したので、
18 He said, “It does not matter whether they are coming to fight against us or to ask for peace. Capture them, but do not kill them
彼は言った、「和解のために出てきたのであっても、生どりにせよ。また戦いのために出てきたのであっても、生どりにせよ」。
19 The young Israeli soldiers went out of the city to attack [the Syrian army], and the other soldiers in the Israeli army followed them.
地方の代官の家来たちと、それに従う軍勢が町から出ていって、
20 Each [Israeli soldier] killed a [Syrian] soldier. The rest of the Syrian army then ran away, and the Israeli soldiers pursued them. But King Ben-Hadad escaped riding his horse, along with some other men riding horses.
おのおのその相手を撃ち殺したので、スリヤびとは逃げた。イスラエルはこれを追ったが、スリヤの王ベネハダデは馬に乗り、騎兵を従えてのがれた。
21 Then the king of Israel went out [of the city], and he and his soldiers captured [all] the [other Syrian] horses and chariots, and also killed a large number of Syrian soldiers.
イスラエルの王は出ていって、馬と戦車をぶんどり、また大いにスリヤびとを撃ち殺した。
22 Then that same prophet went to King Ahab and said to him, “Go back and prepare your soldiers, and think carefully about what will be necessary for you to do, because the king of Syria with attack with his army again in the springtime of next year.”
時に、かの預言者がイスラエルの王のもとにきて言った、「行って、力を養い、なすべき事をよく考えなさい。来年の春にはスリヤの王が、あなたのところに攻め上ってくるからです」。
23 [After the Syrian army was defeated, ] Ben-Hadad’s officials said to him, “The gods that the Israelis [worship] are gods [who live] in the hills. [Samaria is built on a hill, and] that is why their soldiers were able to defeat us. But if we fight against them in the plains/lowlands, we certainly will be able to defeat them.
スリヤの王の家来たちは王に言った、「彼らの神々は山の神ですから彼らがわれわれよりも強かったのです。もしわれわれが平地で戦うならば、必ず彼らよりも強いでしょう。
24 So, this is what you should do: You must remove the 32 kings [who are leading your troops] and replace them with army commanders.
それでこうしなさい。王たちをおのおのその地位から退かせ、総督を置いてそれに代らせなさい。
25 Then gather an army like the army that was defeated. Gather an army that has as many horses and chariots as the first army had. Then we will fight the Israelis in the plains/lowlands, and we will surely defeat them.” Ben-Hadad agreed with them, and he did what they suggested.
またあなたが失った軍勢に等しい軍勢を集め、馬は馬、戦車は戦車をもって補いなさい。こうしてわれわれが平地で戦うならば必ず彼らよりも強いでしょう」。彼はその言葉を聞きいれて、そのようにした。
26 In the spring of the following year, he gathered his soldiers and marched [with them] to Aphek [city east of Galilee Lake], to fight against the Israeli army.
春になって、ベネハダデはスリヤびとを集めて、イスラエルと戦うために、アペクに上ってきた。
27 The Israeli army was also gathered together, and they were equipped with the things that they needed [for the battle]. Then they marched out and formed two groups facing the Syrian army. Their army was very small; they resembled two small flocks of goats, whereas the Syrian army [was very large and] spread all over the countryside.
イスラエルの人々は召集され、糧食を受けて彼らを迎え撃つために出かけた。イスラエルの人々はやぎの二つの小さい群れのように彼らの前に陣取ったが、スリヤびとはその地に満ちていた。
28 A prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘The Syrians say that I am a god who lives in the hills, and that I am not a god who lives in the valleys. So I will [show that they are wrong by] enabling your men to defeat this huge army [IDM] [in the valley], and you will know that I, Yahweh, [have done it].’”
その時神の人がきて、イスラエルの王に言った、「主はこう仰せられる、『スリヤびとが、主は山の神であって、谷の神ではないと言っているから、わたしはこのすべての大軍をあなたの手にわたす。あなたは、わたしが主であることを知るようになるであろう』」。
29 The two armies stayed in their tents for seven days, in groups that faced each other. Then, on the seventh day, they started fighting. The Israeli army killed 100,000 Syrian soldiers.
彼らは七日の間、互にむかいあって陣取り、七日目になって戦いを交えたが、イスラエルの人々は一日にスリヤびとの歩兵十万人を殺した。
30 The other Syrian soldiers ran away into Aphek City. Then the wall of the city collapsed and killed 27,000 more Syrian soldiers. Ben-Hadad also escaped into the city, and hid in the back room of a house.
そのほかの者はアペクの町に逃げこんだが、城壁がくずれて、その残った二万七千人の上に倒れた。ベネハダデは逃げて町に入り、奥の間にはいった。
31 His officials went to him and said, “We have heard a report that the Israelis act mercifully. So allow us to go to the king of Israel, wearing coarse sacks around our waists and ropes on our heads/necks [to indicate that we will be his slaves]. Perhaps [if we do that, ] he will allow you to remain alive.”
家来たちは彼に言った、「イスラエルの家の王たちはあわれみ深い王であると聞いています。それでわれわれの腰に荒布をつけ、くびになわをかけて、イスラエルの王の所へ行かせてください。たぶん彼はあなたの命を助けるでしょう」。
32 [The king permitted them to do that, ] so they wrapped coarse sacks around their waists and put ropes on their heads/necks, and they went to the king of Israel and said to him, “Ben-Hadad, who greatly respects you, says, ‘Please do not kill me.’” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is like a brother to me!”
そこで彼らは荒布を腰にまき、なわをくびにかけてイスラエルの王の所へ行って言った、「あなたのしもべベネハダデが『どうぞ、わたしの命を助けてください』と申しています」。アハブは言った、「彼はまだ生きているのですか。彼はわたしの兄弟です」。
33 Ben-Hadad’s officials were trying to find out if Ahab would act mercifully, and when Ahab said “brother,” they (were optimistic/thought that Ahab would be merciful). So they replied, “Yes, he is like your brother!” Ahab said, “Go and bring him to me.” So they [went and] brought Ben-Hadad to him. [When Ben-Hadad arrived, ] Ahab told him to get in his chariot [and sit with him].
その人々はこれを吉兆としてすみやかに彼の言葉をうけ、「そうです。ベネハダデはあなたの兄弟です」と言ったので、彼は言った、「行って彼をつれてきなさい」。それでベネハダデは彼の所に出てきたので、彼はこれを自分の車に乗せた。
34 Ben-Hadad said to him, “I will give back to you the towns that my father’s army took from your father. And I will allow you to set up market areas for your merchants in Damascus [my capital], just as my father did in Samaria [your capital].” Ahab replied, “Because you agree to do that, I will not execute you.” So Ahab made an agreement with Ben-Hadad, and allowed him to go home.
ベネハダデは彼に言った、「わたしの父が、あなたの父上から取った町々は返します。またわたしの父がサマリヤに造ったように、あなたはダマスコに、あなたのために市場を設けなさい」。アハブは言った、「わたしはこの契約をもってあなたを帰らせましょう」。こうしてアハブは彼と契約を結び、彼を帰らせた。
35 Then Yahweh spoke to a member of a group of prophets and said to him, “Ask one of your fellow prophets to strike and wound you.” [So he did what Yahweh told him to do]. [He said to one of his fellow prophets, ‘Strike me and wound me].’ But that man refused to do it.
さて預言者のともがらのひとりが主の言葉に従ってその仲間に言った、「どうぞ、わたしを撃ってください」。しかしその人は撃つことを拒んだので、
36 So the prophet said to him, “Because you refused to obey what Yahweh told you to do, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.” And as soon as he left that prophet, a lion suddenly pounced on him and killed him.
彼はその人に言った、「あなたは主の言葉に聞き従わないゆえ、わたしを離れて行くとすぐ、ししがあなたを殺すでしょう」。その人が彼のそばを離れて行くとすぐ、ししが彼に会って彼を殺した。
37 Then the prophet found another prophet, and said to him, “Strike me!” So that man hit him [very hard] and injured him.
彼はまたほかの人に会って言った、「どうぞ、わたしを撃ってください」。するとその人は彼を撃ち、撃って傷つけた。
38 Then the prophet put a large bandage/cloth over his face so that no one would recognize him. Then he went and stood alongside the road, waiting for the king to come by.
こうしてその預言者は行って、道のかたわらで王を待ち、目にほうたいを当てて姿を変えていた。
39 When the king passed by, the prophet cried out to him, saying “Your majesty, [after I was wounded] while I was fighting in a battle, a soldier brought to me one of our enemies that he had captured, and said to me, ‘Guard this man! If he escapes, you must pay me 3,000 pieces of silver, and if you do not pay that, you will be executed!’
王が通り過ぎる時、王に呼ばわって言った、「しもべはいくさの中に出て行きましたが、ある軍人が、ひとりの人をわたしの所につれてきて言いました、『この人を守っていなさい。もし彼がいなくなれば、あなたの命を彼の命に代えるか、または銀一タラントを払わなければならない』。
40 But while I was busy doing other things, the man escaped!” The king of Israel said to him, “That is your problem! You yourself have said that you deserve to be punished.”
ところが、しもべはあちらこちらと忙しくしていたので、ついに彼はいなくなりました」。イスラエルの王は彼に言った、「あなたはそのとおりにさばかれなければならない。あなたが自分でそれを定めたのです」。
41 The prophet immediately took off the bandage, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
そこで彼が急いで目のほうたいを取り除いたので、イスラエルの王はそれが預言者のひとりであることを知った。
42 And the prophet said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You have allowed that man [Ben-Hadad] to escape after I commanded you to be sure to execute him! Since you did not do that, you will be killed instead. And your army will be destroyed because you allowed [some of] his army to escape!’”
彼は王に言った、「主はこう仰せられる、『わたしが滅ぼそうと定めた人を、あなたは自分の手から放して行かせたので、あなたの命は彼の命に代り、あなたの民は彼の民に代るであろう』と」。
43 The king went back home to Samaria, very angry and depressed/dejected.
イスラエルの王は悲しみ、かつ怒って自分の家におもむき、サマリヤに帰った。
