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參巴拉的惱恨與譏笑

當參巴拉聽見我們正在重建城牆,就很忿怒,非常惱恨,並且譏諷猶大人。 在他的兄弟和撒瑪利亞的軍隊面前,說:“這些軟弱的猶大人在作甚麼呢?想自己修築城牆嗎?想要獻祭嗎?想要在一天之內完成嗎?想要使廢土堆中被火燒過的石頭復活嗎?” 亞捫人多比雅在參巴拉旁邊說:“這些人建造的,只要一隻狐狸走上去,石牆就崩塌。”

“我們的 神啊,求你垂聽,我們被藐視,求你使他們的毀謗歸到他們頭上,使他們在被擄之地成為掠物。 不要遮蔽他們的罪孽,也不要從你面前塗抹他們的罪惡,因為他們在這些建造的人面前惹你發怒。” 這樣,我們重建城牆,把全部城牆連接起來,城牆達到一半的高度,因為眾人都全心作工。(本章第1~6節《馬索拉文本》為3:33~38)

敵人密謀攔阻與破壞

當參巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人、亞捫人、亞實突人聽見耶路撒冷城牆重修工程仍然進行,已經堵塞城牆的缺口,就非常忿怒。(本節在《馬索拉文本》為4:1) 他們就一同計劃陰謀要來攻擊耶路撒冷,製造混亂。 所以我們向我們的 神禱告,又因他們的緣故,設立守衛,日夜防備他們。 10 猶大人說:“搬運的人氣力已經衰弱,但瓦礫仍多,我們不能再建城牆了!” 11 同時我們的敵人說:“趁著他們不知道,還未看見之前,我們就進入他們中間,殺死他們,使那工程停止。” 12 住在他們附近的一些猶大人,也曾十次前來通知我們說:“他們將從各方上來攻擊你們。”(或譯:“他們十次從各方來對我們說:‘你們來到我們這裡吧!’”本節頗殘缺,意義難確定。) 13 所以我分派眾人站崗,在低窪或高處,在城牆後隱蔽處或空曠的地方,叫他們按著家族,帶著刀、槍和弓。 14 我巡視之後,就起來,對貴族、官長和其餘的人民說:“不要怕他們,要記得主是偉大可畏的,要為你們的兄弟、兒女、妻子和你們的家爭戰。”

一面工作、一面防守

15 我們的仇敵既然聽見我們知道了這陰謀, 神也破壞了他們的計謀,就不敢來了。我們全都回到城牆那裡,各人回到原來的工作崗位。 16 從那天起,我的僕人一半工作,一半緊握著槍、盾牌、弓和盔甲。眾領袖都站在猶大全家的後面。 17 那些建造城牆,搬運重物的,都是一隻手作工,一隻手緊握兵器。 18 建造的人,都腰間佩著刀來建造;吹號角的人在我旁邊。 19 我對貴族、官長和其餘的人民說:“這工程浩大,範圍廣闊;我們在城牆上彼此相隔很遠。 20 所以你們無論在甚麼地方,一聽見號角聲,就要集合到我們那裡來。我們的 神必為我們爭戰。”

21 我們就這樣作工;一半人緊握著槍,從黎明直到星宿出現的時候。 22 那時,我又對眾人說:“各人和他的僕人都要在耶路撒冷城中過夜,這樣他們可以在夜間作我們的守衛,日間工作。” 23 這樣,我與我的兄弟、我的僕人和跟隨我的人,都不脫衣服,各人帶自己的兵器去打水(“各人帶自己的兵器去打水”原文意思不明確,或譯:“各人時常右手拿著自己的兵器”)。

Opposition to the Work

[a] Now when (A)Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of (B)Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves?[b] Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” (C)Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—(D)if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” (E)Hear, O our God, for we are despised. (F)Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. (G)Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

[c] But when (H)Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. (I)And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10 In Judah it was said,[d] “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”[e] 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, (J)“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, (K)who is great and awesome, (L)and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

The Work Resumes

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us (M)and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and (N)coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to (O)the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. (P)Our God will fight for us.”

21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; (Q)each kept his weapon at his right hand.[f]

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 4:1 Ch 3:33 in Hebrew
  2. Nehemiah 4:2 Or Will they commit themselves to God?
  3. Nehemiah 4:7 Ch 4:1 in Hebrew
  4. Nehemiah 4:10 Hebrew Judah said
  5. Nehemiah 4:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  6. Nehemiah 4:23 Or his weapon when drinking