< 2 Samuel 15 >
1 It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.
此後,押沙龍為自己預備車馬,又派五十人在他前頭奔走。
2 Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, “From what city have you come?” Then the man would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
押沙龍常常早晨起來,站在城門的道旁,凡有爭訟要去求王判斷的,押沙龍就叫他過來,問他說:「你是哪一城的人?」回答說:「僕人是以色列某支派的人。」
3 So Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case.”
押沙龍對他說:「你的事有情有理,無奈王沒有委人聽你伸訴。」
4 Absalom added, “I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!”
押沙龍又說:「恨不得我作國中的士師!凡有爭訟求審判的到我這裏來,我必秉公判斷。」
5 So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
若有人近前來要拜押沙龍,押沙龍就伸手拉住他,與他親嘴。
6 Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
以色列人中,凡去見王求判斷的,押沙龍都是如此待他們。這樣,押沙龍暗中得了以色列人的心。
7 It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.
滿了四十年,押沙龍對王說:「求你准我往希伯崙去,還我向耶和華所許的願。
8 For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,' If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'”
因為僕人住在亞蘭的基述,曾許願說:『耶和華若使我再回耶路撒冷,我必事奉他。』」
9 So the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom arose and went to Hebron.
王說:「你平平安安地去吧!」押沙龍就起身,往希伯崙去了。
10 But then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you must say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'”
押沙龍打發探子走遍以色列各支派,說:「你們一聽見角聲就說:『押沙龍在希伯崙作王了!』」
11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.
押沙龍在耶路撒冷請了二百人與他同去,都是誠誠實實去的,並不知道其中的真情。
12 While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David's counselor. Absalom's conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.
押沙龍獻祭的時候,打發人去將大衛的謀士、基羅人亞希多弗從他本城請了來。於是叛逆的勢派甚大;因為隨從押沙龍的人民,日漸增多。
13 A messenger came to David saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following after Absalom.”
有人報告大衛說:「以色列人的心都歸向押沙龍了!」
14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword.”
大衛就對耶路撒冷跟隨他的臣僕說:「我們要起來逃走,不然都不能躲避押沙龍了;要速速地去,恐怕他忽然來到,加害於我們,用刀殺盡合城的人。」
15 The king's servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides.”
王的臣僕對王說:「我主我王所定的,僕人都願遵行。」
16 The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.
於是王帶着全家的人出去了,但留下十個妃嬪看守宮殿。
17 After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.
王出去,眾民都跟隨他,到伯墨哈,就住下了。
18 All his army marched with him, and before him went all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.
王的臣僕都在他面前過去。基利提人、比利提人,就是從迦特跟隨王來的六百人,也都在他面前過去。
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.
王對迦特人以太說:「你是外邦逃來的人,為甚麼與我們同去呢?你可以回去與新王同住,或者回你本地去吧!
20 Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen back. May loyalty and faithfulness go with you.”
你來的日子不多,我今日怎好叫你與我們一同飄流、沒有一定的住處呢?你不如帶你的弟兄回去吧!願耶和華用慈愛誠實待你。」
21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying.”
以太對王說:「我指着永生的耶和華起誓,又敢在王面前起誓:無論生死,王在哪裏,僕人也必在那裏。」
22 So David said to Ittai, “Go ahead and continue with us.” So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.
大衛對以太說:「你前去過河吧!」於是迦特人以太帶着跟隨他的人和所有的婦人孩子,就都過去了。
23 All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.
本地的人都放聲大哭。眾民盡都過去,王也過了汲淪溪;眾民往曠野去了。
24 Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.
撒督和抬上帝約櫃的利未人也一同來了,將上帝的約櫃放下。亞比亞他上來,等着眾民從城裏出來過去。
25 The king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.
王對撒督說:「你將上帝的約櫃抬回城去。我若在耶和華眼前蒙恩,他必使我回來,再見約櫃和他的居所。
26 But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
倘若他說:『我不喜悅你』,看哪,我在這裏,願他憑自己的意旨待我!」
27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar.
王又對祭司撒督說:「你不是先見嗎?你可以安然回城;你兒子亞希瑪斯和亞比亞他的兒子約拿單都可以與你同去。
28 See, I will wait at the fords of the Arabah until word comes from you to inform me.”
我在曠野的渡口那裏等你們報信給我。」
29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
於是撒督和亞比亞他將上帝的約櫃抬回耶路撒冷,他們就住在那裏。
30 But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.
大衛蒙頭赤腳上橄欖山,一面上一面哭。跟隨他的人也都蒙頭哭着上去;
31 Someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness.”
有人告訴大衛說:「亞希多弗也在叛黨之中,隨從押沙龍。」大衛禱告說:「耶和華啊,求你使亞希多弗的計謀變為愚拙!」
32 It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.
大衛到了山頂、敬拜上帝的地方,見亞基人戶篩,衣服撕裂,頭蒙灰塵來迎接他。
33 David said to him, “If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.
大衛對他說:「你若與我同去,必累贅我;
34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,' then you will confuse Ahithophel's advice for me.
你若回城去,對押沙龍說:『王啊,我願作你的僕人;我向來作你父親的僕人,現在我也照樣作你的僕人。』這樣,你就可以為我破壞亞希多弗的計謀。
35 Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king's palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
祭司撒督和亞比亞他豈不都在那裏嗎?你在王宮裏聽見甚麼,就要告訴祭司撒督和亞比亞他。
36 See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear.”
撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯,亞比亞他的兒子約拿單,也都在那裏。凡你們所聽見的可以託這二人來報告我。」
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city as Absalom arrived and entered into Jerusalem.
於是,大衛的朋友戶篩進了城;押沙龍也進了耶路撒冷。