So remember after Joshua led the tribe of Israel into the Promised Land

在上一卷書，約書亞率領以色列民進入了應許之地

he called them to be faithful to their covenant with God

他呼籲以色列百姓要忠於與上帝的約

by obeying the commands of the Torah.

遵行神的律法與誡命

And if they do this, they will show all the other nations what God is like.

如果他們遵行，全世界將會透過他們認識上帝。

So Judges begins with the death of Joshua

約書亞死後，正式進入《士師記》

basically tells the story of Israel's total failure.

但基本上都是在描述以色列人的全然敗壞。

The book's name comes from the type of leaders Israel had in this period.

《士師》是那段時期以色列人的領袖

Before they had any Kings, the tribes were all governed by these "judges".

因為他們還沒有立王，因此各支派由“士師”來統治。

Now don't think of a courtroom.

但看到「Judges」可別聯想到法庭

These were regional, political, military leaders

這些人是地區性的、政治上的、軍事上的領袖

more like a tribal chieftain.

或者可以說，更像是部族的酋長。

And you need to be warned the book of Judges is very disturbing

在讀之前，我必須警告你們 這卷書讓人很不解，並充滿暴力

and violent. It tells the tragic tale of Israel's moral corruption,

講述以色列領袖與人民 在道德上逐漸敗壞的悲慘故事

of its bad leadership,

講述以色列領袖與人民 在道德上逐漸敗壞的悲慘故事

and basically how they become no different than the Canaanites.

甚至你將看到 他們和迦南人沒有甚麼區別

But this sad story is also meant to generate hope for the future,

但這些悲哀的故事，卻也隱藏了盼望

and you can see this in how the book is designed.

這就是這卷書的設計。

There's a large introduction that sets the stage for Israel's failure

首先《士師記》１～２章，鋪陳出以色列的失敗

as they don't drive out the remaining Canaanites.

因為他們沒有完全趕走迦南人

Then, the large main section of the book has stories about the growing corruption of Israel's judges.

接著，３～１６章是講述以色列的《士師》如何敗壞

And the progression here shows how Israel's leaders go from pretty good, to

這裡描述當年以色列的領袖 從非常好，變成普通，然後變得很壞

ok, to bad,

這裡描述當年以色列的領袖 從非常好，變成普通，然後變得很壞

to worse.

最後，超級敗壞...

The concluding section is really disturbing

最後的１７～２１章，則相當令人不安

and shows the corruption of the people of Israel as a whole.

因為整個以色列民的墮落，將完全顯露出來。

So let's dive in and we can explore each part a bit more.

現在讓我們開始探討其中的每個部份。

The opening section begins with the tribes of Israel in their territories in the Promised Land,

首先看到，以色列12支派 已經位在他們所分到的各個領土。

and while Joshua defeated some key Canaanite towns,

雖然約書亞攻下迦南許多關鍵的城市

there is still a lot of land to be taken,

但迦南地其實還有很多未得之地 並且住著許多的迦南人。

and lots of Canaanites living in those areas.

但迦南地其實還有很多未得之地 並且住著許多的迦南人。

And so chapter one gives a long list of Canaanite groups and towns

所以第一章表列出一串迦南部族與城市的名稱

that Israel just failed to drive out from the land.

以色列人並沒有成功地完全把他們趕出那地。

Now remember, the whole point of driving out the Canaanites

要記得，趕出迦南人的重點是

was to avoid their moral corruption and their way of worshiping the gods

避免以色列人接觸並效法 他們在道德上的淪喪、嬰兒獻祭、祭拜多神祇...等。

through child sacrifice.

避免以色列人接觸並效法 他們在道德上的淪喪、嬰兒獻祭、祭拜多神祇...等。

God had called Israel to be a holy people

上帝已經呼召以色列人要成為祂聖潔的子民 雖然這件事....還沒有落實。

and that does not happen.

上帝已經呼召以色列人要成為祂聖潔的子民 雖然這件事....還沒有落實。

Chapter 2 describes how Israel just moved in alongside the Canaanites

第二章描述以色列人卻與迦南人比鄰而居

adopted all their cultural and religious practices.

並且沾染上他們的文化與宗教上的習俗

and it's right here that the story stops.

故事就終止在這裡。

For nearly a whole chapter, the narrator gives us an overview of everything that's about to happen

將近有一整章 作者向我們概述了士師記即將發生的一切

in the body of the book.

將近有一整章 作者向我們概述了士師記即將發生的一切

This part of Israel's history, the narrator says,

作者似乎在說：以色列這一部分的歷史 是一連串下沉的惡性循環。

was a series of cycles moving in a downward spiral.

作者似乎在說：以色列這一部分的歷史 是一連串下沉的惡性循環。

Israel became like the Canaanites,

以色列人變成跟迦南人幾乎一樣 他們大大冒犯、褻篤了上帝

and so they would sin against God.

以色列人變成跟迦南人幾乎一樣 他們大大冒犯、褻篤了上帝

So, God would allow them to be conquered and oppressed by the Canaanites,

因此，遠離上帝，他們就被迦南人征服，並且受到逼迫

and eventually the Israelites would see the error of their ways

最後，以色列人將會看出他們是怎樣的偏離了 正道，並且因此悔改。

and repent.

最後，以色列人將會看出他們是怎樣的偏離了 正道，並且因此悔改。

So God would raise up a deliverer of a judge from among Israel, who would defeat the enemy

然後上帝從以色列中興起一位士師 將敵人打敗。

and bring about an era of peace.

並且為這世代帶來和平

but eventually Israel would sin again and it will all start over.

但是以色列人終究再次犯罪，然後一切又重來

This cycle provides the literary design and flow for the next main section of the book.

這樣的循環成為文體上的架構 帶向這卷書的第二部分

It gets repeated for each of the six main judges

３～１６章，輪番描述六位主要的士師

whose stories are told here.

在這裡會提到他們的故事

Now the stories of the first three judges

首先來看前三位士師

Othniel, Ehud and Deborah

俄陀聶、以笏、底波拉

they’re epic adventures - they're also extremely bloody stories.

他們的故事就像電影，卻也是相當血腥的故事。

Either the judge themselves or people who helped the judge -

無論是士師本身或協助士師的人

they defeat their enemies and deliver the people of Israel.

他們打敗了敵人，並且拯救以色列百姓。

The stories about the next three judges are longer

後三位士師的故事比較長 焦點著重於士師們的性格缺陷

and they focus in on the character flaws of the judges

後三位士師的故事比較長 焦點著重於士師們的性格缺陷

which get increasingly worse.

使得事情越來越糟

So Gideon, he begins pretty well, he's a coward of a man

基甸（6~9章），他一開始相當不錯，雖然他很懦弱

but he eventually comes to trust that God CAN SAVE Israel through him

但他最終相信上帝，要透過他來拯救以色列

and so he defeats a HUGE army of Midianites with only three hundred men

於是他僅以三百人攜帶著火把和陶罐

carrying torches and clay pots.

就打敗了米甸人的大軍

But Gideon has a nasty temper and he murders a bunch of fellow Israelitas

但是基甸脾氣不大好 因此他也殺了許多以色列人

for not helping him in his battle

只因為他們沒有在戰役中幫助他

and then it all goes downhill from there.

然後事情從此開始走下坡

He makes an idol from the gold that he won in his battles

他以戰爭中所得的黃金鑄造了偶像

and then after he dies all Israel worships the idol as a god

當他過世之後，全以色列人 都將這偶像當作神來崇拜

and the cycle begins again.

又來了...（嘆氣）

The next main judge is Jephthah who's something of a mafia thug living up in the hills

下一位是耶弗他(10章6節~12章7節) 他基本上算是山居的惡棍

and when things get really bad for Israel the elders come to him begging for his help.

當以色列情況越來越糟時 長老們來找他，懇求他的幫助。

And Jephthah was a very effective leader,

而耶弗他，是個非常有戰鬥力的領袖

he won lots of battles against the Ammonites.

他在許多和「亞們人」的戰役中得勝

but he was so unfamiliar with the God of Israel he treats him like a Canaanite god -

但他實在太不熟悉以色列的神 而將祂視同為迦南的神

he vows to sacrifice his daughter if he wins the battle.

他為了贏得戰爭，竟發誓要犧牲他的女兒

This tragic story it shows just how far Israel has fallen,

這悲傷的記載，顯出以色列人的墮落

they no longer know the character of their own God,

他們不再認識、並遠離了他們自己的上帝

which leads to murder and to false worship.

淪入謀殺與錯謬的崇拜

The last judge Samson is by far the worst.

最後一位士師：參孫（13~16章） 則是到此為止最糟糕的一位

his life began full of promise, but he has no regard for the God of Israel.

他一生的開始是充滿應許的 但他並不尊榮以色列的神

He was promiscuous, violent and arrogant.

他很淫亂、暴力且傲慢

He did win brutally strategic victories over the Philistines

他非常殘忍，且有策略地擊敗非利士人

but only at the expense of his own integrity

但他犧牲了他的純正作為代價

and his life ends in a violent rush of mass murder.

於是他的生命在一場暴力的大屠殺中嘎然結束

Now a quick note here,

在此簡要摘記如下

you´ll notice a repeated theme in the main section of the book

你們會注意到這卷書的主要篇幅中 有一個一直重複的主題

that at key moments God´s Spirit will empower each of these judges

在某個關鍵的時刻 上帝的靈會傾倒於這每一位士師身上

to accomplish these great acts of deliverance.

以成就這些偉大的拯救行動

Now the fact that God uses these really screwed up people

祂其實是使用這些「把事情搞砸了的人」

doesn´t mean he endorses all or even any of their decisions.

但這不表示祂認同他們所做的一切行為。

God is committed first and foremost to saving His people

上帝最初與最終的應許，就是要拯救祂的百姓

but all he has to work with is these corrupt leaders

但是祂必須和這些敗壞的領袖合作

and so work with them he does.

祂也的確與他們同工

This whole section is designed just to show how bad things have gotten -

這整卷書顯示出事情到了多麼糟糕的地步

you can´t even tell the Israelites and the Caananites apart anymore,

你甚至無法分辨以色列人和迦南人有甚麼不同

and that´s just the leaders.

他們是領袖「士師」，何況一般的以色列人

The final section shows Israel as a whole hitting bottom.

最後的段落，呈現出以色列已經全然敗壞

There are two tragic stories here and they are not for the faint of heart.

最後一部分有兩個悲劇故事 對心臟不好的人來說是很難承受的。

They´re structured by this key line that gets repeated four times at the close of the book

結構上，在這卷書的末了 有一行關鍵句子在此重複四次

In those days Israel had no king and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

「這時以色列人中沒有王，各人任意而行。」

The first story is about an Israelite named Micah who built a private temple to an idol.

第一個故事是有關於一個以色列人名叫米迦 他為一個偶像蓋了家廟

And that gets plundered by a private army sent by the tribe of Dan.

接著這些東西都被「但」支派的民兵擄走

So they come and they steal everything and then they go and burn down the peaceful city of Laish

於是他們來，偷走一切 他們走後，還把平靜的城市-拉億-燒毀

and murder all of its inhabitants, its a horrifying story.

且殺光其中的居民，這是個可怕的故事。

When Israel forgets its God might makes right.

當以色列忘了唯獨上帝，是公義的上帝

The final story of the book is even worse,

這卷書最後的故事更糟

it's a shocking tale of sexual abuse and violence which all leads to Israel´s first civil war.

那是一個嚇人的性虐待與性暴力的故事 促成了以色列的第一場內戰

It's very disturbing and that´s the point.

就是這點讓人覺得不舒服

These stories are meant to serve as a warning,

這些故事其實是要作為一種警告

Israel´s descent into self destruction is a result of turning away

當以色列的子孫背離神的道路 就自然進入自我毀滅

from the God who loves them and saved them out of slavery

上帝這樣愛他們 並且拯救他們脫離在埃及受奴役

in Egypt, and now Israel needs to be delivered again from themselves.

然而現在以色列需要再次被拯救 好脫離他們自設的網羅

The only glimmer of hope in this story is found in this repeated line in the last part of the book.

在這故事中唯一的盼望 是來自這卷書最後一段中重複的句子

It actually forms the last sentence of this story.

它其實就是這個故事最終的一句話

Israel has no king and so the stage is set for the following books to tell the origins of King David´s family,

以色列沒有王。 也為在往後的書卷中講述大衛王家族的血脈佈下線索

the book of Ruth, and also the origins of kingship itself in Israel,

《路得記》也是《撒母耳上》當中，以色列王室的血脈

the book of 1 Samuel. But the story of Judges has value as a tragedy -

但是《士師記》的故事雖為悲劇卻仍有其價值

it's a sobering explanation of the human condition, and ultimately it points out the need for God´s grace

它是整個人類歷史光景的濃縮寫照 最終它指出：人實在需要上帝的恩典

to send a king who will rescue His people.

差派一位君王來拯救神的百姓

And that´s the book of judges.

這就是《士師記》這卷書，謝謝。