Judges
Chapter3
1ThefollowingarethenationswhichtheLORDallowedtoremain,sothatthroughthemhemighttryallthoseIsraeliteswhohadnoexperienceofthebattleswithCanaan
这是上主为考验那些不晓得客纳罕一切战事的以色列人,所留下来的民族,
2trainingtheminbattle,thosegenerationsonlyoftheIsraeliteswhowouldnothavehadthatpreviousexperience):
叫以色列子民的后代,至少那些以前不晓得这些战事的人,知道和学习作战。
31thefivelordsofthePhilistines;andalltheCanaanites,theSidonians,andtheHiviteswhodwellinthemountainregionofLebanonbetweenBaal-hermonandtheentrancetoHamath.
这些民族就是培勒舍特人的五个酋长,一切客纳罕人、漆冬人和住在黎巴嫩山上,即从巴耳赫尔孟山直到哈玛特关口的希威人。
4TheseservedtoputIsraeltothetest,todeterminewhethertheywouldobeythecommandmentstheLORDhadenjoinedontheirfathersthroughMoses.
他们留在那里是为考验以色列人,看他们是否听从上主藉梅瑟吩咐他们祖先的那些诫命。
5Besides,theIsraeliteswerelivingamongtheCanaanites,Hittites,Amorites,Perizzites,HivitesandJebusites.
以色列子民就住在客纳罕人、赫特人、阿摩黎人、培黎齐人、希威人和耶步斯人中间,
6Infact,theytooktheirdaughtersinmarriage,andgavetheirowndaughterstotheirsonsinmarriage,andservedtheirgods.
竟然娶了他们的女子为妻,也把自己的女儿嫁给他们的儿子,事奉了他们的神。
72BecausetheIsraeliteshadoffendedtheLORDbyforgettingtheLORD,theirGod,andservingtheBaalsandtheAsherahs,
以色列子民行了上主视为恶的事,忘却了上主他们的天主,而事奉了巴耳诸神和阿舍辣诸女神;
8theangeroftheLORDflaredupagainstthem,andheallowedthemtofallintothepowerofCushan-rishathaim,kingofAramNaharaim,whomtheyservedforeightyears.
因此上主对以色列大发忿怒,将他们交在厄东王雇商黎沙塔殷手中,以色列子民遂服事了雇商黎沙塔殷八年。
9ButwhentheIsraelitescriedouttotheLORD,heraisedupforthemasavior,Othniel,sonofCaleb'syoungerbrotherKenaz,whorescuedthem.
当以色列子民向上主呼吁时,上主给以色列子民兴起了一个拯救他们的救星,即加肋布的弟弟刻纳次的儿子敖特尼耳。
10ThespiritoftheLORDcameuponhim,andhejudgedIsrael.Whenhewentouttowar,theLORDdeliveredCushan-risha-thaim,kingofAram,intohispower,sothathemadehimsubject.
上主的神降在他身上,他作了以色列的民长,出去作战;上主把厄东王雇商黎沙塔殷交在他手中,他的能力胜过了雇商黎沙塔殷。
11Thelandthenwasatrestforfortyyears,untilOthniel,sonofKenaz,died.
于是四境平安了四十年。刻纳次的儿子敖特尼耳去世后,
12AgaintheIsraelitesoffendedtheLORD,whobecauseofthisoffensestrengthenedEglon,kingofMoab,againstIsrael.
以色列子民又行了上主视为恶的事,上主就强化摩阿布王厄革隆去打以色列,因为他们行了上主视为恶的事。
13InalliancewiththeAmmonitesandAmalekites,heattackedanddefeatedIsrael,takingpossessionofthecityofpalms.
他联合了阿孟子民和阿玛肋克人,前来击败以色列,占据了棕树城;
14TheIsraelitesthenservedEglon,kingofMoab,foreighteenyears.
以色列遂服事了摩阿布王厄革隆十八年。
15ButwhentheIsraelitescriedouttotheLORD,heraisedupforthemasavior,theBenjaminiteEhud,sonofGera,whowasleft-handed.ItwasbyhimthattheIsraelitessenttheirtributetoEglon,kingofMoab.
当以色列子民向上主呼吁时,上主给他们兴起了一位拯救者,就是本雅明人革辣的儿子厄胡得,他是左右手能兼用的人;以色列子民便派他给摩阿布王厄革隆献贡物。
16Ehudmadehimselfatwo-edgeddaggerafootlong,andworeitunderhisclothesoverhisrightthigh.
厄胡得预备了一把一肘长的双刃刀,插在右腿衣服底下,
17HepresentedthetributetoEglon,kingofMoab,whowasveryfat,
来到摩阿布王厄革隆前献贡物──厄革隆原是极肥胖的人。
18andafterthepresentationwentoffwiththetributebearers.
献完贡物以后,就把抬贡物的人打发走,
19Hereturned,however,fromwheretheidolsare,nearGilgal,andsaid,"Ihaveaprivatemessageforyou,Oking."Andthekingsaid,"Silence!"Thenwhenallhisattendantshadlefthispresence,
自己却由基耳加耳柱像那里退回,说:"王呀!我有机密事要对你说。"王说:"退下!"于是侍立左右的人都退去。
20andEhudwentintohimwherehesataloneinhiscoolupperroom,Ehudsaid,"IhaveamessagefromGodforyou."Sothekingrosefromhischair,
厄胡得来到他跟前,他正独自坐在凉台上的房子里;厄胡得说:"我有神谕告诉你!"王就从自己的座位上起立;
21andthenEhudwithhislefthanddrewthedaggerfromhisrightthigh,andthrustitintoEglon'sbelly.
厄胡得遂伸左手从右腿上拔出刀来,刺入他的腹部,
22Thehiltalsowentinaftertheblade,andthefatclosedoverthebladebecausehedidnotwithdrawthedaggerfromhisbody.
柄和刀都刺了进去,脂肪遂包住了刀子,他没有从肚子里把刀抽出来;
23ThenEhudwentoutintothehall,shuttingthedoorsoftheupperroomonhimandlockingthem.
厄胡得出来到了走廊,把凉台上的门关上,上了锁。
24WhenEhudhadleftandtheservantscame,theysawthatthedoorsoftheupperroomwerelocked,andthought,"Hemustbeeasinghimselfinthecoolchamber."
他出去之后,王臣前来,看见凉台的房门关着,就说:"他一定在凉台上的内室里便溺。"
25Theywaiteduntiltheyfinallygrewsuspicious.Sincehedidnotopenthedoorsoftheupperroom,theytookthekeyandopenedthem.Thereonthefloor,dead,laytheirlord!
待他们等烦了,看见没有人来开凉台上的门,他们就拿钥匙把门开了,见他们的主子躺在地上死了。
26DuringtheirdelayEhudmadegoodhisescapeand,passingtheidols,tookrefugeinSeirah.
在他们犹豫的时候,厄胡得已经逃走,绕过柱像,而逃往色依辣。
27OnhisarrivalhesoundedthehorninthemountainregionofEphraim,andtheIsraeliteswentdownfromthemountainswithhimastheirleader.
他到了那里,就在厄弗辣因山地吹号角,以色列子民就同他由山地下来,他在他们前面,
28"Followme,"hesaidtothem,"fortheLORDhasdeliveredyourenemiestheMoabitesintoyourpower."SotheyfollowedhimdownandseizedthefordsoftheJordanleadingtoMoab,permittingnoonetocross.
对他们说:"你们紧跟着我,因为上主把你们的仇敌摩阿布人已交于你们手中!"他们遂跟他下去,占据了摩阿布对面的约旦河渡口,不许一人渡过。
29OnthatoccasiontheyslewabouttenthousandMoabites,allofthemstrongandvaliantmen.Notamanescaped.
就在那个时候,他们击杀了摩阿布人约有一万,都是壮丁和兵士,没有一个人逃脱。
30ThuswasMoabbroughtunderthepowerofIsraelatthattime;andthelandhadrestforeightyyears.
从那天起,摩阿布驱服于以色列手下;境内平安了八十年。
31AfterhimtherewasShamgar,sonofAnath,whoslewsixhundredPhilistineswithanoxgoad.He,too,rescuedIsrael.
在他以后,有阿纳特的儿子沙默加尔,他以赶牛棒击杀了六百培肋舍人,拯救了以色列。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[3]ThePhilistines:non-SemiticinvaderswhogavetheirnametoallPalestine,althoughtheyoccupiedonlyitssouth-westernplains.TheirconfederationembracedthefiveleadingcitiesofGaza,Ashkelon,Ashdod,GathandEkron.
2[7]Asherahs:elsewhererendered"sacredpoles."SeenoteonExodus34:13andonDeut7:5.Herethewordseemstomean"goddesses."