< 1 Chronicles 19 >

1 Some time later, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died and his son succeeded him.
此後,亞捫人的王拿轄死了,他兒子接續他作王。
2 David said, “I will be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, for his father was kind to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him over his father's death. David's ambassadors arrived in the land of the Ammonites and went comfort Hanun.
大衛說:「我要照哈嫩的父親拿轄厚待我的恩典厚待哈嫩。」於是大衛差遣使者為他喪父安慰他。大衛的臣僕到了亞捫人的境內見哈嫩,要安慰他,
3 But the Ammonite princes said to Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father by sending comforters to you? Haven't these ‘comforters’ only come to spy out the land to find ways to conquer it?”
但亞捫人的首領對哈嫩說:「大衛差人來安慰你,你想他是尊敬你父親嗎?他的臣僕來見你不是為詳察窺探、傾覆這地嗎?」
4 So Hanun detained David's ambassadors and had them shaved, and their robes cut off at the buttocks. Then he sent them back.
哈嫩便將大衛臣僕的鬍鬚剃去一半,又割斷他們下半截的衣服,使他們露出下體,打發他們回去。
5 A message was sent to David to explain what had happened to the men. David then sent messengers to the men to tell them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then you can come back.”
有人將臣僕所遇的事告訴大衛,他就差人去迎接他們,因為他們甚覺羞恥;告訴他們說:「可以住在耶利哥,等到鬍鬚長起再回來。」
6 Then the Ammonites realized that they had really been offensive to David So Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.
亞捫人知道大衛憎惡他們,哈嫩和亞捫人就打發人拿一千他連得銀子,從美索不達米亞、亞蘭、瑪迦、瑣巴雇戰車和馬兵,
7 They also hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army. They came set up camp near Medeba. The Ammonites were also called up from their towns and prepared for battle.
於是雇了三萬二千輛戰車和瑪迦王並他的軍兵;他們來安營在米底巴前。亞捫人也從他們的城裏出來,聚集交戰。
8 When David learned of this, he sent Joab and the entire army to confront them.
大衛聽見了,就差派約押統帶勇猛的全軍出去。
9 The Ammonites set up their battle lines near the town entrance, while the other kings who had joined them took up positions in the open fields.
亞捫人出來在城門前擺陣,所來的諸王另在郊野擺陣。
10 Joab realized he would have to fight both in front of him and behind him, he chose some of Israel's best troops and he took charge of them to lead the attack the Arameans.
約押看見敵人在他前後擺陣,就從以色列軍中挑選精兵,使他們對着亞蘭人擺陣;
11 He put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. They were to attack the Ammonites.
其餘的兵交與他兄弟亞比篩,對着亞捫人擺陣。
12 Joab told him, “If the Arameans are stronger than me, you come and help me. If the Ammonites are stronger than you, I'll come and help you.
約押對亞比篩說:「亞蘭人若強過我,你就來幫助我;亞捫人若強過你,我就去幫助你。
13 Be brave, and fight your best for our people and the towns of our God. May the Lord do what he sees as good!”
我們都當剛強,為本國的民和上帝的城邑作大丈夫,願耶和華憑他的意旨而行。」
14 Joab attacked the Arameans with his forces and they ran away from him.
於是約押和跟隨他的人前進攻打亞蘭人;亞蘭人在約押面前逃跑。
15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had run away, they also ran away from Abishai, Joab's brother, and retreated into the town. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.
亞捫人見亞蘭人逃跑,他們也在約押的兄弟亞比篩面前逃跑進城。約押就回耶路撒冷去了。
16 As soon as the Arameans saw they had been defeated by the Israelites so they sent for reinforcements from the other side of the Euphrates River, under the leadership of Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army.
亞蘭人見自己被以色列人打敗,就打發使者將大河那邊的亞蘭人調來,哈大利謝的將軍朔法率領他們。
17 When this was reported to David, he assembled all Israel together. He crossed the Jordan and approached the Aramean army, drawing up his forces in battle line against them. When David engaged in battle with them they fought with him.
有人告訴大衛,他就聚集以色列眾人過約旦河,來到亞蘭人那裏,迎着他們擺陣。大衛既擺陣攻擊亞蘭人,亞蘭人就與他打仗。
18 But the Aramean army ran away from the Israelites, and David killed 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 infantry, as well as Shobach, their army commander.
亞蘭人在以色列人面前逃跑。大衛殺了亞蘭七千輛戰車的人,四萬步兵,又殺了亞蘭的將軍朔法。
19 When Hadadezer's allies realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. As a result, the Arameans didn't want to help the Ammonites any more.
屬哈大利謝的諸王見自己被以色列人打敗,就與大衛和好,歸服他。於是亞蘭人不敢再幫助亞捫人了。

< 1 Chronicles 19 >