Judges 9
1 Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
耶路‧巴力的兒子亞比米勒到了示劍見他的眾母舅，對他們和他外祖全家的人說：
2 “Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
「請你們問示劍的眾人說，是耶路‧巴力的眾子七十人都管理你們好呢？還是一人管理你們好呢？你們又要記念我是你們的骨肉。」
3 His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.”
他的眾母舅便將這一切話為他說給示劍人聽，示劍人的心就歸向亞比米勒。他們說：「他原是我們的弟兄」；
4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
就從巴力‧比利土的廟中取了七十舍客勒銀子給亞比米勒；亞比米勒用以雇了些匪徒跟隨他。
5 He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
他往俄弗拉到他父親的家，將他弟兄、耶路‧巴力的眾子七十人都殺在一塊磐石上；只剩下耶路‧巴力的小兒子約坦，因為他躲藏了。
6 All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
示劍人和米羅人都一同聚集，往示劍橡樹旁的柱子那裏，立亞比米勒為王。
7 When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
有人將這事告訴約坦，他就去站在基利心山頂上，向眾人大聲喊叫說：「示劍人哪，你們要聽我的話，上帝也就聽你們的話。
8 The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
有一時，樹木要膏一樹為王，管理他們，就去對橄欖樹說：『請你作我們的王。』
9 “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
橄欖樹回答說：『我豈肯止住供奉神和尊重人的油，飄颻在眾樹之上呢？』
10 “The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’
樹木對無花果樹說：『請你來作我們的王。』
11 “But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
無花果樹回答說：『我豈肯止住所結甜美的果子，飄颻在眾樹之上呢？』
12 “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
樹木對葡萄樹說：『請你來作我們的王。』
13 “The vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
葡萄樹回答說：『我豈肯止住使神和人喜樂的新酒，飄颻在眾樹之上呢？』
14 “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’
眾樹對荊棘說：『請你來作我們的王。』
15 “The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
荊棘回答說：『你們若誠誠實實地膏我為王，就要投在我的蔭下；不然，願火從荊棘裏出來，燒滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』
16 “Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
「現在你們立亞比米勒為王，若按誠實正直善待耶路‧巴力和他的全家，這就是酬他的勞。
17 (for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
從前我父冒死為你們爭戰，救了你們脫離米甸人的手。
18 and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
你們如今起來攻擊我的父家，將他眾子七十人殺在一塊磐石上，又立他婢女所生的兒子亞比米勒為示劍人的王；他原是你們的弟兄。
19 if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
你們如今若按誠實正直待耶路‧巴力和他的家，就可因亞比米勒得歡樂，他也可因你們得歡樂；
20 but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”
不然，願火從亞比米勒發出，燒滅示劍人和米羅眾人，又願火從示劍人和米羅人中出來，燒滅亞比米勒。」
21 Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
約坦因怕他弟兄亞比米勒，就逃跑，來到比珥，住在那裏。
22 Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
亞比米勒管理以色列人三年。
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
上帝使惡魔降在亞比米勒和示劍人中間，示劍人就以詭詐待亞比米勒。
24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
這是要叫耶路‧巴力七十個兒子所受的殘害歸與他們的哥哥亞比米勒，又叫那流他們血的罪歸與幫助他殺弟兄的示劍人。
25 The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them; and Abimelech was told about it.
示劍人在山頂上設埋伏，等候亞比米勒。凡從他們那裏經過的人，他們就搶奪。有人將這事告訴亞比米勒。
26 Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
以別的兒子迦勒和他的弟兄來到示劍，示劍人都信靠他。
27 They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
示劍人出城到田間去，摘下葡萄，踹酒，設擺筵宴，進他們神的廟中吃喝，咒詛亞比米勒。
28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he the son of Jerubbaal? Is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve him?
以別的兒子迦勒說：「亞比米勒是誰？示劍是誰？使我們服事他呢？他不是耶路‧巴力的兒子嗎？他的幫手不是西布勒嗎？你們可以服事示劍的父親哈抹的後裔。我們為何服事亞比米勒呢？
29 I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
惟願這民歸我的手下，我就除掉亞比米勒。」迦勒又對亞比米勒說：「增添你的軍兵出來吧。」
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned.
邑宰西布勒聽見以別的兒子迦勒的話，就發怒，
31 He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they incite the city against you.
悄悄地打發人去見亞比米勒，說：「以別的兒子迦勒和他的弟兄到了示劍，煽惑城中的民攻擊你。
32 Now therefore, go up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.
現在你和跟隨你的人今夜起來，在田間埋伏。
33 It shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush on the city. Behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.”
到早晨太陽一出，你就起來闖城。迦勒和跟隨他的人出來攻擊你的時候，你便向他們見機而做。」
34 Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
於是，亞比米勒和跟隨他的眾人夜間起來，分作四隊，埋伏等候示劍人。
35 Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.
以別的兒子迦勒出去，站在城門口。亞比米勒和跟隨他的人從埋伏之處起來。
36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.”
迦勒看見那些人，就對西布勒說：「看哪，有人從山頂上下來了。」西布勒說：「你看見山的影子，以為是人。」
37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim.”
迦勒又說：「看哪，有人從高處下來，又有一隊從米惡尼尼橡樹的路上而來。」
38 Then Zebul said to him, “Now where is your mouth, that you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Is not this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them.”
西布勒對他說：「你曾說，亞比米勒是誰，叫我們服事他？你所誇的口在哪裏呢？這不是你所藐視的民嗎？你現在出去，與他們交戰吧！」
39 Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
於是迦勒率領示劍人出去，與亞比米勒交戰。
40 Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
亞比米勒追趕迦勒；迦勒在他面前逃跑，有許多受傷仆倒的，直到城門。
41 Abimelech lived at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
亞比米勒住在亞魯瑪。西布勒趕出迦勒和他弟兄，不准他們住在示劍。
42 On the next day, the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
次日，民出到田間，有人告訴亞比米勒；
43 He took the people and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came out of the city. So, he rose up against them and struck them.
他就把他的人分作三隊，埋伏在田間，看見示劍人從城裏出來，就起來擊殺他們。
44 Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field and struck them.
亞比米勒和跟隨他的一隊向前闖去，站在城門口；那兩隊直闖到田間，擊殺了眾人。
45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city and killed the people in it. He beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
亞比米勒整天攻打城，將城奪取，殺了其中的居民，將城拆毀，撒上了鹽。
46 When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
示劍樓的人聽見了，就躲入巴力‧比利土廟的衛所。
47 Abimelech was told that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
有人告訴亞比米勒說：「示劍樓的人都聚在一處。」
48 Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!”
亞比米勒和跟隨他的人就都上撒們山。亞比米勒手拿斧子，砍下一根樹枝，扛在肩上，對跟隨他的人說：「你們看我所行的，也當趕緊照樣行。」
49 All the people likewise each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
眾人就各砍一枝，跟隨亞比米勒，把樹枝堆在衛所的四圍，放火燒了衛所，以致示劍樓的人都死了，男女約有一千。
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
亞比米勒到提備斯，向提備斯安營，就攻取了那城。
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.
城中有一座堅固的樓；城裏的眾人，無論男女，都逃進樓去，關上門，上了樓頂。
52 Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
亞比米勒到了樓前攻打，挨近樓門，要用火焚燒。
53 A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
有一個婦人把一塊上磨石拋在亞比米勒的頭上，打破了他的腦骨。
54 Then he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ His young man thrust him through, and he died.”
他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人，對他說：「拔出你的刀來，殺了我吧！免得人議論我說，他為一個婦人所殺。」於是少年人把他刺透，他就死了。
55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place.
以色列人見亞比米勒死了，便各回自己的地方去了。
56 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers;
這樣，上帝報應亞比米勒向他父親所行的惡，就是殺了弟兄七十個人的惡。
57 and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.
示劍人的一切惡，上帝也都報應在他們頭上；耶路‧巴力的兒子約坦的咒詛歸到他們身上了。
