士師記9:1-57

9:1 耶路‧巴力的兒子亞比米勒到了示劍見他的眾母舅，對他們和他外祖全家的人說：
9:2 「請你們問示劍的眾人說，是耶路‧巴力的眾子七十人都管理你們好呢？還是一人管理你們好呢？你們又要記念我是你們的骨肉。」
9:3 他的眾母舅便將這一切話為他說給示劍人聽，示劍人的心就歸向亞比米勒。他們說：「他原是我們的弟兄」；
9:4 就從巴力‧比利土的廟中取了七十舍客勒銀子給亞比米勒；亞比米勒用以雇了些匪徒跟隨他。
9:5 他往俄弗拉到他父親的家，將他弟兄、耶路‧巴力的眾子七十人都殺在一塊磐石上；只剩下耶路‧巴力的小兒子約坦，因為他躲藏了。
9:6 示劍人和米羅人都一同聚集，往示劍橡樹旁的柱子那裡，立亞比米勒為王。
9:7 有人將這事告訴約坦，他就去站在基利心山頂上，向眾人大聲喊叫說：「示劍人哪，你們要聽我的話，上帝也就聽你們的話。
9:8 有一時，樹木要膏一樹為王，管理他們，就去對橄欖樹說：『請你作我們的王。』
9:9 橄欖樹回答說：『我豈肯止住供奉神和尊重人的油，飄颻在眾樹之上呢？』
9:10 樹木對無花果樹說：『請你來作我們的王。』
9:11 無花果樹回答說：『我豈肯止住所結甜美的果子，飄颻在眾樹之上呢？』
9:12 樹木對葡萄樹說：『請你來作我們的王。』
9:13 葡萄樹回答說：『我豈肯止住使神和人喜樂的新酒，飄颻在眾樹之上呢。』
9:14 眾樹對荊棘說：『請你來作我們的王。』
9:15 荊棘回答說：『你們若誠誠實實地膏我為王，就要投在我的蔭下；不然，願火從荊棘裡出來，燒滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』
9:16 「現在你們立亞比米勒為王，若按誠實正直善待耶路‧巴力和他的全家，這就是酬他的勞。
9:17 從前我父冒死為你們爭戰，救了你們脫離米甸人的手。
9:18 你們如今起來攻擊我的父家，將他眾子七十人殺在一塊磐石上，又立他婢女所生的兒子亞比米勒為示劍人的王；他原是你們的弟兄。
9:19 你們如今若按誠實正直待耶路‧巴力和他的家，就可因亞比米勒得歡樂，他也可因你們得歡樂；
9:20 不然，願火從亞比米勒發出，燒滅示劍人和米羅眾人，又願火從示劍人和米羅人中出來，燒滅亞比米勒。」
9:21 約坦因怕他弟兄亞比米勒，就逃跑，來到比珥，住在那裡。
9:22 亞比米勒管理以色列人三年。
9:23 上帝使惡魔降在亞比米勒和示劍人中間，示劍人就以詭詐待亞比米勒。
9:24 這是要叫耶路‧巴力七十個兒子所受的殘害歸與他們的哥哥亞比米勒，又叫那流他們血的罪歸與幫助他殺弟兄的示劍人。
9:25 示劍人在山頂上設埋伏，等候亞比米勒。凡從他們那裡經過的人，他們就搶奪。有人將這事告訴亞比米勒。
9:26 以別的兒子迦勒和他的弟兄來到示劍，示劍人都信靠他。
9:27 示劍人出城到田間去，摘下葡萄，踹酒，設擺筵宴，進他們神的廟中吃喝，咒詛亞比米勒。
9:28 以別的兒子迦勒說：「亞比米勒是誰？示劍是誰？使我們服事他呢？他不是耶路‧巴力的兒子嗎？他的幫手不是西布勒嗎？你們可以服事示劍的父親哈抹的後裔。我們為何服事亞比米勒呢？
9:29 惟願這民歸我的手下，我就除掉亞比米勒。」迦勒又對亞比米勒說：「增添你的軍兵出來吧。」
9:30 邑宰西布勒聽見以別的兒子迦勒的話，就發怒，
9:31 悄悄地打發人去見亞比米勒，說：「以別的兒子迦勒和他的弟兄到了示劍，煽惑城中的民攻擊你。
9:32 現在你和跟隨你的人今夜起來，在田間埋伏。
9:33 到早晨太陽一出，你就起來闖城。迦勒和跟隨他的人出來攻擊你的時候，你便向他們見機而做。」
9:34 於是，亞比米勒和跟隨他的眾人夜間起來，分作四隊，埋伏等候示劍人。
9:35 以別的兒子迦勒出去，站在城門口。亞比米勒和跟隨他的人從埋伏之處起來。
9:36 迦勒看見那些人，就對西布勒說：「看哪，有人從山頂上下來了。」西布勒說：「你看見山的影子，以為是人。」
9:37 迦勒又說：「看哪，有人從高處下來，又有一隊從米惡尼尼橡樹的路上而來。」
9:38 西布勒對他說：「你曾說，亞比米勒是誰，叫我們服事他？你所誇的口在哪裡呢？這不是你所藐視的民嗎？你現在出去，與他們交戰吧！」
9:39 於是迦勒率領示劍人出去，與亞比米勒交戰。
9:40 亞比米勒追趕迦勒；迦勒在他面前逃跑，有許多受傷仆倒的，直到城門。
9:41 亞比米勒住在亞魯瑪。西布勒趕出迦勒和他弟兄，不准他們住在示劍。
9:42 次日，民出到田間，有人告訴亞比米勒；
9:43 他就把他的人分作三隊，埋伏在田間，看見示劍人從城裡出來，就起來擊殺他們。
9:44 亞比米勒和跟隨他的一隊向前闖去，站在城門口；那兩隊直闖到田間，擊殺了眾人。
9:45 亞比米勒整天攻打城，將城奪取，殺了其中的居民，將城拆毀，撒上了鹽。
9:46 示劍樓的人聽見了，就躲入巴力‧比利土廟的衛所。
9:47 有人告訴亞比米勒說：「示劍樓的人都聚在一處。」
9:48 亞比米勒和跟隨他的人就都上撒們山。亞比米勒手拿斧子，砍下一根樹枝，扛在肩上，對跟隨他的人說：「你們看我所行的，也當趕緊照樣行。」
9:49 眾人就各砍一枝，跟隨亞比米勒，把樹枝堆在衛所的四圍，放火燒了衛所，以致示劍樓的人都死了，男女約有一千。
9:50 亞比米勒到提備斯，向提備斯安營，就攻取了那城。
9:51 城中有一座堅固的樓；城裡的眾人，無論男女，都逃進樓去，關上門，上了樓頂。
9:52 亞比米勒到了樓前攻打，挨近樓門，要用火焚燒。
9:53 有一個婦人把一塊上磨石拋在亞比米勒的頭上，打破了他的腦骨。
9:54 他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人，對他說：「拔出你的刀來，殺了我吧！免得人議論我說，他為一個婦人所殺。」於是少年人把他刺透，他就死了。
9:55 以色列人見亞比米勒死了，便各回自己的地方去了。
9:56 這樣，上帝報應亞比米勒向他父親所行的惡，就是殺了弟兄七十個人的惡。
9:57 示劍人的一切惡，上帝也都報應在他們頭上；耶路‧巴力的兒子約坦的咒詛歸到他們身上了。

Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, ² “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s sons rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember, I am your flesh and blood.”

³ When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” ⁴ They gave him seventy shekels^[a] of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers. ⁵ He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. ⁶ Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelek king.

⁷ When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. ⁸ One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

⁹ “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹⁰ “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹¹ “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹² “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹³ “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹⁴ “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹⁵ “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’

¹⁶ “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? ¹⁷ Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. ¹⁸ But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. ¹⁹ So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! ²⁰ But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”

²¹ Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.

²² After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, ²³ God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. ²⁴ God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. ²⁵ In opposition to him these citizens of Shechem set men on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and this was reported to Abimelek.

²⁶ Now Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and its citizens put their confidence in him. ²⁷ After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek. ²⁸ Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek, and why should we Shechemites be subject to him? Isn’t he Jerub-Baal’s son, and isn’t Zebul his deputy? Serve the family of Hamor, Shechem’s father! Why should we serve Abimelek? ²⁹ If only this people were under my command! Then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelek, ‘Call out your whole army!’”^[b]

³⁰ When Zebul the governor of the city heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, he was very angry. ³¹ Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. ³² Now then, during the night you and your men should come and lie in wait in the fields. ³³ In the morning at sunrise, advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, seize the opportunity to attack them.”

³⁴ So Abimelek and all his troops set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four companies. ³⁵ Now Gaal son of Ebed had gone out and was standing at the entrance of the city gate just as Abimelek and his troops came out from their hiding place.

³⁶ When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains!”

Zebul replied, “You mistake the shadows of the mountains for men.”

³⁷ But Gaal spoke up again: “Look, people are coming down from the central hill,^[c] and a company is coming from the direction of the diviners’ tree.”

³⁸ Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelek that we should be subject to him?’ Aren’t these the men you ridiculed? Go out and fight them!”

³⁹ So Gaal led out^[d] the citizens of Shechem and fought Abimelek. ⁴⁰ Abimelek chased him all the way to the entrance of the gate, and many were killed as they fled. ⁴¹ Then Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.

⁴² The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and this was reported to Abimelek. ⁴³ So he took his men, divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose to attack them. ⁴⁴ Abimelek and the companies with him rushed forward to a position at the entrance of the city gate. Then two companies attacked those in the fields and struck them down. ⁴⁵ All that day Abimelek pressed his attack against the city until he had captured it and killed its people. Then he destroyed the city and scattered salt over it.

⁴⁶ On hearing this, the citizens in the tower of Shechem went into the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith. ⁴⁷ When Abimelek heard that they had assembled there, ⁴⁸ he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon. He took an ax and cut off some branches, which he lifted to his shoulders. He ordered the men with him, “Quick! Do what you have seen me do!” ⁴⁹ So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the stronghold and set it on fire with the people still inside. So all the people in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, also died.

⁵⁰ Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. ⁵¹ Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. ⁵² Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, ⁵³ a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.

⁵⁴ Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died. ⁵⁵ When the Israelites saw that Abimelek was dead, they went home.

⁵⁶ Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelek had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. ⁵⁷ God also made the people of Shechem pay for all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them.

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    雖然基甸沒有心成為以色列的王，他卻給自己的妾所生的小孩起名叫亞比米勒，也就是我的父親是王的意思，造成這小孩有做王的野心，後來用不正當的手法將他的哥哥們殺死，自立為王！

    然而他為王是利用人的罪性，一方面他使用群眾虛榮的力量，另一方面他用錢財收買惡者，可以說是假借民主之方式，行使反民主的事實。也因為這樣，他雖然取得為王的地位，缺無法好好享受他為王的優惠！弄得天怒人怨，加上有人煽動，最後如同其兄弟約坦的咒詛一般！

    而亞比米勒的事蹟更是提醒我們，不可以任意而為，更不可以為了追求權力而用非法的手段，最後受虧損的是自己！因為上帝必定追討，上帝是公平的，是恨惡惡行的上帝！

詩篇117篇

     詩篇117篇概論     ,

     詩篇117:1-2  ,

詩篇117:1-2

117:1 萬國啊，你們都當讚美耶和華！萬民哪，你們都當頌讚他！
117:2 因為他向我們大施慈愛；耶和華的誠實存到永遠。你們要讚美耶和華！

 

¹ Praise the Lord, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
² For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

 

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    詩人在此呼籲萬國和萬民都要讚美上帝！照原文排列，起頭和結束，應該都是「哈利路亞」，是屬於一種三明治或漢堡方式的經文排列！而讚讚美的中間要告訴我們上帝的屬性和作為：也就是「大施慈愛」和「信實」！

 

    詩人為何要針對這兩件事情來讚美上帝呢？因為這對我們生命的安定性很重要的，正如摩西在《申命記》中宣告：「所以，你要知道耶和華─你的上帝，他是上帝，是信實的上帝；向愛他、守他誡命的人守約，施慈愛，直到千代！」(7:9)

 

    上帝的「大施慈愛」和「信實」是給我們一個穩固的根基，讓我們知道信靠祂的人就永遠蒙祂的保守。雖然現在有苦難的考驗，是暫時性的，這一切都會過去的！也因為這樣我們相信上帝必永遠保守聖徒，聖徒就有堅持和恆忍的確信！所以，約翰福音就告訴我們：「逾越節以前，耶穌知道自己離世歸父的時候到了。他既然愛世間屬自己的人，就愛他們到底。」(13:1)

 

    而關於上帝永恆的保守可以閱讀《聖徒之堅忍》（http://kk1591.blogspot.com/2018/02/blog-post.html ）一文！而閱讀之後，必定向上帝呼喊：「哈利路亞！」

 

 

士師記8章

      士師記8:1-35  ,

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.

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    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！