旧约 - 士师记(Judges)第8章

And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
士师记第八章   第 8 章 

  士 8:1-3> 你会不会因为自己得不到“重用”而不满?你乐意“拾取剩下的葡萄”吗? 

  8:1-3 以法莲的首领因为基甸没有招他们一同出战,却把他们留下来肃清逃脱的米甸人,就向他发怒。基甸婉言以“拾取剩下的葡萄”,比喻他们的成就大于他自己的本族(亚比以谢族),指出这支殿后军队捉住仇敌的首领,除去了军中的元凶。有些工作并不全是众人可见的领导角色,却是不可缺少的。许多人把企业中的一般工作看得卑微,其实这些工作对完成巨大的任务是非常重要的。建造一座华丽的大厦,须有建筑师和银行家,负担设计与资金,但将这计划具体实现的却是砌砖工人。骄傲使我们想得人的重视,你对于作神的砌砖工人感到满意,还是对神赐你这工作表示忿怒呢? 

  士 8:5-9> 总认为神的工作需要人去做,有否想过神的工作也是人的需要呢? 

  8:5-9 疏割与毗努伊勒的首领不肯帮助基甸,可能因为害怕他万一失败(三百军兵要追赶一万五千敌军),米甸人会报复。他们应当知道,因为神与基甸同在,所以他必然得胜。但是他们极其担心,怕惹祸上身,以至从来没有想到神有拯救的大能。 

  我们可能害怕本身被卷入战争,看不出神与众人同在,因而错过祂所赐得胜的机会。我们如果不能加入蒙神拣选、做祂工作之人的阵营,一定会尝到苦果。神的工作无论有你或没有你都必定得胜,所以要快快参加神工作之团队,献上你的时间、金钱、祷告来支持圣工。 

  士 8:11> 基甸的勇力是米甸人意想不到的,你看…… 

  8: 11 米 甸人逃到旷野,即住帐棚的游牧民族所在地,却 没有想到基甸会一直追到那里。 

  士 8:15-17> 你怎样看待基甸处理疏割人和毗努伊勒人这件事? 

  8:15-17 基甸照着在 8 章 7 节他所恫吓的去行。他的报复行为是否合理,或者说他应否将处罚留给神去行,我们不便妄下定论。他是神所指派的领袖,疏割与毗努伊勒的首领不肯帮助他,是因为惧怕仇敌的缘故,他们既没有信心,又不尊敬神或神所拣选的拯救者。不管自己是否得到利益,我们都应当帮助别人,因为这是理所当然的。 

  士 8:20-21> 怎样理解“因为人如何,力量也是如何”这句话? 

  8:20-21 君王被少年人杀死是一种羞辱,因为这显示他们不是少年人的对手(“因为人如何,力量也是如何”)。这两个君王想避免羞辱,也害怕多受痛苦而死,因没有经验的刀手不会一刀两断地把他们的头砍下来的。 

  士 8:23> 基甸认识到只有神才能管理人民,这种觉悟是许多领导人欠缺的…… 

  8:23 以色列百姓想立基甸作他们的王,但是他强调,惟有耶和华才能管理他们。尽管他的性情反覆,难与人协调,但他也知道要把神放在首位,因为他看到这对民族与个人都是同样重要的。神在你的生活之中是否居首位?如果是的话,祂就不单单只影响你在教会的行为,也影响你生活的各方面。 

  士 8:26-27> 不要权要财宝,基甸这是…… 

  8:26-27 极其富有的人,把饰物戴在骆驼的颈项上,以夸示财富;妇女也佩戴大量的珠宝,常戴上十五对之多的耳环。佩戴珠宝也表示行好运。在基甸掌权以后,他似乎被这大量财富弄昏了头脑,终于导致以色列人敬拜偶像。 

  士 8:27> 动机与效果不一定一致,我是否常常好心办坏事? 

  8:27 以弗得是祭司穿在胸前的细麻布衣服或背心。人把它看作圣物(参出 28:5-35 ; 39:2-24 ;利 8:7-8 )。基甸要制造以弗得,可能出于好意(作为庆祝这次胜利的纪念品。)可惜,百姓开始把它当作偶像来敬拜。出于好意的许多抉择,竟产生反面的效果,不禁令人扼腕叹息。可能没有人周详考虑,先来研究一下“它会有什么错误?”或者问“它会有反面效果吗?”在你作计划与抉择时,要用点时间来预测好动机是否定有好结果。 

  士 8:31> 大人物的家庭问题往往比常人的复杂,基甸的家庭…… 

  8:31 基甸与妾侍所生的儿子,令他的家庭破碎,造成以色列全族的悲剧。基甸的故事说明战场上的英雄不一定是日常生活中的英雄。他曾经领导全族,却不能领导他的家庭。不管你是谁,道德上一旦懈怠都会产生问题。你刚刚胜过一次试探,并不表示你定会胜过下次的试探。我们须要不断地警醒抵挡试探,在你得胜之后,撒但可能会对你做更猛烈的攻击。 

  士 8:33> 巴力比利土是…… 

  8:33 巴力比利土是“以巴力(主)为盟约的主”的意思。拜这偶像可能将以色列人与迦南人的宗教混在一起。──《灵修版圣经注释》