< 約書亞記 7 >

1 以色列子民在應毀滅之物上犯了罪;那是因為猶大支派中,則辣黑的曾孫,匝貝狄的孫子,加爾米的兒子阿干,取了應毀滅之物,上主對以色列子民發了大怒。
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore the LORD’s anger burnt against the children of Israel.
2 若蘇厄從耶利哥派人到哈依去,──這城位於貝特耳東方貝特阿文附近──吩咐他們說:「你們上去,偵察那地。」那些人便上去偵察了哈衣。
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” The men went up and spied out Ai.
3 他們回來對若蘇厄說:「不需要眾百姓都上去,只派兩三人去攻打哈依就夠了,不必勞動全體百姓,因為他們人數不多。」
They returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.”
4 這樣百姓中約有三千人上去攻打哈依,不料他們由哈依人面前避跑了。
So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.
5 哈依人出擊,殺了他們約有三十六人,從城門前追擊他們,直追到舍巴陵,在斜坡上又殺敗了他們,因此百姓的勇氣像水一樣消散了。
The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them. They chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.
6 若蘇厄撕破自己自己的衣服,和以色列的長老,在上主約櫃前俯伏在地,一直到晚上,各在頭上撒上灰土。
Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the LORD’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
7 若蘇厄說:「唉,我主上主! 你為什麼領這百姓渡過約旦河,是為將我們交於阿摩黎人手中,讓我們消滅嗎﹖巴不得我們住在約旦河那邊倒好!
Joshua said, “Alas, Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!
8 唉我主! 以色列人既然由敵人前轉身逃跑,我還說什麼呢﹖
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
9 當客納罕人和這地方所有的居民聽說這事,必來圍攻我們,從地上將我們的名字抹去,那時你對你的大名要怎樣辦呢。」
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
10 上主對若蘇厄說:「起來,為什麼老是伏在地上﹖
The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?
11 以色列犯了罪,違背了我在盟約上給他們規定的,取了應毀滅之物,又偷又騙,並將應毀滅之物放在自己行囊裏。
Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it amongst their own stuff.
12 以色列所以扺擋不了敵人,由敵人前轉身逃跑,是因為他們成了應詛咒,除非你們將那應毀滅之物,由你們中間除掉,我不再與你們同在。
Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from amongst you.
13 起來,叫百姓聖潔自己,吩咐他們說:你們明天要聖潔自己,因為上主以色列的天主這樣說:以色列! 你們中間有應毀滅之物,除非將應毀滅之物,由你們中間除掉,你們決抵擋不住敵人
Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing amongst you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from amongst you.”
14 所以明早你們應按支派前來。上主使那支派中籤,這支派的宗族都應前來;上主使那宗族中籤,這家族的宗族都應前來;上主使那家室中籤,這家的男子應一個一個地前來。
In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects shall come near by families. The family which the LORD selects shall come near by households. The household which the LORD selects shall come near man by man.
15 若藏有應毀滅之物火人中了籤,他和他所有的一切都應用火焚燒,因為他違犯了上主的約定,在以色列中間做了糊塗的事。」
It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the LORD’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
16 若蘇厄清早起來,命以色列按著支派一一前來,猶大支派中了籤。
So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
17 他叫猶大支派前來,則辣黑宗族中了籤;遂叫則辣黑宗族前來,則貝狄家室前來,宗族中了籤;
He brought near the family of Judah, and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected.
18 此後,又叫他的家室前來,叫男丁一個一個地前來,阿干中了籤──阿干是加爾米的兒子,加爾米是匝貝狄的兒子,匝貝狄是則辣黑的兒子,屬猶大支派。
He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 若蘇厄遂對阿干說:「我兒,你應歸光榮於上主,以色列的天主,向衪認罪。請告訴我,你作了什麼事,不要隱瞞我。」
Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!”
20 阿干回答若蘇厄說:「我實在得罪了上主,以色列的天主。我是如此這般作的;
Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
21 我在戰利品中,見了一件美麗的史納爾外氅,二百「協刻耳」銀子,一條重五十「協刻耳」的金條,我因貪愛便拿走了,現在藏在我帳幕中的地下,銀子在這些東西的下面。」
When I saw amongst the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
22 若蘇厄即刻派差役跑到他帳幕裏面,果然那些東西在帳幕內藏著,銀子在下面。
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
23 差役便從帳幕裏拿出來,帶到若蘇厄和所有以色列子民那裏,擺在上主面前。
They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before the LORD.
24 若蘇厄和所有以色列人,將則辣黑的曾孫阿干和那銀子、外氅、金條,並他的子女、牛、驢、羊、帳幕,以及他所有的一切,都帶到阿苛爾山谷。
Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25 若蘇厄說:「你為什麼給我們招來禍患﹖今天上主必要叫你招禍。」以色列民眾於是用石頭將他砸死。眾人用石頭砸死以後,將一切用火燒了。
Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burnt them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26 以後,又在阿干身上堆上了一大堆石頭,這堆石頭一直存到今日;上主於是撤回了盛怒,因此那地方直到今日叫做阿苛爾山谷。
They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.

< 約書亞記 7 >