約書亞記 22

1 那時若蘇厄將勒烏本人加特人和默納協半支派的人召來，

Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

2 對他們說：「上主僕人梅瑟吩咐你們的一切，你們都遵守了，在我吩咐他們的一切事上，你們也都聽了我的話。

and said unto them: 'Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have hearkened unto my voice in all that I commanded you;

3 這許多日子，你們從來沒有你們的的弟兄，直到今天，忠信遵守了上主你們天主的命令。

ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.

4 現在上主我們的天主，照衪所應許的，使你們的弟兄獲得了安居，你們現在可返回自己的帳幕，回到上主的僕人梅瑟在約旦河東岸，賜你們為產業的地方去，

And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as He spoke unto them; therefore now turn ye, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan.

5 只要要你們遵守上主的僕人梅瑟吩咐你們的誡命和法律：愛慕上主你們的天主，遵行衪的一切道路，謹守衪的誡命，全心人靈歸屬上主，服事上主。」

Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.'

6 若蘇厄於是祝福了他們，打發他們回去；他們就返回了自己的帳幕。──

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went unto their tents.

7 梅瑟在巴商已分給了默納協半支派土地。至於另半個支派，若蘇厄在約旦河西，在他們的弟兄中，也分給了他們土地，此外，當若蘇厄打發他們回帳幕的時候，祝福了他們，

Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but unto the other half gave Joshua among their brethren beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away unto their tents, he blessed them,

8 向他們說：「現在你們帶著這許多財物、牛、羊、金銀、銅鐵，和大批衣服回到自己的帳幕，也要將你們從由敵人奪得的財物，分給你們的弟兄! 」

and spoke unto them, saying: 'Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.'

9 勒烏本人、召集人和默納協半支派的人，於是從客納罕的史羅起身，離開以色列人，回到自己得為產業的基肋阿得，即上主藉梅瑟吩咐給他們作為產業的地方。

And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

10 當勒烏本人、加得和默納協半支派的人來到屬客納罕地的約旦河附近地區時，在約旦河邊築了一座祭壇，一座高大可觀的祭壇。

And when they came unto the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon.

11 以色列人聽見說：「看，勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派的人，在屬客納罕地的約旦河附近地區，以色列子民境內，築了一座祭壇。」

And the children of Israel heard say: 'Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel.'

12 以色列子民一聽說這事，全會眾便聚集在史羅，要去作戰攻打他們。

And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

13 以色列子民便委派厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯司祭，到基肋阿得地方去見勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派人，

And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest;

14 和他們同去的尚有十位領袖，每支派一個，他們都是以色列各家族的族長。

and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were every one of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel.

15 他們來到基肋阿得地方，見勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派人，向他們說：

And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying:

16 「上主的全會眾這樣說：你們相反以色列的天主，犯這不信的罪，有什麼意思﹖為什麼你們今天離開上主，另建立祭壇，公開背叛上主﹖

'Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD: What treachery is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, to rebel this day against the LORD?

17 以前敬拜培敖爾的罪萵為我們還不夠嗎﹖為了那個罪過，災禍降於上主的會眾，直到今天，我們還沒洗淨：

Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves unto this day, although there came a plague upon the congregation of the LORD,

18 看，你們今天又要離開上主，你們今天違背上主，明天衪必向以色列全會眾發怒。

that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to-day against the LORD, that to-morrow He will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 如果你們認為所得的地方不潔，可以回到上主的地方，上主帳幕的所在地，住在我們中間；決不可違背上主，激怒我們，在上主我們的祭壇以外，為自己另築祭壇。

Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us; but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God.

20 以前則辣黑的子孫阿干，在應毀滅的財物上犯了不忠之罪，雖只他一人犯罪，憤怒豈不是臨到以色列全會眾﹖死在他罪過中的不只他一人」。

Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass concerning the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.'

21 勒烏本人、加得和默納協半支派的人，回答以色列的首長說：

Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke unto the heads of the thousands of Israel:

22 「大能者天主上主，大能者天主上主清楚知道，以色列也明白：如果我們有違背或干犯上主的事，願衪今天別救我們!

'God, God, the LORD, God, God, the LORD, He knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in treachery against the LORD — save Thou us not this day —

23 如果我們建築這祭壇，有意離開上主，或有意在祭壇上祭全燔祭、素祭或和平祭，願上主自己懲罰我們!

that we have built us an altar to turn away from following the LORD; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let the LORD Himself require it;

24 我們做這事，其實正是顧慮到：將來你們的子孫會對我們的子孫說：你們和上主以色列的天主有什麼關係﹖

and if we have not rather out of anxiety about a matter done this, saying: In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying: What have ye to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

25 天主定了約旦河為我們和你們勒烏本和和得人之間的界限，你們和上主已沒有分子。這樣你們的子孫必使我們的的子孫不再敬畏上主。

for the LORD hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in the LORD; so might your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

26 因此我們想：我們還是建築一座祭壇，不是為獻全燔祭，也不是為祭獻犧牲，

Therefore we said: Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice;

27 只是為在你我之間，在你我後人之間作一證據，證明我們願在上主面前以全燔祭犧牲及和平祭敬禮上主，免得日後你們的子孫對我們的子孫說：你們與上主已沒有分子o

but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come: Ye have no portion in the LORD.

28 因此我們想：日後如有人對我們或我們的子孫說，我們可以說：你們試看我們的祖先所築的上主的祭壇的式樣，不是為獻全燔祭，也不是為獻犧牲，而是為作你我之間的證劇。

Therefore said we: It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say: Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.

29 我們今天沒有意思違背上主，離開上主，在上主我們天主的帳幕前的祭壇以外，為獻全墦祭、素祭和犧牲，另建立一祭壇。」

Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before His tabernacle.'

30 司祭丕乃哈斯和同他同來的會眾的首領，即以色列人的族長，聽了勒烏本人、加得人和默納協人所的話，都表示滿意。

And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.

31 厄肋阿則爾的兒子丕乃哈司祭對勒烏本人、加得人和默納協人說：「今天我們知道上主是在我們中間，因為你們對上主沒有犯過這樣不忠信的罪，現在你們由上主手中救了以色列子民。」

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh: 'This day we know that the LORD is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this treachery against the LORD; now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.'

32 厄肋阿則爾的兒子丕乃哈司祭和首領便離開勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派的人，從基肋阿得地方回到客納罕地見以色列子民，給他們報告了這事。

And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them back word.

33 以色列子民對這報告都表示滿意，遂頌揚上主，不再想作戰攻打勒烏本人和加得人，毀滅他們所住的地方。

And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.

34 勒烏本人和加得人給那祭壇起名叫「赫得，」因為他們說：「這祭壇在我們中間證明上主是真天主。」

And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar —: 'for it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.'