SARAH
大卫已经老了，知道自己快不行了。
David had grown old and knew that his life was coming to an end.
他把儿子所罗门叫到身边，对他说：
He called his son Solomon to him and said:
“儿子，我人生已经走到尽头了。你以后要好好做一个君王，首先要敬畏上帝，听上帝的话，按照摩西的律法生活。
“My son, my life is coming to an end. You must be a good king. Above all, fear God, obey Him, and live according to the Law of Moses.
你要勇敢、刚强，不要软弱。
Be strong and courageous. Do not be weak.
如果你一直忠心跟随上帝，按照他的吩咐做事，上帝就会祝福你。
If you remain faithful to God and obey His commands, God will bless you.
上帝以前承诺过：只要我的后代忠心于他，他就会一直祝福并让尊他的人坐在以色列的王位上。”
God promised that if my descendants remain faithful to Him, He will continue to bless them and allow those who honor Him to sit on the throne of Israel.”
然后，大卫开始交代一些历史遗留问题。
Then David began to give Solomon some instructions about some unresolved matters from the past.
他说：
He said:
“有一个人叫约押，他虽然一直是我的元帅，但他做过两件非常严重的事情。
“There is a man named Joab. Although he has been my commander for many years, he has done two very serious things.
他杀了押尼珥和亚玛撒。
He killed Abner and Amasa.
这两个人本来是以色列的将军，可约押却趁着和平的时候把他们杀了。
These two men were commanders in Israel, but Joab killed them during a time of peace.
所以你要按智慧处理约押的问题，不要让他平平安安地活到老。”
So deal wisely with Joab. Do not allow him to grow old and die peacefully.”
接着大卫又说：
Then David continued:
“但是，基列人巴西莱一家对我有恩。
“But the family of Barzillai the Gileadite showed kindness to me.
当年我逃避押沙龙的时候，他们帮助过我，给我送食物。
When I was fleeing from Absalom, they helped me and brought me food.
所以他们的后代，你要善待他们，让他们可以一直在王的席上吃饭。”
So show kindness to their descendants and allow them to eat at the king’s table.”
然后大卫又提到一个人——示每。
Then David mentioned another man—Shimei.
他说：
He said:
“你还记得便雅悯人示每吧？
“Do you remember Shimei, the Benjamite?
当年我逃避押沙龙的时候，他一路骂我、咒诅我。
When I was fleeing from Absalom, he cursed me and insulted me along the way.
后来我重新回来，他又跑来迎接我。
But later, when I returned, he came out to meet me.
我当时已经向上帝发誓，不杀他。
At that time, I swore before God that I would not kill him.
所以我不能亲手杀他。
Therefore, I could not kill him myself.
但你是王，你要小心处理这个人，因为你知道他以前做过什么。”
But you are the king, so deal carefully with this man, because you know what he did in the past.”
说完这些，大卫就去世了。
After saying these things, David died.
大卫一共做了40年以色列的王：在希伯仑7年，在耶路撒冷33年。
David had been king over Israel for forty years: seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
所罗门正式坐上王位，而且他的王权越来越稳固。
Solomon officially took the throne, and his kingdom became increasingly secure.
这时候，亚多尼雅又搞事儿了。
At this point, Adonijah caused trouble again.
他就是之前那个自己想抢王位当王的人。
He was the man who had previously tried to take the throne for himself.
他找到所罗门的妈妈拔示巴，说：
He went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and said:
“嫂子……哦不，母亲，我有件事情求你。”
“Sister-in-law… I mean, Mother, I have a request to make of you.”
拔示巴问：
Bathsheba asked:
“什么事情？”
“What is it?”
亚多尼雅说：
Adonijah said:
“你能不能去跟所罗门说，把书念女子亚比煞嫁给我？”
“Could you please ask Solomon to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife?”
表面上看，这好像只是想娶个老婆。
On the surface, it might seem that he simply wanted to marry a woman.
但其实这件事情非常不简单。
But this was actually much more serious than it appeared.
因为亚比煞曾经服侍年老的大卫王。
Abishag had previously served the aging King David.
在当时的王室政治里，娶前任王的女人，很容易被理解成对王位有企图。
In the royal politics of that time, marrying a woman associated with the former king could easily be understood as a claim to the throne.
所以所罗门一听，就明白了：
So when Solomon heard this, he understood what was really going on:
“你不是单纯想娶她，你还想借这件事重新证明自己有资格做王！”
“You do not simply want to marry her. You are using this to show once again that you have a claim to the throne!”
所罗门非常生气。
Solomon became very angry.
他说：
He said:
“为什么偏偏替亚多尼雅求这个？你干脆直接替他求王位算了！
“Why are you asking for Abishag for Adonijah? You might as well ask for the kingdom for him!
他可是曾经想抢王位的人，而且还有亚比亚他祭司和约押支持他。”
He was the one who previously tried to take the throne, and he had Abiathar the priest and Joab supporting him.”
于是所罗门决定：
So Solomon decided:
亚多尼雅必须死。
Adonijah must die.
比拿雅奉命杀了亚多尼雅。
Benaiah carried out the order and killed Adonijah.
接下来，所罗门处理亚比亚他祭司。
Next, Solomon dealt with Abiathar the priest.
因为亚比亚他当初站在亚多尼雅那一边，支持他抢王位。
Abiathar had supported Adonijah when he tried to take the throne.
所罗门本来可以杀他。
Solomon could have had him killed.
但所罗门说：
But Solomon said:
“你本来应该死，但是你过去曾经跟着我父亲大卫一起受苦，也曾经抬过上帝的约柜，所以我今天不杀你。
“You deserve to die, but you suffered together with my father David, and you also carried the Ark of the Lord, so I will not kill you today.
你回家养老吧，你不再是祭司。”
Go back to your home and retire. You are no longer a priest.”
于是：
So:
亚比亚他的祭司职位被撤掉了。
Abiathar was removed from his position as priest.
这也应验了上帝以前对以利家族说过的话。
This also fulfilled what God had previously spoken concerning the house of Eli.
约押听说王要处理自己，就跑到上帝的帐幕那里，抓住祭坛的角。
When Joab heard that the king was going to deal with him, he fled to the tent of the Lord and held on to the horns of the altar.
因为当时人们认为，抓住祭坛的角可以寻求庇护。
At that time, holding onto the horns of the altar was understood as seeking protection.
比拿雅去告诉他：
Benaiah went to him and said:
“王叫你出来。”
“The king says, ‘Come out.’”
约押说：
Joab replied:
“我不出来，我就在这里死。”
“No. I will die here.”
比拿雅回去告诉所罗门。
Benaiah went back and told Solomon.
所罗门说：
Solomon said:
“既然他不出来，那就在祭坛那里把他杀掉，然后把他埋了。”
“Since he will not come out, kill him there at the altar and then bury him.”
为什么？
Why?
因为约押过去杀了押尼珥和亚玛撒，流了无辜人的血。
Because Joab had previously killed Abner and Amasa and shed innocent blood.
所以所罗门不希望这些血债继续影响大卫家。
Solomon did not want the guilt of their bloodshed to continue to rest upon David’s family.
于是，比拿雅杀了约押。
So Benaiah killed Joab.
随后：
Afterward:
比拿雅接替约押，成为以色列的元帅；撒督接替亚比亚他，成为大祭司。
Benaiah replaced Joab as commander of Israel, and Zadok replaced Abiathar as priest.
最后，所罗门把示每叫来。
Finally, Solomon summoned Shimei.
所罗门对他说：
Solomon said to him:
“你可以继续住在耶路撒冷，但是有一个条件：
“You may continue to live in Jerusalem, but there is one condition:
你不准离开耶路撒冷。
You must not leave Jerusalem.
你哪一天离开耶路撒冷，跑到别的地方去，那一天就是你的死期。”
The day you leave Jerusalem and go somewhere else, that will be the day you die.”
示每说：
Shimei said:
“好，我听王的话。”
“That is good. I will obey the king.”
于是他老老实实住了三年。
So he stayed in Jerusalem for three years.
可是三年以后，他的两个仆人逃到了迦特。
But after three years, two of his servants escaped to Gath.
示每一听：
When Shimei heard this, he said:
“我的仆人跑了？”
“My servants have escaped?”
马上骑驴跑到迦特去找他们。
He immediately saddled his donkey and went to Gath to look for them.
找回来以后，他又回到了耶路撒冷。
After finding them, he brought them back and returned to Jerusalem.
结果有人告诉所罗门：
Then someone told Solomon:
“示每偷偷离开过耶路撒冷，去迦特了。”
“Shimei left Jerusalem and went to Gath.”
所罗门把他叫来：
Solomon summoned him and said:
“我当初不是跟你说得很清楚吗？
“Did I not clearly warn you?
你离开耶路撒冷，就必死。
If you leave Jerusalem, you will die.
你当时也说‘好，我听你的’。
You yourself said, ‘That is good. I will obey you.’
为什么现在又违反自己的承诺？”
Why, then, did you break your promise?”
然后所罗门又说：
Then Solomon continued:
“而且你自己也知道，你以前怎么对待我父亲大卫。
“You yourself know what you did to my father David.
你当年咒骂、侮辱他，这些事情你自己心里清楚。
You cursed and insulted him back then, and you know very well what you did.
所以现在，你自己承担后果。”
So now, you must bear the consequences yourself.”
于是所罗门下令，比拿雅杀了示每。
So Solomon ordered Benaiah to kill Shimei.
这样，国就坚定在所罗门的手中。
And so the kingdom was firmly established in Solomon’s hands.