< Judges 3 >

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
上主保留的民族 這是上主為考驗那些不曉得客納罕一切戰事的以色列人,所留下來的民族,
2 only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:
叫以色列子民的後代,至少那些以前不曉得這些戰事的人,知道和學習作戰。
3 the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
這些民族就是培勒舍特人的五個酋長,一切客納罕人、漆冬人和住在黎巴嫩山上,即從巴耳赫爾孟山直到哈瑪特關口的希威人。
4 They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
他們留在那裏是為考驗以色列人,看他們是否聽從上主藉梅瑟吩咐他們祖先的那些誡命。
5 The children of Israel lived amongst the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
以色列子民就住在客納罕人、赫特人、阿摩黎人、培黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人中間,
6 They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
竟然娶了他們的女子為妻,也把自己的女兒嫁給他們的兒子,事奉了他們的神。敖特尼耳民長
7 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
以色列子民行了上主視為惡的事,忘卻了上主他們的天主,而事奉了巴耳諸神和阿舍辣諸女神;
8 Therefore the LORD’s anger burnt against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
因此上主對以色列大發忿怒,將他們交在厄東王雇商黎沙塔殷手中,以色列子民遂服事了雇商黎沙塔殷八年。
9 When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
當以色列子民向上主呼籲時,上主給以色列子民興起了一個拯救他們的救星,即加肋布的弟弟刻納次的兒子敖特尼耳。
10 The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
上主的神降在他身上,他作了以色列的民長,出去作戰;上主把厄東王雇商黎沙塔殷交在他手中,他的`能力勝過了雇商黎沙塔殷。
11 The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
於是四境平安了四十年。厄胡得民長刻納次的兒子敖特尼耳去世後,
12 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.
以色列子民又行了上主視為惡的事,上主就強化摩阿布王厄革隆去打以色列,因為他們行了上主視為惡的事。
13 He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
他聯合了阿孟子民和阿瑪肋克人,前來擊敗以色列,佔據了棕樹城;
14 The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
以色列遂服事了摩阿布王厄革隆十八年。
15 But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
當以色列子民向上主呼籲時,上主給他們興起了一位拯救者,就是本雅明人革辣的兒子厄胡得,他是左右手能兼用的人;以色列子民便派他給摩阿布王厄革隆獻貢物。
16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
厄胡得預備了一把一肘長的雙刃刀,插在右腿衣服底下,
17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
來到摩阿布王厄革隆前獻貢物─厄革隆原是極肥胖的人。
18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
獻完貢物以後,就把抬貢物的人打發走,
19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
自己卻由基耳加耳柱像那裏退回,說:「王呀! 我有機密事要對你說。」王說:「退下! 」於是侍立左右的人都退去。
20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.
厄胡得來到他跟前,他正獨自坐在涼台上的房子裏;厄胡得說:「我有神諭告訴你! 」王就從自己的座位上起立;
21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.
厄胡得遂伸左手從右腿上拔出刀來,刺入他的腹部,
22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.
柄和刀都刺了進去,脂肪遂包住了刀子,他沒有從肚子裏把刀抽出來;
23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
厄胡得出來到了走廊,把涼台上的門關上,上了鎖。
24 After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”
他出去之後,王臣前來,看見涼台的房門關著,就說:「他一定在涼台上的內室裏便溺。」
25 They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
待他們等煩了,看見沒有人來開涼台上的門,他們就拿鑰匙把門開了,見他們的主子躺在地上死了。
26 Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.
在他們猶豫的時候,厄胡得已經逃走,繞過柱像,而逃往色依辣。
27 When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.
他到了那裏,就在厄弗辣因山地吹號角,以色列子民就同他由山地下來,他在他們前面,
28 He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
對他們說:「你們緊跟著我,因為上主把你們的仇敵摩阿布人已交於你們手中! 」他們遂跟他下去,佔據了摩阿布對面的約但河渡口,不許一人渡過。
29 They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valour. No man escaped.
就在那個時候,他們擊殺了摩阿布人約有一萬,都是壯丁和兵士,沒有一個人逃脫。
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
從那天起,摩阿布驅服於以色列手下;境內平安了十八年。沙默加爾民長
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
在他以後,有阿納特的兒子沙默加爾,他意趕牛棒擊殺了六百培肋舍人,拯救了以色列。

< Judges 3 >