Judges 1 1 So all the Israelites came out as one man: from Dan to Beer-sheba, and from the 于是以色列全体子民出动,从丹到贝尔舍巴,以及基肋阿得地,全会众集合起来好象一个人一样,来到米兹帕上主面前。 2 The leaders of all the people and all the tribesmen of 全民众,即以色列各支派的首领,都参与天主百姓的集会;拿刀的步兵,共有四十万。 3 Meanwhile, the Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites asked to be told how the crime had taken place, 本雅明子孙也听说以色列子民上到了米兹帕。以色列子民说:"这件恶事是怎样发生的,请你们述说一遍!" 4 and the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, testified: "My concubine and I went into Gibeah of Benjamin for the night. 那被杀的女子的丈夫肋末人就回答说:"我与我的妾来到属本雅明的基贝亚,要在那里过夜, 5 But the citizens of Gibeah rose up against me by night and surrounded the house in which I was. Me they attempted to kill, and my concubine they abused so that she died. 基贝亚的公民起来攻击我,夜间包围我过夜的住宅,企图杀害我,并把我的妾强奸致死。 6 So I took my concubine and cut her up and sent her through every part of the 因为他们在以色列中间行了这穷凶极恶的丑事,我遂将我的妾切成碎块,遍送以色列基业各地。 7 2 Now that you are all here, O Israelites, state what you propose to do." 以色列子孙,请你们大家说出你们的意见和对策。" 8 All the people rose as one man to say, "None of us is to leave for his tent or return to his home. 那时全体民众好象一个人一样都起来说:"我们中谁也不要返回自己的帐幕,谁也不要回自己的家, 9 Now as for Gibeah, this is what we will do: We will proceed against it by lot, 现在我们就要这样对付基贝亚,抽签进攻, 10 taking from all the tribes of Israel ten men for every hundred, a hundred for every thousand, a thousand for every ten thousand, and procuring supplies for the soldiers who will go to deal fully and suitably with Gibeah of Benjamin for the crime it committed in Israel." 由以色列各支派中,每百人抽十人,每千人抽百人,每万人抽千人,给民众运送军粮;待众人到达本雅明的基贝亚后,按照那城在以色列中间所行丑事报复它。" 11 When, therefore, all the men of 于是以色列人联合起来攻击那城,彼此合作有如一人。 12 3 the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin to say, "What is this evil which has occurred among you? 以色列众支派差人往本雅明支派的各家说:"你们中间怎么发生了这样的恶事? 13 Now give up these corrupt men of Gibeah, that we may put them to death and thus purge the evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites refused to accede to the demand of their brothers, the Israelites. 现在你们把那些人,即基贝亚的无赖之徒,交出来,我们好处死他们,从以色列中铲除这邪恶。"本雅明子孙却不肯听从他兄弟们以色列子民的呼声; 14 Instead, the Benjaminites assembled from their other cities to Gibeah, to do battle with the Israelites. 本雅明子孙反而从各城聚集起来,来到基贝亚,要与以色列子民交战。 15 The number of the Benjaminite swordsmen from the other cities on that occasion was twenty-six thousand, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah. 那一天,本雅明人从各城来的共计两万六千拿刀的,基贝亚的居民尚未计算在内。 16 Included in this total were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed, every one of them able to sling a stone at a hair without missing. 在这些人中,还有特选的七百精兵,左右开弓,个个能用机弦拋石,毫厘不爽。 17 Meanwhile the other Israelites who, without Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen ready for battle, 本雅明人除外,以色列人共有四十万拿刀的,个个都是战士。 18 4 moved on to 以色列子民起身上到贝特耳,求问天主说:"我们中谁该先上去与本雅明子孙作战?"上主答说:"犹大先去。" 19 The next day the Israelites advanced on Gibeah with their forces. 于是以色列子民早晨起来,对着基贝亚安营。 20 On the day the Israelites drew up in battle array at Gibeah for the combat with Benjamin, 以色列人出来要与本雅明人交战,遂在基贝亚前面摆阵等待他们。 21 the Benjaminites came out of the city and felled twenty-two thousand men of 本雅明子孙从基贝亚出来迎战,那一天杀死了两万两千以色列人。 22 But though the Israelite soldiers took courage and again drew up for combat in the same place as on the previous day, 以后,众以色列又鼓起勇气,又在前一日布阵的地方布阵。 23 Then the Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening. "Shall I again engage my brother Benjamin in battle?" they asked the LORD; and the LORD answered that they should. 事前,以色列子民先上到贝特耳,在上主面前哀哭,一直到晚上,然后求问上主说:"我们可否再去与我们的弟兄本雅明交战?"上主答说:"可上去攻打。" 24 when they met the Benjaminites for the second time, 于是第二天,以色列子民又去攻打本雅明子孙。 25 once again the Benjaminites who came out of Gibeah against them felled eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them swordsmen. 本雅明人第二天也从基贝亚出来与以色列人交战,又杀死一万八千以色列子民,都是拿刀的人。 26 So the entire Israelite army went up to Bethel, where they wept and remained fasting before the LORD until evening of that day, besides offering holocausts and peace offerings before the LORD. 以色列众子民,即全民众,又上到贝特耳,坐在上主面前哀哭,整日禁食到晚上;以后,在上主面前献了全燔祭与和平祭。 27 When the Israelites consulted the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 那时 天主的约柜正在那里,同时有亚郎的子孙厄肋阿匝尔的儿子丕乃哈斯在约柜前供职。 28 and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was ministering to him in those days), and asked, "Shall I go out again to battle with Benjamin, my brother, or shall I desist?" the LORD said, "Attack! for tomorrow I will deliver him into your power." 以色列子民又求问上主说:"我们是否应再去与我们的弟兄本雅明人交战?或是休战?"上主答说:"你们应上去,因为我明天必将他们交在你们手中。" 29 5 So 以色列人就在基贝亚四周设下伏兵。 30 The Israelites went up against the Benjaminites for the third time and formed their line of battle at Gibeah as on other occasions. 第三天以色列子民上去攻打本雅明子孙,在基贝亚对面布阵,像前两次一样。 31 The Benjaminites went out to meet them, and in the beginning they killed off about thirty of the Israelite soldiers in the open field, just as on the other occasions. 本雅明子孙出来迎敌,被引出城外,在两条大路上,──一条通往贝特耳,一条通往基贝红,──像前两次一样,开始杀敌,在田野就杀死了约有三十个以色列人。 32 Therefore the Benjaminites thought, "We are defeating them as before"; not realizing that disaster was about to overtake them. The Israelites, however, had planned the flight so as to draw them away from the city onto the highways. They were drawn away from the city onto the highways, of which the one led to 本雅明子孙遂说:"他们像前次一样,在我们面前打败了。"但以色列子民却说:"我们不如后退,引他们远离城,到大路上来。" 33 And then all the men of 当以色列众人从他们的地方起来,在巴耳塔玛尔布阵的时候,以色列的伏兵从革巴西边埋伏的地方冲出来; 34 ten thousand picked men from all 全以色列中所选出的一万精兵齐来攻打基贝亚,战争非常激烈,但是本雅明人还不知道大祸临头。 35 the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel; and on that day the Israelites killed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin, all of them swordsmen. 上主在以色列前打击本雅明人,那一天以色列子民杀死本雅明人共有二万五千一百,都是拿刀的人。 36 To the Benjaminites it had looked as though the enemy were defeated, for the men of 这样,本雅明子孙看出自己已失败。原来以色列人依仗在基贝亚所设下的伏兵,先在本雅明人前退怯; 37 But then the men in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, overran it, and put the whole city to the sword. 伏兵急速冲入基贝亚,冲进之后,用刀屠杀了全城的人。 38 Now, the other Israelites had agreed with the men in ambush on a smoke signal they were to send up from the city. 原先以色列人与伏兵约定,在城内放火,以烟火上腾为号。 39 And though the men of Benjamin had begun by killing off some thirty of the men of Israel, under the impression that they were defeating them as surely as in the earlier fighting, the Israelites wheeled about to resist 以色列人在战场上撤退的时候,本雅明动手杀死以色列人约有三十人,他们想:"的确,他们如前一仗一样,在我们前杀败了。" 40 as the smoke of the signal column began to rise up from the city. It was when Benjamin looked back and saw the whole city in flames against the sky 当烟柱信号从城中上腾的时候,本雅明人转过身来,见全城烟火冲天; 41 that the men of 那时以色列人也转身回来;本雅明人大为惊慌,因为看见大祸临头, 42 They retreated before the men of 遂在以色列人面前转向旷野的路上逃去,但战士却追踪而至,从城里出来的人也夹击他们; 43 The men of Benjamin had been surrounded, and were now pursued to a point east of Gibeah, 这样,以色列人击溃了本雅明人,追击他们,从诺哈蹂躏他们,直到革巴对面的东方之地。 44 while eighteen thousand of them fell, warriors to a man. 本雅明人阵亡一万八千,都是勇士。 45 The rest turned and fled through the desert to the rock Rimmon. But on the highways the Israelites picked off five thousand men among them, and chasing them up to Gidom, killed another two thousand of them there. 其余的人都转身向着旷野逃往黎孟岩石,以色列人在路上又扫荡了他们中五千人;以后,直追到革巴,击杀了二千人。 46 Those of Benjamin who fell on that day were in all twenty-five thousand swordsmen, warriors to a man. 那一日,本雅明中阵亡的,共有二万五千人, 47 But six hundred others who turned and fled through the desert reached the rock Rimmon, where they remained for four months. 所剩下的六百人,转身逃往旷野,直到黎孟岩石,在黎孟岩石中住了四个月。 48 The men of 以色列人又回到本雅明子孙那里,把各城的人和牲畜,以及所遇见的都用刀杀尽;并将所经过的城池放火烧毁。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [1] From Dan to Beer-sheba: from north to south. The 2 [7] The Israelites were asked to decide at once what action to take concerning this crime; cf 2 Sam 16:20. The Levite undoubtedly addressed the tribal heads who would speak in behalf of the multitude. 3 [12] Before the crime at Gibeah was punished, the Benjaminites were invited to join their brethren, the Israelites, in punishing the crime. Since they failed to respond, special messengers were sent asking them to deliver up the guilty ones. They replied by gathering their forces for combat. 4 [18] 5 [29-46] This stratagem proved more useful to the Israelites than force, as in the siege of Ai (Joshua 8:3-21). In the parallel accounts the first (Judges 20:29-35) is a summary of the second (Judges 20:36-46). |