今日讀經

使以色列遭災的是誰

¹⁷亞哈見了以利亞，便說：「使以色列遭災的就是你嗎？」When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

¹⁸以利亞說：「使以色列遭災的不是我，乃是你和你父家；因為你們離棄耶和華的誡命，去隨從巴力。“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

¹⁹現在你當差遣人，招聚以色列眾人和事奉巴力的那四百五十個先知，並耶洗別所供養事奉亞舍拉的那四百個先知，使他們都上迦密山去見我。」Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

心持兩意要到幾時

²⁰亞哈就差遣人招聚以色列眾人和先知都上迦密山。So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.

²¹以利亞前來對眾民說：「你們心持兩意要到幾時呢？若耶和華是　神，就當順從耶和華；若巴力是　神，就當順從巴力。」眾民一言不答。Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.

²²以利亞對眾民說：「作耶和華先知的只剩下我一個人；巴力的先知卻有四百五十個人。Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.

²³當給我們兩隻牛犢，巴力的先知可以挑選一隻，切成塊子，放在柴上，不要點火；我也預備一隻牛犢放在柴上，也不點火。Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.

²⁴你們求告你們神的名，我也求告耶和華的名。那降火顯應的　神，就是　神。」眾民回答說：「這話甚好。」Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”

巴力的先知從早求到晚

²⁵以利亞對巴力的先知說：「你們既是人多，當先挑選一隻牛犢，預備好了，就求告你們神的名，卻不要點火。」Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”

²⁶他們將所得的牛犢預備好了，從早晨到午間，求告巴力的名說：「巴力啊，求你應允我們！」卻沒有聲音，沒有應允的。他們在所築的壇四圍踊跳。And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

²⁷到了正午，以利亞嬉笑他們，說：「大聲求告吧！因為他是神，他或默想，或走到一邊，或行路，或睡覺，你們當叫醒他。」At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

²⁸他們大聲求告，按著他們的規矩，用刀槍自割、自刺，直到身體流血。So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.

²⁹從午後直到獻晚祭的時候，他們狂呼亂叫，卻沒有聲音，沒有應允的，也沒有理會的。Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.

以利亞重修耶和華的壇

³⁰以利亞對眾民說：「你們到我這裡來。」眾民就到他那裡。他便重修已經毀壞耶和華的壇。Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

³¹以利亞照雅各子孫支派的數目，取了十二塊石頭（耶和華的話曾臨到雅各說：「你的名要叫以色列」），And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”

³²用這些石頭為耶和華的名築一座壇，在壇的四圍挖溝，可容穀種二細亞，And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

³³又在壇上擺好了柴，把牛犢切成塊子放在柴上，對眾人說：「你們用四個桶盛滿水，倒在燔祭和柴上」；Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,

³⁴又說：「倒第二次。」他們就倒第二次；又說：「倒第三次。」他們就倒第三次。and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.

³⁵水流在壇的四圍，溝裡也滿了水。So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

耶和華降火

³⁶到了獻晚祭的時候，先知以利亞近前來，說：「亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的　神，耶和華啊，求你今日使人知道你是以色列的　神，也知道我是你的僕人，又是奉你的命行這一切事。At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.

³⁷耶和華啊，求你應允我，應允我！使這民知道你─耶和華是　神，又知道是你叫這民的心回轉。」Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”

³⁸於是，耶和華降下火來，燒盡燔祭、木柴、石頭、塵土，又燒乾溝裡的水。Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

³⁹眾民看見了，就俯伏在地，說：「耶和華是　神！耶和華是　神！」When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

⁴⁰以利亞對他們說：「拿住巴力的先知，不容一人逃脫！」眾人就拿住他們。以利亞帶他們到基順河邊，在那裡殺了他們。Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

雲如人手，大雨降下

⁴¹以利亞對亞哈說：「你現在可以上去吃喝，因為有多雨的響聲了。」And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”

⁴²亞哈就上去吃喝。以利亞上了迦密山頂，屈身在地，將臉伏在兩膝之中；So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.

⁴³對僕人說：「你上去，向海觀看。」僕人就上去觀看，說：「沒有甚麼。」他說：「你再去觀看。」如此七次。“Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

⁴⁴第七次僕人說：「我看見有一小片雲從海裡上來，不過如人手那樣大。」以利亞說：「你上去告訴亞哈，當套車下去，免得被雨阻擋。」On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

⁴⁵霎時間，天因風雲黑暗，降下大雨。亞哈就坐車往耶斯列去了。Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

⁴⁶耶和華的靈（原文是手）降在以利亞身上，他就束上腰，奔在亞哈前頭，直到耶斯列的城門。And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

耶洗別威脅，以利亞逃命

¹亞哈將以利亞一切所行的和他用刀殺眾先知的事都告訴耶洗別。Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

²耶洗別就差遣人去見以利亞，告訴他說：「明日約在這時候，我若不使你的性命像那些人的性命一樣，願神明重重地降罰與我。」So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”

³以利亞見這光景就起來逃命，到了猶大的別是巴，將僕人留在那裡，And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

⁴自己在曠野走了一日的路程，來到一棵羅騰樹下（小樹名，松類；下同），就坐在那裡求死，說：「耶和華啊，罷了！求你取我的性命，因為我不勝於我的列祖。」while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

天使兩次餵養

⁵他就躺在羅騰樹下，睡著了。有一個天使拍他，說：「起來吃吧！」Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

⁶他觀看，見頭旁有一瓶水與炭火燒的餅，他就吃了喝了，仍然躺下。And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

⁷耶和華的使者第二次來拍他，說：「起來吃吧！因為你當走的路甚遠。」A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”

⁸他就起來吃了喝了，仗著這飲食的力，走了四十晝夜，到了　神的山，就是何烈山。So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

何烈山的洞中

⁹他在那裡進了一個洞，就住在洞中。耶和華的話臨到他說：「以利亞啊，你在這裡做甚麼？」There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰他說：「我為耶和華─萬軍之　神大發熱心；因為以色列人背棄了你的約，毀壞了你的壇，用刀殺了你的先知，只剩下我一個人，他們還要尋索我的命。」“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

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微小的聲音

¹¹耶和華說：「你出來站在山上，在我面前。」那時耶和華從那裡經過，在他面前有烈風大作，崩山碎石，耶和華卻不在風中；風後地震，耶和華卻不在其中；Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

¹²地震後有火，耶和華也不在火中；火後有微小的聲音。After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.

¹³以利亞聽見，就用外衣蒙上臉，出來站在洞口。有聲音向他說：「以利亞啊，你在這裡做甚麼？」When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁴他說：「我為耶和華─萬軍之　神大發熱心；因為以色列人背棄了你的約，毀壞了你的壇，用刀殺了你的先知，只剩下我一個人，他們還要尋索我的命。」“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

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膏哈薛、耶戶、以利沙

¹⁵耶和華對他說：「你回去，從曠野往大馬士革去。到了那裡，就要膏哈薛作亞蘭王，Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

¹⁶又膏寧示的孫子耶戶作以色列王，並膏亞伯‧米何拉人沙法的兒子以利沙作先知接續你。You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.

¹⁷將來躲避哈薛之刀的，必被耶戶所殺；躲避耶戶之刀的，必被以利沙所殺。Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.

¹⁸但我在以色列人中為自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的，未曾與巴力親嘴的。」Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

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以利沙跟隨以利亞

¹⁹於是，以利亞離開那裡走了，遇見沙法的兒子以利沙耕地；在他前頭有十二對牛，自己趕著第十二對。以利亞到他那裡去，將自己的外衣搭在他身上。So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.

²⁰以利沙就離開牛，跑到以利亞那裡，說：「求你容我先與父母親嘴，然後我便跟隨你。」以利亞對他說：「你回去吧，我向你做了甚麼呢？」So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”

²¹以利沙就離開他回去，宰了一對牛，用套牛的器具煮肉給民吃，隨後就起身跟隨以利亞，服事他。So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.

亞伯拉罕的子孫該行甚麼

³⁷我知道你們是亞伯拉罕的子孫，你們卻想要殺我，因為你們心裡容不下我的道。I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.

³⁸我所說的是在我父那裡看見的；你們所行的是在你們的父那裡聽見的。」I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

³⁹他們說：「我們的父就是亞伯拉罕。」耶穌說：「你們若是亞伯拉罕的兒子，就必行亞伯拉罕所行的事。“Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.

⁴⁰我將在　神那裡所聽見的真理告訴了你們，現在你們卻想要殺我，這不是亞伯拉罕所行的事。But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.

⁴¹你們是行你們父所行的事。」他們說：「我們不是從淫亂生的；我們只有一位父，就是　神。」You are doing the works of your father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

誰是你們的父

⁴²耶穌說：「倘若　神是你們的父，你們就必愛我；因為我本是出於　神，也是從　神而來，並不是由著自己來，乃是他差我來。Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

⁴³你們為甚麼不明白我的話呢？無非是因你們不能聽我的道。Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.

⁴⁴你們是出於你們的父魔鬼，你們父的私慾你們偏要行。他從起初是殺人的，不守真理，因他心裡沒有真理。他說謊是出於自己；因他本來是說謊的，也是說謊之人的父。You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

⁴⁵我將真理告訴你們，你們就因此不信我。But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!

⁴⁶你們中間誰能指證我有罪呢？我既然將真理告訴你們，為甚麼不信我呢？Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?

⁴⁷出於　神的，必聽　神的話；你們不聽，因為你們不是出於　神。」Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

我尊敬我的父

⁴⁸猶太人回答說：「我們說你是撒馬利亞人，並且是鬼附著的，這話豈不正對嗎？」The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

⁴⁹耶穌說：「我不是鬼附著的；我尊敬我的父，你們倒輕慢我。“I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

⁵⁰我不求自己的榮耀，有一位為我求榮耀、定是非的。I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge.

遵守我的道就永遠不見死

⁵¹我實實在在地告訴你們，人若遵守我的道，就永遠不見死。」Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

⁵²猶太人對他說：「現在我們知道你是鬼附著的。亞伯拉罕死了，眾先知也死了，你還說：『人若遵守我的道，就永遠不嘗死味。』“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death.

⁵³難道你比我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕還大嗎？他死了，眾先知也死了，你將自己當作甚麼人呢？」Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”

⁵⁴耶穌回答說：「我若榮耀自己，我的榮耀就算不得甚麼；榮耀我的乃是我的父，就是你們所說是你們的　神。Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

⁵⁵你們未曾認識他；我卻認識他。我若說不認識他，我就是說謊的，像你們一樣；但我認識他，也遵守他的道。You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.

還沒有亞伯拉罕就有了我

⁵⁶你們的祖宗亞伯拉罕歡歡喜喜地仰望我的日子，既看見了就快樂。」Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

⁵⁷猶太人說：「你還沒有五十歲，豈見過亞伯拉罕呢？」Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

⁵⁸耶穌說：「我實實在在地告訴你們，還沒有亞伯拉罕就有了我。」“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

⁵⁹於是他們拿石頭要打他；耶穌卻躲藏，從殿裡出去了。At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.