1
1Ki 21:1-4.
英文原文
1Ki 21:1-4.
NABOTH REFUSES AHAB HIS VINEYARD.
1-3. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel--Ahab was desirous, from its contiguity to the palace, to possess it for a vegetable garden. He proposed to Naboth to give him a better in exchange, or to obtain it by purchase; but the owner declined to part with it. In persisting in his refusal, Naboth was not actuated by any feelings of disloyalty or disrespect to the king, but solely from a conscientious regard to the divine law, which, for important reasons, had prohibited the sale of a paternal inheritance
[Le 25:23; Nu 36:7];
or if, through extreme poverty or debt, an assignation of it to another was unavoidable, the conveyance was made on the condition of its being redeemable at any time
[Le 25:25-27];
at all events, of its reverting at the jubilee to the owner
[Le 25:28].
In short, it could not be alienated from the family, and it was on this ground that Naboth
(1Ki 21:3)
refused to comply with the king's demand. It was not, therefore, any rudeness or disrespect that made Ahab heavy and displeased, but his sulky and pettish demeanor betrays a spirit of selfishness that could not brook to be disappointed of a favorite object, and that would have pushed him into lawless tyranny had he possessed any natural force of character.
4
無標題
4. 轉臉向內——或為向隨從掩飾心中的懊惱,或為裝出極度憂愁的樣子,好激發他們想方設法來滿足他的心願。
英文原文
4. turned away his face--either to conceal from his attendants the vexation of spirit he felt, or, by the affectation of great sorrow, rouse them to devise some means of gratifying his wishes.
5
1Ki 21:5-16.
1Ki 21:5-16.
耶洗別使人用石頭打死拿伯。
英文原文
1Ki 21:5-16.
JEZEBEL CAUSES NABOTH TO BE STONED.
7
無標題
7. 你現在是治理以色列國的不是?——這與其說是問話,不如說是感嘆——一句譏誚的嘲弄;「你這王當得真好!你不能用你的權力,把你心所要的拿過來嗎?」
起來吃飯,心裏暢快吧;我必將那葡萄園給你——耶洗別先是責備亞巴的懦弱,要他拿出君王的樣子來,然後告訴他不必再為這等小事煩心;她保證那葡萄園必歸他所有。
英文原文
7. Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel?--This is not so much a question as an exclamation--a sarcastic taunt; "A pretty king thou art! Canst not thou use thy power and take what thy heart is set upon?"
arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard--After upbraiding Ahab for his pusillanimity and bidding him act as a king, Jezebel tells him to trouble himself no more about such a trifle; she would guarantee the possession of the vineyard.
8
無標題
8. 於是耶洗別託亞巴的名寫信,用他的印印上——印戒上刻有王的名,蓋在文件上便使之生效
(Es 8:8;
Da 6:17)。
亞巴任憑她使用他的印戒,等於消極地同意了耶洗別的作為。信既是以王的名寫的,便具有王命的性質。
把信送給那些與拿同城居住的長老貴冑——他們是耶斯列的民政長官,十之八九都是耶洗別所提拔、可供她驅使的工具。顯而易見,雖然亞巴最近曾在耶斯列向拿伯提出收購,如今他和耶洗別都已回到撒瑪利亞
(1Ki 20:43)。
英文原文
8. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal--The seal-ring contained the name of the king and gave validity to the documents to which it was affixed
(Es 8:8; Da 6:17).
By allowing her the use of his signet-ring, Ahab passively consented to Jezebel's proceeding. Being written in the king's name, it had the character of a royal mandate.
sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city--They were the civic authorities of Jezreel, and would, in all likelihood, be the creatures and fit tools of Jezebel. It is evident that, though Ahab had recently been in Jezreel, when he made the offer to Naboth, both he and Jezebel were now in Samaria
(1Ki 20:43).
9
無標題
9. 宣告禁食等——那些阿諛奉承、毫無原則的官長們照令行事。他們假稱有人——某個不明身分的人——犯了褻瀆神和王的重罪,而亞巴正揚言若不查出兇手加以懲辦,便要向全城報復,於是召集百姓守嚴肅的禁食。在影響國家公共利益的特殊場合,才會下令禁食
(2Ch 20:3;
Ezr 8:21;
Joe 1:14; 2:15;
Jon 3:5)。
耶斯列那些惡劣的官長宣告禁食,是要為他們的作為披上一層公義的外衣,並在百姓中造成一種印象——拿伯的罪等同於對王生命的叛逆。
使拿伯坐在高位上——審判時,受審者被安置在一個高座上,當著全法庭的面;但既假定罪人尚屬不明,拿伯之所以被高舉在百姓之上,想必因他是當地的顯要人物。
英文原文
9. Proclaim a fast, &c.--Those obsequious and unprincipled magistrates did according to orders. Pretending that a heavy guilt lay on one, or some unknown party, who was charged with blaspheming God and the king and that Ahab was threatening vengeance on the whole city unless the culprit were discovered and punished, they assembled the people to observe a solemn fast. Fasts were commanded on extraordinary occasions affecting the public interests of the state
(2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21; Joe 1:14; 2:15; Jon 3:5).
The wicked authorities of Jezreel, by proclaiming the fast, wished to give an external appearance of justice to their proceedings and convey an impression among the people that Naboth's crime amounted to treason against the king's life.
set Naboth on high--During a trial the panel, or accused person, was placed on a high seat, in the presence of all the court; but as the guilty person was supposed to be unknown, the setting of Naboth on high among the people must have been owing to his being among the distinguished men of the place.
13
無標題
13. 有兩個匪徒來——是受了賄賂起假見證的無賴。律法規定死罪案件須有兩個見證人
(De 17:6; 19:15;
Nu 35:30;
Mt 26:60)。
咒詛神和咒詛王在律法中
(Ex 22:28)
被列為密切相連的罪,因為以色列的王是神在地上祂國度中的代表。
他們把他拉到城外,用石頭打他——禁止咒詛百姓官長的律法,雖未明文規定此罪的刑罰,但或因慣例已經認可,或因耶斯列的官長首創,都以石頭打死為當得的刑罰。這刑罰總是在城外執行
(Ac 7:58)。
英文原文
13. there came in two men--worthless fellows who had been bribed to swear a falsehood. The law required two witnesses in capital offenses
(De 17:6; 19:15; Nu 35:30; Mt 26:60).
Cursing God and cursing the king are mentioned in the law
(Ex 22:28)
as offenses closely connected, the king of Israel being the earthly representative of God in His kingdom.
they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him--The law, which forbade cursing the rulers of the people, does not specify the penalty for this offense but either usage had sanctioned or the authorities of Jezreel had originated stoning as the proper punishment. It was always inflicted out of the city
(Ac 7:58).
14
無標題
14-16. 耶洗別對亞巴說:起來,取了罷——拿伯既已被處決,他的家族又因同一死刑而被滅
(2Ki 9:26),
他的產業便歸於王室,不是按律法,而是按傳統慣例(參
2Sa 16:4)。
英文原文
14-16. Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession--Naboth's execution having been announced, and his family being involved in the same fatal sentence
(2Ki 9:26),
his property became forfeited to the crown, not by law, but traditionary usage (see
2Sa 16:4).
16
無標題
16. 亞巴聽見拿伯死了,就起來下去——從撒瑪利亞下到耶斯列。
英文原文
16. Ahab rose up to go down--from Samaria to Jezreel.
17
1Ki 21:17-29.
1Ki 21:17-29.
以利亞宣告對亞巴和耶洗別的審判
17-19. 你殺了人,又搶了他的東西麼?——當亞巴正在察看他不義之財時,以利亞奉神的差遣站在他面前。先知在此時此刻出現,已是不祥之兆,而他的話更是如此(參
Eze 45:8; 46:16-18)。
亞巴非但沒有因這可怖的罪行而驚懼退縮,反而急不及待地趕到新得之物業那裏去。
英文原文
1Ki 21:17-29.
ELIJAH DENOUNCES JUDGMENTS AGAINST AHAB AND JEZEBEL.
17-19. Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?--While Ahab was in the act of surveying his ill-gotten possession, Elijah, by divine commission, stood before him. The appearance of the prophet, at such a time, was ominous of evil, but his language was much more so (compare
Eze 45:8; 46:16-18).
Instead of shrinking with horror from the atrocious crime, Ahab eagerly hastened to his newly acquired property.
19
無標題
19. 狗在何處舔等——這是神護理公義的報應。這預言並非在耶斯列應驗,而是在撒瑪利亞;也不是應驗在亞巴本人身上——因他悔改了
(1Ki 21:29)——
而是應驗在他兒子身上
(2Ki 9:25)。
「在何處」一語或可譯作「正如」。
英文原文
19. In the place where dogs licked, &c.--a righteous retribution of Providence. The prediction was accomplished, not in Jezreel, but in Samaria; and not on Ahab personally, in consequence of his repentance
(1Ki 21:29),
but on his son
(2Ki 9:25).
The words "in the place where" might be rendered "in like manner as."
20
無標題
20. 你竟賣了自己去行惡——即任憑罪在你身上取得不受約束的、習慣性的主權
(2Ki 17:17;
Ro 7:11)。
英文原文
20. thou hast sold thyself to work evil--that is, allowed sin to acquire the unchecked and habitual mastery over thee
(2Ki 17:17; Ro 7:11).
21
無標題
21, 22. 我必使你的家等——(參
1Ki 15:29
及
1Ki 16:3-12
的註釋)。
耶洗別雖然也算在亞巴的家人之中,她那羞辱的死卻被明確地預告了(參
2Ki 9:30)。
英文原文
21, 22. will make thine house, &c.--(see on
1Ki 15:29
and
1Ki 16:3-12).
Jezebel, though included among the members of Ahab's house, has her ignominious fate expressly foretold (see
2Ki 9:30).
27
無標題
27-29. 亞巴……撕裂衣服,把麻布穿在身上,禁食,睡臥也穿麻布,緩緩而行——他不像耶洗別那樣頑梗。這可怕的宣告深深打動了王的心,使他暫時真心悔改。緩緩而行,即在屋內赤足而行,神情憂鬱。他表現出最深憂傷的一切外在記號——既有慣例的,也有出於天然的。他十分痛苦;而神的憐憫如此浩大,因他的自卑,所威脅的刑罰便暫且展緩。
英文原文
27-29. Ahab . . . rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly--He was not obdurate, like Jezebel. This terrible announcement made a deep impression on the king's heart, and led, for a while, to sincere repentance. Going softly, that is, barefoot, and with a pensive manner, within doors. He manifested all the external signs, conventional and natural, of the deepest sorrow. He was wretched, and so great is the mercy of God, that, in consequence of his humiliation, the threatened punishment was deferred.
1Ki 21:1-4.
拿伯拒絕將葡萄園給亞哈
1-3. 耶斯列人拿伯在耶斯列有一個葡萄園——亞哈因它靠近王宮,想要據為己有作菜園。他提議給拿伯換一個更好的,或出價購買;但業主不肯出讓。拿伯堅持拒絕,並非出於對王的不忠或不敬,而完全是出於對神律法的敬虔之心——律法因重要的緣故,禁止出售祖傳的產業
[Le 25:23; Nu 36:7];
若是因極度的貧窮或債務而不得不轉讓他人,轉讓也必須附帶隨時可贖回的條件
[Le 25:25-27];
無論如何,到了禧年必歸還原主
[Le 25:28]。
簡言之,產業不能從家族中流失,正是基於這一點,拿伯
(1Ki 21:3)
拒絕照辦王的索求。因此,使亞哈憂悶不悅的,並非拿伯的任何粗魯或不敬,而是亞哈那陰鬱而任性的舉止,暴露出一種不能容忍自己失望的自私之心;若他天性稍具幾分魄力,這種自私本會驅使他走向無法無天的暴虐。