民長紀:Chapter 3

民長紀:Chapter 3

民長紀	Judges
¹這是上主為考驗那些不曉得客納罕一切戰事的以色列人，所留下的民族，	¹The following are the nations which the LORD allowed to remain, so that through them he might try all those Israelites who had no experience of the battles with Canaan
²叫以色列子民的後代，至少那些以前不曉得這些戰事的人，知道和學習作戰。	²training them in battle, those generations only of the Israelites who would not have had that previous experience):
³這些民族就是培肋舍特人的五個酋長，一切客納罕人、漆冬人和住在黎巴嫩山上，即從巴耳赫爾孟山直到哈瑪特關口的希威人。	³ the five lords of the Philistines; and all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwell in the mountain region of Lebanon between Baal-hermon and the entrance to Hamath.
⁴他們留在那裏是為考驗以色列人，看他們是否聽從上主藉梅瑟吩咐他們祖先的那些誡命。	⁴These served to put Israel to the test, to determine whether they would obey the commandments the LORD had enjoined on their fathers through Moses.
⁵以色列子民就住在客納罕人、赫特人、阿摩黎人、培黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人中間，	⁵Besides, the Israelites were living among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
⁶竟然娶了他們的女子為妻，也把自己的女兒嫁給他們的兒子，事奉了他們的神。	⁶In fact, they took their daughters in marriage, and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage, and served their gods.
⁷以色列子民行了上主視為惡的事，忘卻了上主他們的天主，而事奉了巴耳諸神和阿舍辣諸女神；	⁷ Because the Israelites had offended the LORD by forgetting the LORD, their God, and serving the Baals and the Asherahs,
⁸因此上主對以色列大發忿怒，將他們交在厄東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。	⁸the anger of the LORD flared up against them, and he allowed them to fall into the power of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim, whom they served for eight years.
⁹當以色列子民向上主呼籲時，上主給以色列子民興起了一個拯救他們的救星，即加肋布的弟弟刻納次的兒子敖特尼耳。	⁹But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a savior, Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, who rescued them.
¹⁰上主的神降在他身上，他作了以色列的民長，出去作戰；上主把厄東王雇商黎沙塔殷交在他手中，他的能力勝過了雇商黎沙塔殷。	¹⁰The spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD delivered Cushan-risha-thaim, king of Aram, into his power, so that he made him subject.
¹¹於是四境平安了四十年。	¹¹The land then was at rest for forty years, until Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.
¹²以色列子民又行了上主視為惡的事，上主就強化摩阿布王厄革隆去打以色列，因為他們行了上主視為惡的事。	¹²Again the Israelites offended the LORD, who because of this offense strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel.
¹³他聯合了阿孟子民和阿瑪肋克人，前來擊敗以色列，佔據了棕樹城；	¹³In alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites, he attacked and defeated Israel, taking possession of the city of palms.
¹⁴以色列遂服事了摩阿布王厄革隆十八年。	¹⁴The Israelites then served Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.
¹⁵當以色列子民向上主呼籲時，上主給他們興起了一位拯救者，就是本雅明人革辣的兒子厄胡得，他是左右手能兼用的人；以色列子民便派他給摩阿布王厄革隆獻貢物。	¹⁵But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a savior, the Benjaminite Ehud, son of Gera, who was left-handed. It was by him that the Israelites sent their tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.
¹⁶厄胡得預備了一把一肘長的雙刃刀，插在右腿衣服底下，	¹⁶Ehud made himself a two-edged dagger a foot long, and wore it under his clothes over his right thigh.
¹⁷來到摩阿布王厄革隆前獻貢物──厄革隆原是個極肥胖的人。	¹⁷He presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, who was very fat,
¹⁸獻完貢物以後，就把抬貢物的人打發走，	¹⁸and after the presentation went off with the tribute bearers.
¹⁹自己卻由基耳加耳柱像那裏退回，說：「王呀！我有機密事要對你說。」王說：「退下！」於是侍立左右的人都退去。	¹⁹He returned, however, from where the idols are, near Gilgal, and said, "I have a private message for you, O king." And the king said, "Silence!" Then when all his attendants had left his presence,
²⁰厄胡得來到他跟前，他正獨自坐在涼台上的房子裏；厄胡得說：「我有神諭告訴你！」王就從自己的座位上起立；	²⁰and Ehud went in to him where he sat alone in his cool upper room, Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So the king rose from his chair,
²¹厄胡得遂伸左手從右腿上拔出刀來，刺入他的腹部，	²¹and then Ehud with his left hand drew the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon's belly.
²²柄和刀都刺了進去，脂肪遂包住了刀子，他沒有從肚子裏把刀抽出來；	²²The hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade because he did not withdraw the dagger from his body.
²³厄胡得出來到了走廊，把涼台上的門關上，上了鎖。	²³Then Ehud went out into the hall, shutting the doors of the upper room on him and locking them.
²⁴他出去之後，王臣前來，看見涼台的房門關着，就說：「他一定在涼台上的內室裏便溺。」	²⁴When Ehud had left and the servants came, they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, and thought, "He must be easing himself in the cool chamber."
²⁵待他們等煩了，看見沒有人來開涼台上的門，他們就拿鑰匙把門開了，見他們的主子躺在地上死了。	²⁵They waited until they finally grew suspicious. Since he did not open the doors of the upper room, they took the key and opened them. There on the floor, dead, lay their lord!
²⁶在他們猶豫的時候，厄胡得已經逃走，繞過柱像，而逃往色依辣。	²⁶During their delay Ehud made good his escape and, passing the idols, took refuge in Seirah.
²⁷他到了那裏，就在厄弗辣因山地吹號角，以色列子民就同他由山地下來，他在他們前面，	²⁷On his arrival he sounded the horn in the mountain region of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down from the mountains with him as their leader.
²⁸對他們說：「你們緊跟着我，因為上主把你們的仇敵摩阿布人已交於你們手中！」他們遂跟他下去，佔據了摩阿布對面的約但河渡口，不許一人渡過。	²⁸"Follow me," he said to them, "for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your power." So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, permitting no one to cross.
²⁹就在那個時候，他們擊殺了摩阿布人約有一萬，都是壯丁和兵士，沒有一個人逃脫。	²⁹On that occasion they slew about ten thousand Moabites, all of them strong and valiant men. Not a man escaped.
³⁰從那天起，摩阿布屈服於以色列手下；境內平安了八十年。	³⁰Thus was Moab brought under the power of Israel at that time; and the land had rest for eighty years.
³¹在他以後，有阿納特的兒子沙默加爾，他以趕牛棒擊殺了六百培肋舍特人，拯救了以色列。	³¹After him there was Shamgar, son of Anath, who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He, too, rescued Israel.