士师记 9
1 耶路·巴力的儿子亚比米勒到了示剑见他的众母舅，对他们和他外祖全家的人说：
Gideon’s son Abimelech went to [talk with] his mother’s brothers in Shechem [city]. He said to them and to all his mother’s relatives,
2 “请你们问示剑的众人说，是耶路·巴力的众子七十人都管理你们好呢？还是一人管理你们好呢？你们又要记念我是你们的骨肉。”
“Ask all the leaders of your city: ‘Do you [think it would be] good for all 70 of Gideon’s sons to rule over you? Or would it be better to have only one of his sons, [me], to rule over you?’ And do not forget that I am your relative! [MTY]”
3 他的众母舅便将这一切话为他说给示剑人听，示剑人的心就归向亚比米勒。他们说：“他原是我们的弟兄”；
So Abimelech’s mother’s brothers spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about what Abimelech had said. They said to each other, “We should allow Abimelech to rule over us, because he is our relative.”
4 就从巴力·比利土的庙中取了七十舍客勒银子给亚比米勒；亚比米勒用以雇了些匪徒跟随他。
So the leaders of Shechem took from the temple of [their god] Baal-Berith (almost 2 pounds/0.8 kg.) of silver and gave it to Abimelech. With that silver he paid some worthless troublemakers to help him, and they went with Abimelech wherever he went.
5 他往俄弗拉到他父亲的家，将他弟兄、耶路·巴力的众子七十人都杀在一块磐石上；只剩下耶路·巴力的小儿子约坦，因为他躲藏了。
They went to Ophrah, his father’s town, and murdered 69 of his 70 brothers, the sons of his father Gideon. They killed all those men on one huge rock. But Gideon’s youngest son Jotham hid [from Abimelech and his men], and he escaped.
6 示剑人和米罗人都一同聚集，往示剑橡树旁的柱子那里，立亚比米勒为王。
Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered under the big sacred tree in Shechem. There they appointed Abimelech to be their leader.
7 有人将这事告诉约坦，他就去站在基利心山顶上，向众人大声喊叫说：“示剑人哪，你们要听我的话， 神也就听你们的话。
When Jotham heard about that, he climbed up Gerizim Mountain. He stood at the top of the mountain and shouted to the people [down below], “You leaders of Shechem, listen to me, in order that God will listen to you!
8 有一时，树木要膏一树为王，管理他们，就去对橄榄树说：‘请你作我们的王。’
One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over all of them. So they said to the olive tree, ‘You be our king!’
9 橄榄树回答说：‘我岂肯止住供奉神和尊重人的油，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
“But the olive tree said, ‘No! [I will not be your king] Men and gods enjoy the oil from my fruit. I will not [RHQ] stop producing [olives from which we make] that oil, in order to rule over you other trees!’
10 树木对无花果树说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’
11 无花果树回答说：‘我岂肯止住所结甜美的果子，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
“But the fig tree replied, ‘No! I do not want to [RHQ] stop producing my good sweet fruit, and rule over you other trees!’
12 树木对葡萄树说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
“Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and be our king!’
13 葡萄树回答说：‘我岂肯止住使神和人喜乐的新酒，飘摇在众树之上呢？’
“But the grapevine replied, ‘No! [I will not be your king] The new wine [that is made from my grapes] causes people and gods [who drink it] to become very happy. I do not want to stop producing grapes and rule over you other trees!’ [RHQ]
14 众树对荆棘说：‘请你来作我们的王。’
“Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king!’
15 荆棘回答说：‘你们若诚诚实实地膏我为王，就要投在我的荫下；不然，愿火从荆棘里出来，烧灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’
“The thornbush replied, ‘If you truly want to appoint me to be your king, come into the shade of my [tiny branches]. But if you do not want to do that, I hope/desire that fire will come out from me and burn up all the huge cedar trees in Lebanon [country]!’”
16 “现在你们立亚比米勒为王，若按诚实正直善待耶路·巴力和他的全家，这就是酬他的劳。
“[After] Jotham [finished telling them this parable, he] said, “So now [I ask you], were you being completely honest and sincere when you appointed Abimelech to be your king [RHQ]? And have you treated Gideon and his family [RHQ] fairly? Have you rewarded Gideon by honoring him as he deserved [because of all the good things he did for you]? No!
17 从前我父冒死为你们争战，救了你们脱离米甸人的手。
“[Do not forget that] my father fought a battle for you, and he was willing to die for you [if that had been necessary], to save you from the Midian people-group.
18 你们如今起来攻击我的父家，将他众子七十人杀在一块磐石上，又立他婢女所生的儿子亚比米勒为示剑人的王；他原是你们的弟兄。
But now you have rebelled against my father’s family, and you have killed 69 of his sons on one huge rock. And you have appointed Abimelech—who is the son of my father’s slave girl, [not the son of his wife]—to be the king who will rule you people of Shechem. You have done that only because he is one of your relatives!
19 你们如今若按诚实正直待耶路·巴力和他的家，就可因亚比米勒得欢乐，他也可因你们得欢乐；
So, if today you have truly acted fairly and sincerely toward Gideon and his family, I hope/desire that he will cause you to be happy and that you will cause him to be happy.
20 不然，愿火从亚比米勒发出，烧灭示剑人和米罗众人，又愿火从示剑人和米罗人中出来，烧灭亚比米勒。”
But if what you did was not right, I wish/desire that Abimelech will burn up all of you leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo with fire! And I also hope/desire that the leaders of Shechem and Beth-Millo will cause fire to burn up Abimelech!”
21 约坦因怕他弟兄亚比米勒，就逃跑，来到比珥，住在那里。
[After] Jotham [finished saying that, he] escaped from them and ran away to Beer [town]. He stayed there because he was afraid that his brother Abimelech [would try to kill him].
22 亚比米勒管理以色列人三年。
Abimelech [became the leader of all the people of Israel. He] ruled them for three years.
23 神使恶魔降在亚比米勒和示剑人中间，示剑人就以诡诈待亚比米勒。
Then God sent an evil spirit [to cause trouble] between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, with the result that the leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech.
24 这是要叫耶路·巴力七十个儿子所受的残害归与他们的哥哥亚比米勒，又叫那流他们血的罪归与帮助他杀弟兄的示剑人。
The leaders of Shechem had previously helped Abimelech to kill 69 of Gideon’s sons, who were his brothers. So now God sent the evil spirit to punish all of them.
25 示剑人在山顶上设埋伏，等候亚比米勒。凡从他们那里经过的人，他们就抢夺。有人将这事告诉亚比米勒。
The leaders of Shechem (set an ambush/sent men to hide) on the hilltops to ambush Abimelech. Those men robbed everyone who passed by. But someone told Abimelech about it, [so he did not go near them].
26 以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄来到示剑，示剑人都信靠他。
There was a man named Gaal, the son of Ebed, who moved into Shechem [city], along with his brothers. Soon the leaders of Shechem started to trust him.
27 示剑人出城到田间去，摘下葡萄，踹酒，设摆筵宴，进他们神的庙中吃喝，咒诅亚比米勒。
They went out [of the city] to their vineyards and picked some grapes. They pressed the grapes [to make juice, and then they made wine]. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god, and they ate [a lot of food] and drank [a lot of wine]. Then they cursed Abimelech.
28 以别的儿子迦勒说：“亚比米勒是谁？示剑是谁？使我们服事他呢？他不是耶路·巴力的儿子吗？他的帮手不是西布勒吗？你们可以服事示剑的父亲哈抹的后裔。我们为何服事亚比米勒呢？
Gaal said, “(Why should [we allow] Abimelech to rule over us?/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us!) [RHQ] He is only one of Gideon’s sons [so he really does not belong to us] [RHQ]! And he appointed Zebul, the governor of our city, to be his deputy! We should (serve/be loyal to) [one of the descendants of] Hamor, [the founder of our city], and let him be our leader, not Abimelech [RHQ]!
29 惟愿这民归我的手下，我就除掉亚比米勒。”迦勒又对亚比米勒说：“增添你的军兵出来吧。”
If you would appoint me to be your leader, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready, [and then come to fight us]!’”
30 邑宰西布勒听见以别的儿子迦勒的话，就发怒，
When someone told Zebul what Gaal said, he was very angry.
31 悄悄地打发人去见亚比米勒，说：“以别的儿子迦勒和他的弟兄到了示剑，煽惑城中的民攻击你。
He secretly sent some messengers to Abimelech. They told him, “Gaal and his brothers have come here to Shechem, and they are causing [the people of] the city to rebel against you.
32 现在你和跟随你的人今夜起来，在田间埋伏。
You and your men should get up during the night and go and hide in the fields outside the city.
33 到早晨太阳一出，你就起来闯城。迦勒和跟随他的人出来攻击你的时候，你便向他们见机而做。”
As soon as the sun rises in the morning, get up and attack the city. When Gaal and his men come out to fight against you, you can do to them whatever you want to.”
34 于是，亚比米勒和跟随他的众人夜间起来，分作四队，埋伏等候示剑人。
So Abimelech and all the men who were with him got up during the night. They [divided into] four groups, [and] hid [in the fields] near Shechem.
35 以别的儿子迦勒出去，站在城门口。亚比米勒和跟随他的人从埋伏之处起来。
[The next morning], Gaal went out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. While he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places [and started walking toward the city].
36 迦勒看见那些人，就对西布勒说：“看哪，有人从山顶上下来了。”西布勒说：“你看见山的影子，以为是人。”
When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the hills!” But Zebul said, “You are seeing only the shadows [of trees] on the hills. They [are not people; they] only resemble people.”
37 迦勒又说：“看哪，有人从高处下来，又有一队从米恶尼尼橡树的路上而来。”
But Gaal [looked] again [and] said, “Look! There are people coming down from the top of the sacred mountain! There is a group of them coming down from where the tree is where people talk with the spirits of dead people!”
38 西布勒对他说：“你曾说，亚比米勒是谁，叫我们服事他？你所夸的口在哪里呢？这不是你所藐视的民吗？你现在出去，与他们交战吧！”
Zebul said to Gaal, “Now (what good is your bragging?/your bragging is worthless!) [MTY, RHQ] You said, ‘(Why should we serve Abimelech/We should not allow Abimelech to rule over us)?’ You made fun of these men. So now go out and fight them!”
39 于是迦勒率领示剑人出去，与亚比米勒交战。
So Gaal led the men of Shechem outside [the city] to fight Abimelech [and his men].
40 亚比米勒追赶迦勒；迦勒在他面前逃跑，有许多受伤仆倒的，直到城门。
Abimelech and his men pursued them, and they killed many of Gaal’s men before they could return [safely] inside the city gate.
41 亚比米勒住在亚鲁玛。西布勒赶出迦勒和他弟兄，不准他们住在示剑。
Abimelech then stayed at Arumah, [about five miles away from Shechem], and Zebul’s men forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
42 次日，民出到田间，有人告诉亚比米勒；
The next day, the people of Shechem [got ready to leave the city and work] in their fields. When someone told Abimelech about that,
43 他就把他的人分作三队，埋伏在田间，看见示剑人从城里出来，就起来击杀他们。
he divided his men into three groups, and told them to hide in the fields. So they did that. And when they saw the people coming out of the city, they jumped up and attacked them.
44 亚比米勒和跟随他的一队向前闯去，站在城门口；那两队直闯到田间，击杀了众人。
Abimelech and the men who were with him ran to the city gate. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and attacked them.
45 亚比米勒整天攻打城，将城夺取，杀了其中的居民，将城拆毁，撒上了盐。
Abimelech and his men fought all day. They captured the city and killed all the people. They tore down all the buildings, and then they threw salt over the ruins [in order that nothing would grow there again].
46 示剑楼的人听见了，就躲入巴力·比利土庙的卫所。
When the leaders who lived in the tower/fortress outside of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid inside the [fortress, which was also a] temple of [their god] El-Berith.
47 有人告诉亚比米勒说：“示剑楼的人都聚在一处。”
But someone told Abimelech that all the leaders had gathered there.
48 亚比米勒和跟随他的人就都上撒们山。亚比米勒手拿斧子，砍下一根树枝，扛在肩上，对跟随他的人说：“你们看我所行的，也当赶紧照样行。”
So he and all the men who were with him went up Zalmon Mountain [which is near Shechem]. Abimelech cut some branches of trees with an axe, and put them on his shoulders. Then he said to all the men who were with him, “Quickly, do what I have just done!”
49 众人就各砍一枝，跟随亚比米勒，把树枝堆在卫所的四围，放火烧了卫所，以致示剑楼的人都死了，男女约有一千。
So his men all cut branches [then carried them down the mountain], following Abimelech. They went to the fortress and piled the branches against its walls. Then they kindled a fire, and the fire burned down the fortress and killed all the people who were inside. So all the people who were inside the fortress—about 1,000 men and women—died.
50 亚比米勒到提备斯，向提备斯安营，就攻取了那城。
Then Abimelech and his men went to Thebes [city]. They surrounded it and captured it.
51 城中有一座坚固的楼；城里的众人，无论男女，都逃进楼去，关上门，上了楼顶。
But there was a strong tower inside the city. So all the men, women, and leaders of the city ran to the tower. When they were all inside, they locked the door. Then they climbed up to the roof of the tower.
52 亚比米勒到了楼前攻打，挨近楼门，要用火焚烧。
Abimelech and his men came to the tower and tried to get in the door, [but they could not]. Then Abimelech prepared to light a fire to burn down the door.
53 有一个妇人把一块上磨石抛在亚比米勒的头上，打破了他的脑骨。
But when Abimelech came near the doorway, a woman [who was on the roof] dropped a big grinding stone on his head, and crushed his skull.
54 他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人，对他说：“拔出你的刀来，杀了我吧！免得人议论我说，他为一个妇人所杀。”于是少年人把他刺透，他就死了。
Abimelech quickly called to the young man who carried Abimelech’s weapons, and said, “Pull out your sword and kill me with it! I do not want people to say ‘It was a woman who killed Abimelech.’” So the young man thrust his sword into Abimelech, and Abimelech died.
55 以色列人见亚比米勒死了，便各回自己的地方去了。
When the Israeli soldiers saw that Abimelech was dead, they all returned to their homes.
56 这样， 神报应亚比米勒向他父亲所行的恶，就是杀了弟兄七十个人的恶。
In that way God punished Abimelech for the evil things that he had done to his father and especially for killing all 69 of his brothers.
57 示剑人的一切恶， 神也都报应在他们头上；耶路·巴力的儿子约坦的咒诅归到他们身上了。
God also punished the men of Shechem for the evil things that they had done. And when those things happened, it fulfilled what Gideon’s son Jotham said when he cursed [Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem].
