< 約書亞記 3 >
1 若蘇厄清早起來,同所有的以色列子民由史廷出發,來到弓約旦河,住在那裏,等候過河。
Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They lodged there before they passed over.
It happened after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
3 吩咐百姓說:「你們一看見上主你們天主的約櫃,和抬約櫃的肋未人,他們便你們所住的地方起身,跟著它走,
and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall move from your place, and follow it.
4 好使你們知道你們應走的路,因為這條路你們從來沒有走過。但在你們與約櫃之間,相隔二千肘,不可走近約櫃。」
However, keep a distance of about two thousand nine hundred fifty-three feet between yourselves and the ark. Do not come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before."
5 若蘇厄對百姓說:「你們應該自潔,因為上主明天要在你們中間行神蹟。
Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."
6 若蘇厄又吩咐司祭說:「你們抬起約櫃,在百姓前過河。」他們遂抬起約櫃,走在百姓前面。
Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people." They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7 上主對若蘇厄說:「今天我要開始在眾以色列眼前顯揚你,使他們知道,我要與你同在,有如過去我與梅瑟同在一樣。
The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
8 你吩咐抬約櫃的司祭說:「你們一到約旦河的水邊,就停在約旦河邊。」
You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
9 若蘇厄又吩咐以色列子民說:「他們前來靜聽上主你們天主的話。」
Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God."
10 若蘇厄遂說:「你們由此可知道,永生的天主是在你們中間,衪必由你們面前,將客納罕人、赫特人、希威人、培黎齊人、基爾加士人、阿摩黎人和耶步斯人趕走。
Joshua said, "Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, and the Hethite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you.
Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
12 現在,你們應從以色列支派中,挑選十二人,每支派一人。
Now therefore take twelve men from the children of Israel, one man for each tribe.
13 當抬大地的主宰上主約櫃的司祭的腳掌,一踏入約旦河的水,約旦河的水就必中斷,由上流下的水要停,像一道堤。
It shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap."
14 當百姓起程離開帳幕要到約旦河時,司祭抬著約櫃,走在百姓的前面。
It happened, when the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people,
15 當抬約櫃的司祭到了約旦河,他們的腳一踏入水邊,──原來約旦河在整個收割期間,水常漲至河岸──
and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest),
16 水就停住了:由上流下的水像一道堤,停在很遠的地方,遠至匝爾堂附近的阿當城;往下流入的水像一道堤,停在很遠的地方,遠至匝爾堂附近的阿當城;往下流入阿辣巴海,即鹽海的水,已全退去;於是百姓在耶利哥對面過了河。
that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 當全以色列人在旱地上渡過時,抬上主約櫃的司祭穩立在約旦河中的旱地上直到全民眾都渡過約旦河。
The priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.