< Judges 6 >

1 And the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth them into the hand of Midian seven years,
以色列的子民又行了上主視為惡的事,上主把他們交於米德楊人手中七年之久。
2 and the hand of Midian is strong against Israel, from the presence of Midian have the sons of Israel made for themselves the flowings which [are] in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
米德楊人的勢力勝過了以色列,以色列子民為了防禦米德楊人,修築了山洞、地洞和山寨。
3 And it hath been, if Israel hath sowed, that Midian hath come up, and Amalek, and the sons of the east, yea, they have come up against him,
每逢以色列人撒種之後,米德楊人、阿瑪肋克人和東方子民就上來攻打他們;
4 and encamp against them, and destroy the increase of the land till thine entering Gaza; and they leave no sustenance in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass;
對著他們紮營,毀壞地產直到迦薩一帶,沒有給以色列留下一點食糧,連羊、牛、驢也沒有留下;
5 for they and their cattle come up, with their tents; they come in as the fulness of the locust for multitude, and of them and of their cattle there is no number, and they come into the land to destroy it.
因為他們總是帶著家畜和帳棚上來,多如蝗蟲;他們來的人和駱駝多得無數,踏入境內,毀壞田地。
6 And Israel is very weak from the presence of Midian, and the sons of Israel cry unto Jehovah.
以色列為了米德楊人的原故,很是窮困,因此以色列子民呼籲了上主。
7 And it cometh to pass when the sons of Israel have cried unto Jehovah, concerning Midian,
當以色列子民為了米德楊的原故,呼籲上主時,
8 that Jehovah sendeth a man, a prophet, unto the sons of Israel, and he saith to them, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I — I have brought you up out of Egypt, and I bring you out from a house of servants,
上主就派了一位先知到以色列子民那裏,對他們說:「上主以色列的天主這樣說:是我使你們由埃及上來,領你們離開了為奴之家;
9 and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all your oppressors, and I cast them out from your presence, and I give to you their land,
是我從埃及人的手中,從一切壓迫你們的人手中救出你們來;是我從你們面前把他們趕走,把他們的地賜給你們。
10 and I say to you, I [am] Jehovah your God, ye do not fear the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling: — and ye have not hearkened to My voice.'
我曾對你們說過:我是上主你們的天主,你們在阿摩黎地方,切不可敬畏他們的神! 但是你們沒有聽從我的話。」基德紅被召
11 And the messenger of Jehovah cometh and sitteth under the oak which [is] in Ophrah, which [is] to Joash the Abi-Ezrite, and Gideon his son is beating out wheat in the wine-press, to remove [it] from the presence of the Midianites;
上主的使者來到,坐在敖弗辣的一棵屬於阿彼厄則爾人約阿士的篤耨樹下,當時他的兒子基德紅正在釀酒池裏打麥子,躲避米德楊人。
12 and the messenger of Jehovah appeareth unto him, and saith unto him, 'Jehovah [is] with thee, O mighty one of valour.'
上主的使者顯現給他,對他說:「英勇的壯士,願上主與你同在! 」
13 And Gideon saith unto him, 'O, my lord — and Jehovah is with us! — and why hath all this found us? and where [are] all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Hath not Jehovah brought us up out of Egypt? and now Jehovah hath left us, and doth give us into the hand of Midian.'
基德紅回答他說:「我主,請原諒! 如果上主與我們同在,我們怎會遭遇這些困難﹖他們曾向我們說過:看,是上主領我們出離埃及,但是現在上主拋棄了我們,將我們交在米德楊人的掌握中。」
14 And Jehovah turneth unto him and saith, 'Go in this — thy power; and thou hast saved Israel out of the hand of Midian — have not I sent thee.'
上主注視他說:「憑你這種力量,你去拯救以色列脫離米德楊人的掌握。看,是我派遣你。」
15 And he saith unto him, 'O, my lord, wherewith do I save Israel? lo, my chief [is] weak in Manasseh, and I the least in the house of my father.'
他回答說:「我主,請原諒! 我憑什麼拯救以色列﹖看,我家在默納協支派中是最卑微的,我在我父親家中又是最小的一個。」
16 And Jehovah saith unto him, 'Because I am with thee — thou hast smitten the Midianites as one man.'
上主對他說:「有我與你同在,你必擊敗米德楊人,如擊一個人一樣。」
17 And he saith unto Him, 'If, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, then Thou hast done for me a sign that Thou art speaking with me.
基德紅又向他說:「我若在你面前蒙恩,請你給我一個記號,證明與我說話的是你。
18 Move not, I pray Thee, from this, till my coming in unto Thee, and I have brought out my present, and put it before Thee;' and he saith, 'I — I do abide till thy return.'
請你不要離開此地,等我回到你這裏,帶來禮物,擺在你前。」他答應說:「我等你回來。」
19 And Gideon hath gone in, and prepareth a kid of the goats, and of an ephah of flour unleavened things; the flesh he hath put in a basket, and the broth he hath put in a pot, and he bringeth out unto Him, unto the place of the oak, and bringeth [it] nigh.
基德紅就去預備了一隻小公山羊,又用一「厄法」麥粉作了無酵餅,把肉放在筐裏,把湯盛在罐裏,帶到篤耨樹下獻給他。
20 And the messenger of God saith unto him, 'Take the flesh and the unleavened things, and place on this rock — and the broth pour out;' and he doth so.
天主的使者對他說:「拿出肉和無酵餅來,放在這磐石上,把湯倒出來! 」他就照樣作了。
21 And the messenger of Jehovah putteth forth the end of the staff which [is] in His hand, and cometh against the flesh, and against the unleavened things, and the fire goeth up out of the rock and consumeth the flesh and the unleavened things — and the messenger of Jehovah hath gone from his eyes.
上主的使者遂伸出手中的棍杖,杖頭一觸及肉和無酵餅,磐石便起火,把肉和無酵餅吞噬了;上主的使者便從他眼前隱沒了。
22 And Gideon seeth that He [is] a messenger of Jehovah, and Gideon saith, 'Alas, Lord Jehovah! because that I have seen a messenger of Jehovah face to face!'
基德紅遂知道他是上主的使者說:「哎呀!我主上主,我竟然面對面地看見上主的使者!」
23 And Jehovah saith to him, 'Peace to thee; fear not; thou dost not die.'
但上主對他說:「你放心! 不必害怕,你不會死!
24 And Gideon buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and calleth it Jehovah-Shalom, unto this day it [is] yet in Ophrah of the Abi-Ezrites.
基德紅就在那裏給上主立了一座祭壇,稱為雅威沙隆;至今還在阿彼厄則耳人的敖弗辣那裏。德基紅拆毀巴耳祭壇
25 And it cometh to pass, on that night, that Jehovah saith to him, 'Take the young ox which [is] to thy father, and the second bullock of seven years, and thou hast thrown down the altar of Baal which [is] to thy father, and the shrine which [is] by it thou dost cut down,
當夜上主對他說:「取你父親的一隻牛,即那隻七歲的肥牛,以後拆毀你父親的巴耳祭壇,打碎旁邊的阿舍辣;
26 and thou hast built an altar to Jehovah thy God on the top of this stronghold, by the arrangement, and hast taken the second bullock, and caused to ascend a burnt-offering with the wood of the shrine which thou cuttest down.'
給上主你的天主在這磐石頂上建一座祭壇,準備妥當,將那隻肥牛獻為全燔祭,用打碎的阿舍辣作木柴。」
27 And Gideon taketh ten men of his servants, and doth as Jehovah hath spoken unto him, and it cometh to pass, because he hath been afraid of the house of his father, and the men of the city, to do [it] by day, that he doth [it] by night.
基德紅就從僕人中選出十個人,照上主吩咐他的作了;但因為害怕父親的家人和城裏的人,不敢在白天行事,就在黑夜作了。
28 And the men of the city rise early in the morning, and lo, broken down hath been the altar of Baal, and the shrine which is by it hath been cut down, and the second bullock hath been offered on the altar which is built.
城裏的人早晨起來,看見巴耳的祭壇已毀,旁邊所有的阿舍辣也被打碎,那隻肥牛也獻於新築的祭壇上,
29 And they say one to another, 'Who hath done this thing?' and they inquire and seek, and they say, 'Gideon son of Joash hath done this thing.'
就彼此詢問說:「誰作了這事﹖」經過考察追問之後,斷定說:「必是約阿士的兒子基德紅作了這事。」
30 And the men of the city say unto Joash, 'Bring out thy son, and he dieth, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the shrine which [is] by it.'
因此本城的人對約阿士說:「將你的兒子交出來,將他處死! 因為他拆毀了巴耳的祭壇,打碎了旁邊的阿舍辣。」
31 And Joash saith to all who have stood against him, 'Ye, do ye plead for Baal? ye — do ye save him? he who pleadeth for him is put to death during the morning; if he [is] a god he himself doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'
約阿士回答所有反對他的人說:「你們要為巴耳辯護麼﹖或者你們要就助他嗎﹖誰為他辯護,明天早晨便該處以死刑! 他如果是神,讓他為自己辯護罷! 因為有人拆毀了他的祭壇。」
32 And he calleth him, on that day, Jerubbaal, saying, 'The Baal doth plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.'
因此當天人就稱基德紅為「耶魯巴耳,」好像說:「讓巴耳與他爭辯,因為基德紅拆毀了他的祭壇。」基德紅求證
33 And all Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east have been gathered together, and pass over, and encamp in the valley of Jezreel,
那時,米德楊、阿瑪肋克和東方子民都聚集起來,過了河,在依次勒耳平原安了營。
34 and the Spirit of Jehovah hath clothed Gideon, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and Abi-Ezer is called after him;
上主的神充滿了基德紅,他一吹號角,阿彼厄則爾人便應召前來跟隨他;
35 and messengers he hath sent into all Manasseh, and it also is called after him; and messengers he hath sent into Asher, and into Zebulun, and into Naphtali, and they come up to meet them.
他又打發使者走遍默納協,默納協人也應召前來跟隨他;他又打發使者往阿協爾、則步隆和納斐塔里去,他們也都上來與他們會合。
36 And Gideon saith unto God, 'If Thou art Saviour of Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken,
基德紅就對天主說:「如果你按你所說的,真要藉著我的手拯救以色列,
37 lo, I am placing the fleece of wool in the threshing-floor: if dew is on the fleece alone, and on all the earth drought — then I have known that Thou dost save Israel by my hand, as Thou hast spoken;'
看我將剪下的一把羊毛放在禾場上,若露水單單落在羊毛上,而遍地都是乾的,那麼我便曉得,如你所說的,你真要藉我的手拯救以色列。」
38 and it is so, and he riseth early on the morrow, and presseth the fleece, and wringeth dew out of the fleece — the fulness of the bowl, of water.
次日清早起來,果然如此,基德紅把羊毛一擰,從羊毛裏擰出一碗露水。
39 And Gideon saith unto God, 'Let not Thine anger burn against me, and I speak only this time; let me try, I pray Thee, only this time with the fleece — let there be, I pray Thee, drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth let there be dew.'
基德紅又向天主說:「如果我再說一次,求你別對我發怒! 請讓我用這羊毛再試一次:單單羊毛是乾的,而遍地都是露水。」
40 And God doth so on that night, and there is drought on the fleece alone, and on all the earth there hath been dew.
那一業天主果然這樣作了,單單羊毛是乾的,而遍地都是露水。

< Judges 6 >