撒母耳記上
CH. 13
1
掃羅登基年四十歲.作以色列王二年的時候、

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
2
就從以色列中揀選了三千人.二千跟隨掃羅在密抹、和伯特利山.一千跟隨約拿單在便雅憫的基比亞、其餘的人掃羅都打發各回各家去了。

Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3
約拿單攻擊迦巴、非利士人的防營、非利士人聽見了.掃羅就在遍地吹角、意思說、要使希伯來人聽見。

Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, "Let the Hebrews hear!"
4
以色列眾人聽見掃羅攻擊非利士人的防營.又聽見以色列人為非利士人所憎惡、就跟隨掃羅聚集在吉甲。

So all Israel heard the news: "Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines." And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5
非利士人聚集要與以色列人爭戰、有車三萬輛、馬兵六千、步兵像海邊的沙那樣多、就上來在伯亞文東邊的密抹安營。

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven.
6
以色列百姓見自己危急窘迫、就藏在山洞、叢林、石穴、隱密處、和坑中。

When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.
7
有些希伯來人過了約但河、逃到迦得和基列地.掃羅還是在吉甲、百姓都戰戰兢兢的跟隨他。

Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.
8
掃羅照著撒母耳所定的日期、等了七日.撒母耳還沒有來到吉甲、百姓也離開掃羅散去了。

He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter.
9
掃羅說、把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裡來.掃羅就獻上燔祭。

So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering.
10
剛獻完燔祭、撒母耳就到了.掃羅出去迎接他要問他好。

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11
撒母耳說、你作的是甚麼事呢.掃羅說、因為我見百姓離開我散去、你也不照所定的日期來到、而且非利士人聚集在密抹.

"What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash,
12
所以我心裡說、恐怕我沒有禱告耶和華、非利士人下到吉甲攻擊我、我就勉強獻上燔祭。

I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD'S favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."
13
撒母耳對掃羅說、你作了糊塗事了、沒有遵守耶和華你 神所吩咐你的命令、若遵守、耶和華必在以色列中堅立你的王位、直到永遠。

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.
14
現在你的王位必不長久.耶和華已經尋著一個合他心意的人、立他作百姓的君、因為你沒有遵守耶和華所吩咐你的。

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD'S command."
15
撒母耳就起來、從吉甲上到便雅憫的基比亞。掃羅數點跟隨他的、約有六百人。

Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
16
掃羅和他兒子約拿單、並跟隨他們的人、都住在便雅憫的迦巴.但非利士人安營在密抹。

Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash.
17
有掠兵從非利士營中出來、分為三隊、一隊往俄弗拉向書亞地去.

Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual,
18
一隊往伯和崙去.一隊往洗波音谷對面的的境向曠野去。

another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert.
19
那時以色列全地沒有一個鐵匠、因為非利士人說、恐怕希伯來人製造刀槍。

Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!"
20
以色列人要磨鋤、犁、斧、鏟、就下到非利士人那裡去磨。

So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened.
21
但有銼可以銼鏟、犁、三齒叉、斧子、並趕牛錐。

The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
22
所以到了爭戰的日子、跟隨掃羅和約拿單的人、沒有一個手裡有刀有槍的.惟獨掃羅和他兒子約拿單有。

So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
23
非利士人的一隊防兵、到了密抹的隘口。

Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash.