全新四年樂活讀經
W5 2013-02-15 (斯9)
經文：九20-28
9:20 末底改記錄這事，寫信與亞哈隨魯王各省遠近所有的猶大人，
9:21 囑咐他們每年守亞達月十四、十五兩日，
9:22 以這月的兩日為猶大人脫離仇敵得平安、轉憂為喜、轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂，彼此餽送禮物，賙濟窮人。
9:23 於是，猶大人按著末底改所寫與他們的信，應承照初次所守的守為永例；
9:24 是因猶大人的仇敵亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼設謀殺害猶大人，掣普珥，就是掣籤，為要殺盡滅絕他們；
9:25 這事報告於王，王便降旨使哈曼謀害猶大人的惡事歸到他自己的頭上，並吩咐把他和他的眾子都掛在木架上。
9:26 照著普珥的名字，猶大人就稱這兩日為「普珥日」。他們因這信上的話，又因所看見所遇見的事，
9:27 就應承自己與後裔，並歸附他們的人，每年按時必守這兩日，永遠不廢。
9:28 各省各城、家家戶戶、世世代代紀念遵守這兩日，使這「普珥日」在猶大人中不可廢掉，在他們後裔中也不可忘記。
默想: 普珥(Purim)本來是是波斯人在卜卦中所得到的一個簽名。這是由哈曼所挈得的，就是在亞達月(Adar)的十三日，以這一天為滅除猶大人的吉日。但是不料哈曼在末底改的面前敗落，亞達月十三日不但沒有滅除猶大人，反了成了猶大人除滅一切仇敵的日子。所以讓來，猶大人皮定每年亞達月十四、十五兩日(約在陽曆的二、三月)為普珥日。用這個日子來紀念「猶大人脫離仇敵得平安、轉憂為喜、轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂，彼此餽送禮物，賙濟窮人」(九22)
這樣的翻轉，實在是充滿了戲劇性，也讓我們看到，在人是不能，但是在神沒有難成的事。雖然在我們的生活之中，上帝常常是看不見的，但是上帝是聽禱告的上帝，也是在歷史中掌權行奇事的上帝。
題目: 你對於普珥日的歷史背景有何感想呢？
9:1 十二月，乃亞達月十三日，王的諭旨將要舉行，就是猶大人的仇敵盼望轄制他們的日子，猶大人反倒轄制恨他們的人。
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to get the mastery over them, but which had been changed to a day when the Jews should get the mastery over their foes,
9:2 猶大人在亞哈隨魯王各省的城裡聚集，下手擊殺那要害他們的人。無人能敵擋他們，因為各族都懼怕他們。
the Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasu-e'rus to lay hands on such as sought their hurt. And no one could make a stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.
9:3 各省的首領、總督、省長，和辦理王事的人，因懼怕末底改，就都幫助猶大人。
All the princes of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal officials also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mor'decai had fallen upon them.
9:4 末底改在朝中為大，名聲傳遍各省，日漸昌盛。
For Mor'decai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mor'decai grew more and more powerful.
9:5 猶大人用刀擊殺一切仇敵，任意殺滅恨他們的人。
So the Jews smote all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.
9:6 在書珊城，猶大人殺滅了五百人；
In Susa the capital itself the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men,
9:7 又殺巴珊大他、達分、亞斯帕他、
and also slew Par-shan-da'tha and Dalphon and Aspa'tha
9:8 破拉他、亞大利雅、亞利大他、
and Pora'tha and Ada'lia and Arida'tha
9:9 帕瑪斯他、亞利賽、亞利代、瓦耶撒他；
and Parmash'ta and Ar'isai and Ar'idai and Vaiza'tha,
9:10 這十人都是哈米大他的孫子、猶大人仇敵哈曼的兒子。猶大人卻沒有下手奪取財物。
the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammeda'tha, the enemy of the Jews; but they laid no hand on the plunder.
9:11 當日，將書珊城被殺的人數呈在王前。
That very day the number of those slain in Susa the capital was reported to the king.
9:12 王對王后以斯帖說：「猶大人在書珊城殺滅了五百人，又殺了哈曼的十個兒子，在王的各省不知如何呢？現在你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你還求甚麼，也必為你成就。」
And the king said to Queen Esther, "In Susa the capital the Jews have slain five hundred men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled."
9:13 以斯帖說：「王若以為美，求你准書珊的猶大人，明日也照今日的旨意行，並將哈曼十個兒子的屍首掛在木架上。」
And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows."
9:14 王便允准如此行。旨意傳在書珊，人就把哈曼十個兒子的屍首掛起來了。
So the king commanded this to be done; a decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.
9:15 亞達月十四日，書珊的猶大人又聚集在書珊，殺了三百人，卻沒有下手奪取財物。
The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they slew three hundred men in Susa; but they laid no hands on the plunder.
9:16 在王各省其餘的猶大人也都聚集保護性命，殺了恨他們的人七萬五千，卻沒有下手奪取財物。這樣，就脫離仇敵，得享平安。
Now the other Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies, and slew seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they laid no hands on the plunder.
9:17 亞達月十三日，行了這事；十四日安息，以這日為設筵歡樂的日子。
This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness.
9:18 但書珊的猶大人，這十三日、十四日聚集殺戮仇敵；十五日安息，以這日為設筵歡樂的日子。
But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness.
9:19 所以住無城牆鄉村的猶大人，如今都以亞達月十四日為設筵歡樂的吉日，彼此餽送禮物。
Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the open towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting and holiday-making, and a day on which they send choice portions to one another.
9:20 末底改記錄這事，寫信與亞哈隨魯王各省遠近所有的猶大人，
And Mor'decai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasu-e'rus, both near and far,
9:21 囑咐他們每年守亞達月十四、十五兩日，
enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year,
9:22 以這月的兩日為猶大人脫離仇敵得平安、轉憂為喜、轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂，彼此餽送禮物，賙濟窮人。
as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending choice portions to one another and gifts to the poor.
9:23 於是，猶大人按著末底改所寫與他們的信，應承照初次所守的守為永例；
So the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mor'decai had written to them.
9:24 是因猶大人的仇敵亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼設謀殺害猶大人，掣普珥，就是掣籤，為要殺盡滅絕他們；
For Haman the Ag'agite, the son of Hammeda'tha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to crush and destroy them;
9:25 這事報告於王，王便降旨使哈曼謀害猶大人的惡事歸到他自己的頭上，並吩咐把他和他的眾子都掛在木架上。
but when Esther came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his wicked plot which he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
9:26 照著普珥的名字，猶大人就稱這兩日為「普珥日」。他們因這信上的話，又因所看見所遇見的事，
Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. And therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had befallen them,
9:27 就應承自己與後裔，並歸附他們的人，每年按時必守這兩日，永遠不廢。
the Jews ordained and took it upon themselves and their descendants and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year,
9:28 各省各城、家家戶戶、世世代代紀念遵守這兩日，使這「普珥日」在猶大人中不可廢掉，在他們後裔中也不可忘記。
that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every family, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
9:29 亞比孩的女兒─王后以斯帖和猶大人末底改以全權寫第二封信，堅囑猶大人守這「普珥日」，
Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Ab'ihail, and Mor'decai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim.
9:30 用和平誠實話寫信給亞哈隨魯王國中一百二十七省所有的猶大人，
Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasu-e'rus, in words of peace and truth,
9:31 勸他們按時守這「普珥日」，禁食呼求，是照猶大人末底改和王后以斯帖所囑咐的，也照猶大人為自己與後裔所應承的。
that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mor'decai the Jew and Queen Esther enjoined upon the Jews, and as they had laid down for themselves and for their descendants, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting.
9:32 以斯帖命定守「普珥日」，這事也記錄在書上。
The command of Queen Esther fixed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
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