2 Samuel 10

1 Sometime after this, Nahash, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him.

此後，亞捫人的王死了，他兒子哈嫩接續他作王。

2 David said, “I will be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, just as his father was kind to me.” So David sent representatives to take his condolences to Hanun regarding his father. But when they arrived in the country of the Ammonites,

大衛說：「我要照哈嫩的父親拿轄厚待我的恩典厚待哈嫩。」於是大衛差遣臣僕，為他喪父安慰他。大衛的臣僕到了亞捫人的境內。

3 the Ammonite military leaders said to Hanun their king, “Do you really believe David sent condolences to you out of respect for your father? Isn't it more likely that David sent his representatives to scout out the city, spy on it, and then conquer it?”

但亞捫人的首領對他們的主哈嫩說：「大衛差人來安慰你，你想他是尊敬你父親嗎？他差臣僕來不是詳察窺探、要傾覆這城嗎？」

4 So Hanun had David's representatives detained, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their clothes at the buttocks, and then sent them back home.

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 When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very embarrassed. The king instructed them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have re-grown, and then you can return.”

有人告訴大衛，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 When the Ammonites realized they had become like a bad smell to David, they sent a request to the Arameans and hired twenty thousand of their foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as one thousand men from the king of Maakah, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

亞捫人知道大衛憎惡他們，就打發人去，招募伯‧利合的亞蘭人和瑣巴的亞蘭人，步兵二萬，與瑪迦王的人一千、陀伯人一萬二千。

7 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。

8 The Ammonites set up their battle lines near the entrance to their town gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up positions by themselves in the open fields.

亞捫人出來，在城門前擺陣；瑣巴與利合的亞蘭人、陀伯人，並瑪迦人，另在郊野擺陣。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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！」

13 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。

14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had run away, they also ran away from Abishai, and retreated into the town. So Joab went back to Jerusalem after fighting the Ammonites.

亞捫人見亞蘭人逃跑，他們也在亞比篩面前逃跑進城。約押就離開亞捫人那裏，回耶路撒冷去了。

15 As soon as the Arameans saw they had been defeated by the Israelites they reassembled their forces.

亞蘭人見自己被以色列人打敗，就又聚集。

16 Hadadezer sent for more Arameans to be brought from beyond the Euphrates River. They arrived in Helam under the leadership of Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army.

哈大底謝差遣人，將大河那邊的亞蘭人調來；他們到了希蘭，哈大底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 advanced on Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle line against David and fought him.

有人告訴大衛，他就聚集以色列眾人，過約旦河，來到希蘭。亞蘭人迎着大衛擺陣，與他打仗。

18 But the Aramean army ran away from the Israelites, and David killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 infantry. He also attacked Shobach, their army commander, and he died there.

亞蘭人在以色列人面前逃跑；大衛殺了亞蘭七百輛戰車的人，四萬馬兵，又殺了亞蘭的將軍朔法。

19 When all the kings allied with Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. As a result, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.

屬哈大底謝的諸王見自己被以色列人打敗，就與以色列人和好，歸服他們。於是亞蘭人不敢再幫助亞捫人了。