| 撒慕爾紀上 |
1 Samuel |
| 1大約過了一個月，阿孟人納哈士上來圍困基肋阿得的雅貝士，雅貝士所有的居民對納哈士說：「你與我們立約，我們就服事你。」 |
1 About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh begged Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be your subjects." |
| 2阿孟人納哈士回答他們說：「在這條件下，我纔與你們立約：就是剜出你們各人的右眼，我要藉此羞辱全以色列。」 |
2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "This is my condition for a treaty with you: I must gouge out every man's right eye, that I may thus bring ignominy on all Israel." |
| 3雅貝士的長老回答他說：「請讓我們休戰七天，我們派人到以色列全境去，如果沒有人來救我們，我們就向你投降。」 |
3The elders of Jabesh said to him: "Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one rescues us, we will surrender to you." |
| 4使者到了撒烏耳的基貝亞，就把這事講給民眾聽，民眾遂放聲大哭。 |
4When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul, they related the news to the people, all of whom wept aloud. |
| 5那時撒烏耳正跟着牛從田間回來，便問說：「民眾有什麼事，如此號淘大哭？」人們就把雅貝士人的話講給他聽。 |
5Just then Saul came in from the field, behind his oxen. "Why are the people weeping?" he asked. The message of the inhabitants of Jabesh was repeated to him. |
| 6撒烏耳一聽說這些話，上主的神便降在他身上，遂勃然大怒， |
6As he listened to this report, the spirit of God rushed upon him and he became very angry. |
| 7立即牽了一對牛來，剖分成塊，託使者分送到以色列全境說：「凡不隨從撒烏耳和撒慕爾出征的，也必這樣對待他的牛！」上主的驚嚇降在民眾身上，因而他們好像一個人一齊出征。 |
7Taking a yoke of oxen, he cut them into pieces, which he sent throughout the territory of Israel by couriers with the message, "If anyone does not come out to follow Saul (and Samuel), the same as this will be done to his oxen!" In dread of the LORD, the people turned out to a man. |
| 8撒烏耳在貝則克檢閱了他們；以色列人共計三十萬，猶大人三萬。 |
8When he reviewed them in Bezek, there were three hundred thousand Israelites and seventy thousand Judahites. |
| 9撒烏耳對來的使者說：「你們這樣對基肋阿得的雅貝士人說：明天太陽正熱時，救援就必達到你們那裏。」使者便回去，向雅貝士人報告，他們都很喜歡。 |
9To the messengers who had come he said, "Tell the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead that tomorrow, while the sun is hot, they will be rescued." The messengers came and reported this to the inhabitants of Jabesh, who were jubilant, |
| 10雅貝士人遂對阿孟人說：「明天我們向你們投降，你們看着怎樣好，就怎樣對待我們罷！」 |
10and said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you may do whatever you please with us." |
| 11第二天撒烏耳把民眾分作三隊，在黎明以前衝入了阿孟人營中，擊殺他們一直到日中最熱的時候，剩下的人都逃散了，以至沒有兩人在一起。 |
11On the appointed day, Saul arranged his troops in three companies and invaded the camp during the dawn watch. They slaughtered Ammonites until the heat of the day; by then the survivors were so scattered that no two were left together. |
| 12民眾於是對撒慕爾說：「誰曾說過：撒烏耳豈能作我們的君王？把這些人交出來，讓我們處死他們！」 |
12 The people then said to Samuel: "Who questioned whether Saul should rule over us? Hand over the men and we will put them to death." |
| 13撒烏耳回答說：「今天不可處死任何人，因為今天上主在以色列中施行了救恩。」 |
13But Saul broke in to say, "No man is to be put to death this day, for today the LORD has saved Israel." |
| 14撒慕爾以後對民眾說：「來，我們到基耳加耳去，在那裏重新建立王國。」 |
14Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal to inaugurate the kingdom there." |
| 15民眾便都去了基耳加耳，在那裏於上主面前立撒烏耳為王，並給上主奉獻了和平祭；撒烏耳同全體以色列人舉行了盛大的盛會。 |
15So all the people went to Gilgal, where, in the presence of the LORD, they made Saul king. They also sacrificed peace offerings there before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites celebrated the occasion with great joy. |
