Judges 8
1 And the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this, that you wanted to do, so that you would not call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they rebuked him strongly, and came close to using violence.
以法蓮人對基甸說：「你去與米甸人爭戰，沒有招我們同去，為甚麼這樣待我們呢？」他們就與基甸大大地爭吵。
2 And he responded to them: “But what could I have done that would be so great as what you have done? Is not one bunch of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintages of Abiezer?
基甸對他們說：「我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？以法蓮拾取剩下的葡萄不強過亞比以謝所摘的葡萄嗎？
3 The Lord has delivered into your hands the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What could I have done that would be so great as what you have done?” And when he had said this, their spirit, which was swelling up against him, was quieted.
上帝已將米甸人的兩個首領俄立和西伊伯交在你們手中；我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？」基甸說了這話，以法蓮人的怒氣就消了。
4 And when Gideon had arrived at the Jordan, he crossed over it with the three hundred men who were with him. And they were so weary that they were unable to pursue those who were fleeing.
基甸和跟隨他的三百人到約旦河過渡，雖然疲乏，還是追趕。
5 And he said to the men of Succoth, “I beg you, give bread to the people who are with me, for they are greatly weakened, so that we may be able to pursue Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
基甸對疏割人說：「求你們拿餅來給跟隨我的人吃，因為他們疲乏了；我們追趕米甸人的兩個王西巴和撒慕拿。」
6 The leaders of Succoth answered, “Perhaps the palms of the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna are in your hand, and for this reason, you request that we give bread to your army.”
疏割人的首領回答說：「西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裏，你使我們將餅給你的軍兵嗎？」
7 And he said to them, “So then, when the Lord will have delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert.”
基甸說：「耶和華將西巴和撒慕拿交在我手之後，我就用野地的荊條和枳棘打傷你們。」
8 And going up from there, he arrived at Penuel. And he spoke to the men of that place similarly. And they also answered him, just as the men of Succoth had answered.
基甸從那裏上到毗努伊勒，對那裏的人也是這樣說；毗努伊勒人也與疏割人回答他的話一樣。
9 And so he said to them also, “When I will have returned as a victor in peace, I will destroy this tower.”
他向毗努伊勒人說：「我平平安安回來的時候，我必拆毀這樓。」
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were resting with their entire army. For fifteen thousand men were left out of all the troops of the eastern people. And one hundred twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword had been cut down.
那時西巴和撒慕拿，並跟隨他們的軍隊都在加各，約有一萬五千人，就是東方人全軍所剩下的；已經被殺約有十二萬拿刀的。
11 And Gideon ascended by the way of those who were dwelling in tents, to the eastern part of Nobah and Jogbehah. And he struck the camp of the enemies, who were confident and were suspecting nothing adverse.
基甸就由挪巴和約比哈東邊，從住帳棚人的路上去，殺敗了米甸人的軍兵，因為他們坦然無懼。
12 And Zebah and Zalmunna fled. And Gideon pursued and overtook them, sending their entire army into confusion.
西巴和撒慕拿逃跑；基甸追趕他們，捉住米甸的二王西巴和撒慕拿，驚散全軍。
13 And returning from the war before sunrise,
約阿施的兒子基甸由希列斯坡從陣上回來，
14 he took a boy from among the men of Succoth. And he asked him the names of the leaders and elders of Succoth. And he described seventy-seven men.
捉住疏割的一個少年人，問他：「疏割的首領長老是誰？」他就將首領長老七十七個人的名字寫出來。
15 And he went to Succoth, and he said to them: “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, over whom you rebuked me, saying: ‘Perhaps the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna are in your hands, and for this reason, you request that we give bread to men who are languishing and weakened.’”
基甸到了疏割，對那裏的人說：「你們從前譏誚我說：『西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裏，你使我們將餅給跟隨你的疲乏人嗎？』現在西巴和撒慕拿在這裏。」
16 Therefore, he took the elders of the city, and, using the thorns and briers of the desert, he threshed them with these, and he cut the men of Succoth to pieces.
於是捉住那城內的長老，用野地的荊條和枳棘責打 疏割人；
17 He also overturned the tower of Penuel, and he killed the men of the city.
又拆了毗努伊勒的樓，殺了那城裏的人。
18 And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were those whom you killed at Tabor?” They responded, “They were like you, and one of them was like the son of a king.”
基甸問西巴和撒慕拿說：「你們在他泊山所殺的人是甚麼樣式？」回答說：「他們好像你，各人都有王子的樣式。」
19 He answered them: “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had preserved them, I would not kill you.”
基甸說：「他們是我同母的弟兄，我指着永生的耶和華起誓，你們從前若存留他們的性命，我如今就不殺你們了。」
20 And he said to Jether, his firstborn son, “Rise up, and put them to death.” But he did not draw his sword. For he was afraid, being still a boy.
於是對他的長子益帖說：「你起來殺他們。」但益帖因為是童子，害怕，不敢拔刀。
21 And Zebah and Zalmunna said: “You should rise up and rush against us. For the strength of a man is in accord with his age.” Gideon rose up, and he killed Zebah and Zalmunna. And he took the ornaments and studs, with which the necks of the royal camels are usually adorned.
西巴和撒慕拿說：「你自己起來殺我們吧！因為人如何，力量也是如何。」基甸就起來，殺了西巴和撒慕拿，奪獲他們駱駝項上戴的月牙圈。
22 And all the men of Israel said to Gideon: “You should rule over us, and your son, and your son’s son. For you freed us from the hand of Midian.”
以色列人對基甸說：「你既救我們脫離米甸人的手，願你和你的兒孫管理我們。」
23 And he said to them: “I will not rule over you. Neither shall my son rule over you. Instead, the Lord shall rule over you.”
基甸說：「我不管理你們，我的兒子也不管理你們，惟有耶和華管理你們。」
24 And he said to them: “I petition one request from you. Give me the earrings from your spoils.” For the Ishmaelites were accustomed to wear gold earrings.
基甸又對他們說：「我有一件事求你們：請你們各人將所奪的耳環給我。」（原來仇敵是以實瑪利人，都是戴金耳環的。）
25 They responded, “We are very willing to give them.” And spreading a cloak on the ground, they cast upon it the earrings from the spoils.
他們說：「我們情願給你」，就鋪開一件外衣，各人將所奪的耳環丟在其上。
26 And the weight of the earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, aside from the ornaments, and necklaces, and purple garments, which the kings of Midian were accustomed to use, and aside from the gold chains on the camels.
基甸所要出來的金耳環重一千七百舍客勒金子。此外還有米甸王所戴的月環、耳墜，和所穿的紫色衣服，並駱駝項上的金鍊子。
27 And Gideon made an ephod from these, and he kept it in his city, Ophrah. And all of Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gideon and to all his house.
基甸以此製造了一個以弗得，設立在本城俄弗拉。後來以色列人拜那以弗得行了邪淫；這就作了基甸和他全家的網羅。
28 But Midian was humbled before the sons of Israel. Neither were they able any longer to lift up their necks. But the land rested for forty years, while Gideon presided.
這樣，米甸人被以色列人制伏了，不敢再抬頭。基甸還在的日子，國中太平四十年。
29 And so Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and lived in his own house.
約阿施的兒子耶路‧巴力回去，住在自己家裏。
30 And he had seventy sons, who went forth from his own thigh. For he had many wives.
基甸有七十個親生的兒子，因為他有許多的妻。
31 But his concubine, whom he had in Shechem, bore him a son named Abimelech.
他的妾住在示劍，也給他生了一個兒子。基甸與他起名叫亞比米勒。
32 And Gideon, the son of Joash, died in a good old age, and he was buried in the sepulcher of his father, at Ophrah, of the family of Ezri.
約阿施的兒子基甸，年紀老邁而死，葬在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉，在他父親約阿施的墳墓裏。
33 But after Gideon died, the sons of Israel turned away, and they committed fornication with the Baals. And they struck a covenant with Baal, so that he would be their god.
基甸死後，以色列人又去隨從諸巴力行邪淫，以巴力‧比利土為他們的神。
34 And they did not remember the Lord their God, who rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on all sides.
以色列人不記念耶和華－他們的上帝，就是拯救他們脫離四圍仇敵之手的，
35 Neither did they show mercy to the house of Jerubbaal Gideon, in accord with all the good that he had done for Israel.
也不照着耶路‧巴力，就是基甸向他們所施的恩惠厚待他的家。
