第十一章 Judges 11
1.基列人耶弗他是個大能的勇士,是妓女的兒子。耶弗他是基列所生的。
Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.
2.基列的妻也生了幾個兒子:他妻所生的兒子長大了,就趕逐耶弗他,說:「你不可在我們父家承受產業,因為你是妓女的兒子。」
Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, 「because you are the son of another woman.」
3.耶弗他就逃避他的弟兄,去住在陀伯地,有些匪徒到他那裏聚集,與他一同出入。
So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.
4.過了些日子,亞捫人攻打以色列。
Some time later, when the Ammonites were fighting against Israel,
5.亞捫人攻打以色列的時候,基列的長老到陀伯地去,要叫耶弗他回來;
the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.
6.對耶弗他說:「請你來作我們的元帥,我們好與亞捫人爭戰。」
「Come,」 they said, 「be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.」
7.耶弗他回答基列的長老說:「從前你們不是恨我、趕逐我出離父家嗎?現在你們遭遇急難為何到我這裏來呢?」
Jephthah said to them, 「Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?」
8.基列的長老回答耶弗他說:「現在我們到你這裏來,是要你同我們去,與亞捫人爭戰;你可以作基列一切居民的領袖。」
The elders of Gilead said to him, 「Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.」
9.耶弗他對基列的長老說:「你們叫我回去,與亞捫人爭戰,耶和華把他交給我,我可以作你們的領袖嗎?」
Jephthah answered, 「Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me—will I really be your head?」
10.基列的長老回答耶弗他說:「有耶和華在你我中間作見證,我們必定照你的話行。」
The elders of Gilead replied, 「The LORD is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.」
11.於是耶弗他同基列的長老回去,百姓就立耶弗他作領袖、作元帥。耶弗他在米斯巴將自己的一切話陳明在耶和華面前。
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.