士師記8:1-35

8:1 以法蓮人對基甸說：「你去與米甸人爭戰，沒有招我們同去，為甚麼這樣待我們呢？」他們就與基甸大大地爭吵。
8:2 基甸對他們說：「我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？以法蓮拾取剩下的葡萄不強過亞比以謝所摘的葡萄嗎？
8:3 上帝已將米甸人的兩個首領俄立和西伊伯交在你們手中；我所行的豈能比你們所行的呢？」基甸說了這話，以法蓮人的怒氣就消了。
8:4 基甸和跟隨他的三百人到約旦河過渡，雖然疲乏，還是追趕。
8:5 基甸對疏割人說：「求你們拿餅來給跟隨我的人吃，因為他們疲乏了；我們追趕米甸人的兩個王西巴和撒慕拿。」
8:6 疏割人的首領回答說：「西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裡，你使我們將餅給你的軍兵嗎？」
8:7 基甸說：「耶和華將西巴和撒慕拿交在我手之後，我就用野地的荊條和枳棘打傷你們。」
8:8 基甸從那裡上到毘努伊勒，對那裡的人也是這樣說；毘努伊勒人也與疏割人回答他的話一樣。
8:9 他向毘努伊勒人說：「我平平安安回來的時候，我必拆毀這樓。」
8:10 那時西巴和撒慕拿，並跟隨他們的軍隊都在加各，約有一萬五千人，就是東方人全軍所剩下的；已經被殺約有十二萬拿刀的。
8:11 基甸就由挪巴和約比哈東邊，從住帳棚人的路上去，殺敗了米甸人的軍兵，因為他們坦然無懼。
8:12 西巴和撒慕拿逃跑；基甸追趕他們，捉住米甸的二王西巴和撒慕拿，驚散全軍。
8:13 約阿施的兒子基甸由希列斯坡從陣上回來，
8:14 捉住疏割的一個少年人，問他：「疏割的首領長老是誰？」他就將首領長老七十七個人的名字寫出來。
8:15 基甸到了疏割，對那裡的人說：「你們從前譏誚我說：『西巴和撒慕拿已經在你手裡，你使我們將餅給跟隨你的疲乏人嗎？』現在西巴和撒慕拿在這裡。」
8:16 於是捉住那城內的長老，用野地的荊條和枳棘責打（原文是指教）疏割人；
8:17 又拆了毘努伊勒的樓，殺了那城裡的人。
8:18 基甸問西巴和撒慕拿說：「你們在他泊山所殺的人是甚麼樣式？」回答說：「他們好像你，各人都有王子的樣式。」
8:19 基甸說：「他們是我同母的弟兄，我指著永生的耶和華起誓，你們從前若存留他們的性命，我如今就不殺你們了。」
8:20 於是對他的長子益帖說：「你起來殺他們。」但益帖因為是童子，害怕，不敢拔刀。
8:21 西巴和撒慕拿說：「你自己起來殺我們吧！因為人如何，力量也是如何。」基甸就起來，殺了西巴和撒慕拿，奪獲他們駱駝項上戴的月牙圈。
8:22 以色列人對基甸說：「你既救我們脫離米甸人的手，願你和你的兒孫管理我們。」
8:23 基甸說：「我不管理你們，我的兒子也不管理你們，惟有耶和華管理你們。」
8:24 基甸又對他們說：「我有一件事求你們：請你們各人將所奪的耳環給我。」（原來仇敵是以實瑪利人，都是戴金耳環的。）
8:25 他們說：「我們情願給你」，就鋪開一件外衣，各人將所奪的耳環丟在其上。
8:26 基甸所要出來的金耳環重一千七百舍客勒金子。此外還有米甸王所戴的月環、耳墜，和所穿的紫色衣服，並駱駝項上的金鍊子。
8:27 基甸以此製造了一個以弗得，設立在本城俄弗拉。後來以色列人拜那以弗得行了邪淫；這就作了基甸和他全家的網羅。
8:28 這樣，米甸人被以色列人制伏了，不敢再抬頭。基甸還在的日子，國中太平四十年。
8:29 約阿施的兒子耶路‧巴力回去，住在自己家裡。
8:30 基甸有七十個親生的兒子，因為他有許多的妻。
8:31 他的妾住在示劍，也給他生了一個兒子。基甸與他起名叫亞比米勒。
8:32 約阿施的兒子基甸，年紀老邁而死，葬在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉，在他父親約阿施的墳墓裡。
8:33 基甸死後，以色列人又去隨從諸巴力行邪淫，以巴力‧比利土為他們的神。
8:34 以色列人不記念耶和華─他們的上帝，就是拯救他們脫離四圍仇敵之手的，
8:35 也不照著耶路‧巴力，就是基甸向他們所施的恩惠厚待他的家。

Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?” And they challenged him vigorously.

² But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer? ³ God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided.

⁴ Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. ⁵ He said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

⁶ But the officials of Sukkoth said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?”

⁷ Then Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.”

⁸ From there he went up to Peniel^[a] and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. ⁹ So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”

¹⁰ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. ¹¹ Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the unsuspecting army. ¹² Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.

¹³ Gideon son of Joash then returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres. ¹⁴ He caught a young man of Sukkoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials of Sukkoth, the elders of the town. ¹⁵ Then Gideon came and said to the men of Sukkoth, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me by saying, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’” ¹⁶ He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson by punishing them with desert thorns and briers. ¹⁷ He also pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the men of the town.

¹⁸ Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?”

“Men like you,” they answered, “each one with the bearing of a prince.”

¹⁹ Gideon replied, “Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the Lord lives, if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.” ²⁰ Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid.

²¹ Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself. ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments off their camels’ necks.

Gideon’s Ephod

²² The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

²³ But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” ²⁴ And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

²⁵ They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. ²⁶ The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels,^[b] not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. ²⁷ Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Gideon’s Death

²⁸ Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.

²⁹ Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. ³⁰ He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. ³¹ His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. ³² Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

³³ No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god ³⁴ and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. ³⁵ They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.

***********

    基甸這三百人不僅氣勢夠，更是貫徹力，他們一路追趕米甸的兩個王，最後將他們俘虜並且處決！雖然但疏割人與毗努伊勒人對他們可以得勝，抱持觀望的態度，不給予他們協助，但是最後的勝利仍然屬於基甸這「三百大軍」！

    雖然基甸大大勝利，使以色列人脫離米甸的統治，但是他卻然讓以色列人跌倒了，有兩件事是他的敗筆，正如聖經所說：「基甸以此製造了一個以弗得，設立在本城俄弗拉。後來以色列人拜那以弗得行了邪淫；這就作了基甸和他全家的網羅。」和「他的妾住在示劍，也給他生了一個兒子。基甸與他起名叫亞比米勒。」

    他這樣做破壞了以色列人對上帝的敬拜！也因此，人不可以因為被上帝重用之後，就自以為是，任意而為！人在失敗軟弱時要依靠上帝，在有功績的時候，更要謙卑歸榮耀給上帝，仍然要承認自己是無用的僕人！基甸可以說是我們的借鏡，在成功時更是要謹慎與警醒！

詩篇116:1-19

116:1 我愛耶和華，因為他聽了我的聲音和我的懇求。
116:2 他既向我側耳，我一生要求告他。
116:3 死亡的繩索纏繞我；陰間的痛苦抓住我；我遭遇患難愁苦。
116:4 那時，我便求告耶和華的名，說：耶和華啊，求你救我的靈魂！
116:5 耶和華有恩惠，有公義；我們的上帝以憐憫為懷。
116:6 耶和華保護愚人；我落到卑微的地步，他救了我。
116:7 我的心哪！你要仍歸安樂，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。
116:8 主啊，你救我的命免了死亡，救我的眼免了流淚，救我的腳免了跌倒。
116:9 我要在耶和華面前行活人之路。
116:10 我因信，所以如此說話；我受了極大的困苦。
116:11 我曾急促地說：人都是說謊的！
116:12 我拿甚麼報答耶和華向我所賜的一切厚恩？
116:13 我要舉起救恩的杯，稱揚耶和華的名。
116:14 我要在他眾民面前向耶和華還我的願。
116:15 在耶和華眼中，看聖民之死極為寶貴。
116:16 耶和華啊，我真是你的僕人；我是你的僕人，是你婢女的兒子。你已經解開我的綁索。
116:17 我要以感謝為祭獻給你，又要求告耶和華的名。
116:18 我要在他眾民面前，在耶和華殿的院內，在耶路撒冷當中，向耶和華還我的願。你們要讚美耶和華！
116:19 【併於上節】

¹ I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry for mercy.
² Because he turned his ear to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

³ The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

⁵ The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.
⁶ The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷ Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.

⁸ For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
⁹ that I may walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.

¹⁰ I trusted in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;
¹¹ in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”

¹² What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness to me?

¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord.
¹⁴ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.
¹⁶ Truly I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did;
    you have freed me from my chains.

¹⁷ I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
¹⁸ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
¹⁹ in the courts of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.

**************

    詩人經歷上帝的拯救後寫下這首讚美詩！雖然是肉體的生命得著拯救，他更相信上帝必定拯救他的靈魂，因為肉體生命受到威脅，心靈依樣受到壓迫，從內心深處說出真正的盼望：「耶和華啊，求你救我的靈魂！」

    沒想到上帝竟然垂聽禱告，不僅拯救肉身不用死亡，更是在內心得著真正的安慰！所以宣告：「我的心哪！你要仍歸安樂，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。」於是向上帝禱告：「主啊，你救我的命免了死亡，救我的眼免了流淚，救我的腳免了跌倒。」也因此下了一個重要的結論：「在耶和華眼中，看聖民之死極為寶貴。」

    同樣今日，我們面對自己的肉身的生命有一天會結束時，我們屬乎基督的人也可以永詩人這句話來安慰我們和親朋好友、以及家人的心，我們可以大聲說：「在耶和華眼中，看聖民之死極為寶貴。」

    然而我們知道，對基督徒而言，肉身雖然有一天會死亡，但是上帝所賜永生仍然保守我們，使我們雖然要離開世間，卻相信主耶穌必再來，我們要與眾聖徒一同復活進入榮耀境，也就是上帝的國，我們同基督享受上帝兒子的福分，就是與基督同在且做王到永遠！這是美得無比的，每次想到時，都要呼喊：「哈利路亞！」

士師記7章

       士師記7:1-25 ,

        士師記7:2 ,

士師記7:1-25

7:1 耶路‧巴力就是基甸，他和一切跟隨的人早晨起來，在哈律泉旁安營。米甸營在他們北邊的平原，靠近摩利岡。
7:2 耶和華對基甸說：「跟隨你的人過多，我不能將米甸人交在他們手中，免得以色列人向我誇大，說：『是我們自己的手救了我們。』
7:3 現在你要向這些人宣告說：『凡懼怕膽怯的，可以離開基列山回去。』」於是有二萬二千人回去，只剩下一萬。
7:4 耶和華對基甸說：「人還是過多；你要帶他們下到水旁，我好在那裡為你試試他們。我指點誰說：『這人可以同你去』，他就可以同你去；我指點誰說：『這人不可同你去』，他就不可同你去。」
7:5 基甸就帶他們下到水旁。耶和華對基甸說：「凡用舌頭舔水，像狗舔的，要使他單站在一處；凡跪下喝水的，也要使他單站在一處。」
7:6 於是用手捧著舔水的有三百人，其餘的都跪下喝水。
7:7 耶和華對基甸說：「我要用這舔水的三百人拯救你們，將米甸人交在你手中；其餘的人都可以各歸各處去。」
7:8 這三百人就帶著食物和角；其餘的以色列人，基甸都打發他們各歸各的帳棚，只留下這三百人。米甸營在他下邊的平原裡。
7:9 當那夜，耶和華吩咐基甸說：「起來，下到米甸營裡去，因我已將他們交在你手中。
7:10 倘若你怕下去，就帶你的僕人普拉下到那營裡去。
7:11 你必聽見他們所說的，然後你就有膽量下去攻營。」於是基甸帶著僕人普拉下到營旁。
7:12 米甸人、亞瑪力人，和一切東方人都布散在平原，如同蝗蟲那樣多。他們的駱駝無數，多如海邊的沙。
7:13 基甸到了，就聽見一人將夢告訴同伴說：「我做了一夢，夢見一個大麥餅滾入米甸營中，到了帳幕，將帳幕撞倒，帳幕就翻轉傾覆了。」
7:14 那同伴說：「這不是別的，乃是以色列人約阿施的兒子基甸的刀；上帝已將米甸和全軍都交在他的手中。」
7:15 基甸聽見這夢和夢的講解，就敬拜上帝，回到以色列營中，說：「起來吧！耶和華已將米甸的軍隊交在你們手中了。」
7:16 於是基甸將三百人分作三隊，把角和空瓶交在各人手裡（瓶內都藏著火把），
7:17 吩咐他們說：「你們要看我行事：我到了營的旁邊怎樣行，你們也要怎樣行。
7:18 我和一切跟隨我的人吹角的時候，你們也要在營的四圍吹角，喊叫說：『耶和華和基甸的刀！』」
7:19 基甸和跟隨他的一百人，在三更之初才換更的時候，來到營旁，就吹角，打破手中的瓶。
7:20 三隊的人就都吹角，打破瓶子，左手拿著火把，右手拿著角，喊叫說：「耶和華和基甸的刀！」
7:21 他們在營的四圍各站各的地方；全營的人都亂竄。三百人吶喊，使他們逃跑。
7:22 三百人就吹角，耶和華使全營的人用刀互相擊殺，逃到西利拉的伯‧哈示他，直逃到靠近他巴的亞伯‧米何拉。
7:23 以色列人就從拿弗他利、亞設，和瑪拿西全地聚集來追趕米甸人。
7:24 基甸打發人走遍以法蓮山地，說：「你們下來攻擊米甸人，爭先把守約旦河的渡口，直到伯‧巴拉。」於是以法蓮的眾人聚集，把守約旦河的渡口，直到伯‧巴拉，
7:25 捉住了米甸人的兩個首領：一名俄立，一名西伊伯；將俄立殺在俄立磐石上，將西伊伯殺在西伊伯酒醡那裡；又追趕米甸人，將俄立和西伊伯的首級帶過約旦河，到基甸那裡。

Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. ² The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ ³ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

⁴ But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

⁵ So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” ⁶ Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

⁷ The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” ⁸ So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. ⁹ During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. ¹⁰ If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah ¹¹ and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. ¹² The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

¹³ Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

¹⁴ His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

¹⁵ When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” ¹⁶ Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

¹⁷ “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. ¹⁸ When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

¹⁹ Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. ²⁰ The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” ²¹ While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

²² When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. ²³ Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. ²⁴ Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. ²⁵ They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

***********

    雖然只有三百人，卻可以打敗米甸大軍！讓我們看見征戰不在人的多寡，而是要有上帝的同在！雖然只有區區三百人，大家都是專心一志的跟隨上帝和基甸，所以他們大聲喊叫：「耶和華和基甸的刀！」讓米甸的軍大亂，互相殘殺，剩下的人和首領還被以法蓮人所殺害，而使以色列人脫離米甸的轄制！

    基甸勝過米甸人的事蹟，對於今日的基督徒也有相當的鼓勵作用，尤其是在台灣基督徒的人數比例是少數。教會不要擔心人數少，好好的訓練，成為精實的信徒，就可以在這彎曲和悖逆的世代為主做見證！

    其實主的心意從來不希望因為人數多而使信仰變質，祂所期盼的是扎扎實實的門徒訓練，祂的拯救是有限度的，不是普救性的！也因為這樣，人才會確定與看重得救贖是上帝的恩典，而不是人給上帝面子所以信祂！也因為來自上帝的揀選，人才會對上帝存感謝和敬畏的心！

    尤其在這個世代人本主義抬頭，以為靠人的力量凡事都能，以至於人不覺得需要上帝，更不期盼上帝的拯救，這是多麼危險與可怕的事！我們當求上帝的憐憫與拯救的恩典臨到，若沒有上帝的拯救我們落入永死之中是多麼可怕的事啊！難道你希望和魔鬼一起滅亡嗎？