約書亞記 24

1 若蘇厄又聚集以色列眾支派來到舍根，也召集了以色列長老、首領，和官長，叫他們立在官長面前，

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

2 若蘇厄對全民眾說：「上主以色列的天主這樣說：從前你們的祖先亞巴郎和納曷爾的父親特辣黑，住在大河那邊，事奉別的神明。

And Joshua said unto all the people: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.

3 我將你們的祖先亞巴郎從大河那邊召來，領他們走遍客納罕全地，使他的後裔繁多，賜給了他依撒格。

And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

4 我又將雅各伯和厄撒烏賜給了依撒格；將色依爾山區賜給了厄撒烏作產業；雅各伯卻和他的兒子下到了埃及。

And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau; and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; and Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5 以後，我派遺了梅瑟和亞郎，在埃及行奇跡，打擊了埃及，然後將你們領了出來。

And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did in the midst thereof; and afterward I brought you out.

6 當我領你們的祖先離開埃及來到海邊時，埃及人率領車輛兵馬，追趕你們的祖先直到紅海。

And I brought your fathers out of Egypt; and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and with horsemen unto the Red Sea.

7 當他們呼求上主時，上主便在你們和埃及人之間突降濃霧，仗海水流回淹沒了他們。我在埃及所行的，你們都親眼見過。以後你們在曠野住了很久。

And when they cried out unto the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt; and ye dwelt in the wilderness many days.

8 當我領你們到了住在約旦河東阿摩黎人的地域時，你們曾攻擊過你們，但我將你們交在你們手中，使你們佔領他們的地方，由你們面前消滅了他們。

And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that dwelt beyond the Jordan; and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and ye possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

9 那時摩阿布王，漆頗爾的兒子巴拉克起來攻擊以色列，並派人叫貝敖爾的兒子巴郎來詛咒你們。

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel; and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.

10 但是我不想俯聽巴郎，他反而祝福了你們。這樣，我從他手中救了你們。

But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he even blessed you; so I delivered you out of his hand.

11 以後你們渡過約旦河來到耶利哥，耶利哥的居民同你們作，以後有阿摩黎人、培黎齊人、客納罕人。赫特人、基爾加士人、希威人和耶步斯人，都同你們作過戰，但我將他們都交在你們手中。

And ye went over the Jordan, and came unto Jericho; and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.

12 我並派黃蜂在你們前，將阿摩黎人的兩個王子，從你們面前趕走，並未用你們的劍，也未用你們的弓。

And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

13 這樣，我把未經你們開墾的地，賜給了你們；把未經你們建築的城，賜給了你們居住；將未經你們種植的葡萄園和橄欖樹林，賜給了你們作食物。

And I gave you a land whereon thou hadst not laboured, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell therein; of vineyards and olive-yards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14 所以你們應該敬畏上主，誠心敬地事奉衪，拋棄你們祖先在大河那邊和埃及所事奉的神，惟獨事奉上主。

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

15 若是你們不樂意事奉上主，那麼今天就揀選你們所願事奉的，或是你們祖先在大河那邊所事奉的神，或是你們現住地的阿摩黎人的神；至於我和我的家族，我們一定要事奉上主。」

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.'

16 眾百姓回答說：「我們絕對不願背棄上主，去事奉其他的神!

And the people answered and said: 'Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

17 因為上主是我們的天主，是衪領我們和我們的祖先出離了埃及地，為奴之家，在我們眼前行了絕大的神蹟，在我們所走的一切路上，在我們所經過的一切民族中，紿終保護了我們。

for the LORD our God, He it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed;

18 上主更從我們面前，趕走了所有的異族，和住在這地的阿摩黎人。為此我們必要事奉上主，因為衪是我們的天主。」

and the LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land; therefore we also will serve the LORD; for He is our God.'

19 若蘇厄對百姓說：「你們不能事奉上主，因為衪是神聖不可侵犯的天主，是忌邪的天主，衪決不寬赦你們的過犯和罪惡，

And Joshua said unto the people: 'Ye cannot serve the LORD; for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression nor your sins.

20 如果你們背棄上主，去事奉外邦的神，在衪恩待你們之後，衪必轉而向你們降禍，消滅你們。

If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that He hath done you good.'

21 百姓答覆若蘇厄說：「決不! 我們一定要事奉上主! 」

And the people said unto Joshua: 'Nay; but we will serve the LORD.'

22 若蘇厄對百姓說：「這是你們自己對自己作證，要選擇事奉上主! 」他們答說：「我們自己作證。」

And Joshua said unto the people: 'Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve Him. — And they said: 'We are witnesses.' —

23 「那麼，你們應除掉你們中間的外邦神，一心歸向上主，以色列的天主。」

Now therefore put away the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD, the God of Israel.'

24 百姓答覆若蘇厄說：「我們決定事奉上主，我們的天主，必聽從衪的聲音。」

And the people said unto Joshua: 'The LORD our God will we serve, and unto His voice will we hearken.'

25 當天若蘇厄便與百姓立約，在舍根為他們立定了誡命和典章。

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

26 若蘇厄將這些話都寫在天主的法律書上；又取了一塊一石，立在上主聖所旁邊的篤耨樹下。

And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

27 g寸全民眾說：「看! 這塊石頭將作我們的見證，因為這塊石頭聽見了上主對我們所說的一切話。這塊石頭也將作你們的見證，以免你們背棄你們的天主。」

And Joshua said unto all the people: 'Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke unto us; it shall be therefore a witness against you, lest ye deny your God.'

28 此後，若蘇厄便打發百姓各回到的地業去了。

So Joshua sent the people away, every man unto his inheritance.

29 這事以後，上主的僕人，農的兒子若蘇厄便去了世，享年一百一十歲。

And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old.

30 人將埋葬在阿士山北，厄弗辣因山區的提默納特色辣黑自己的產業內。

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.

31 若蘇厄在世時以及在他死後，那些知道上主為以色列所行的一切事蹟的長老們在世時，以色列人常事奉了上主。

And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of the LORD, that He had wrought for Israel.

32 以色列子民也將從埃及抬回來的若瑟遺骸，埋葬在舍根的田裏。那塊地是雅各伯用一百銀錢，由舍根的父親，哈摩爾的子孫手中買來的；這塊地便成了若瑟子孫的產業。

And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

33 亞郎的兒子厄肋阿匝爾也死了。人將他埋葬在基貝亞，即他的兒子丕乃哈斯在厄弗辣因山地分得的城內。

And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in the Hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.