約書亞記 9
1 約旦河西，住山地、高原，並對着黎巴嫩山沿大海一帶的諸王，就是赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的諸王，聽見這事，
And it comes to pass, when all the kings who [are] beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the Great Sea, toward Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear—
2 就都聚集，同心合意地要與約書亞和以色列人爭戰。
that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel—[with] one mouth.
3 基遍的居民聽見約書亞向耶利哥和艾城所行的事，
And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua has done to Jericho and to Ai,
4 就設詭計，假充使者，拿舊口袋和破裂縫補的舊皮酒袋馱在驢上，
and they work, even they, with subtlety, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their donkeys, and wine-bottles, old, and split, and bound up,
5 將補過的舊鞋穿在腳上，把舊衣服穿在身上；他們所帶的餅都是乾的，長了霉了。
and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments on them, and all the bread of their provision is dry—it was crumbs.
6 他們到吉甲營中見約書亞，對他和以色列人說：「我們是從遠方來的，現在求你與我們立約。」
And they go to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and say to him, and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far-off land, and now, make a covenant with us”;
7 以色列人對這些希未人說：「只怕你們是住在我們中間的；若是這樣，怎能和你們立約呢？」
and the men of Israel say to the Hivite, “It may be [that] you are dwelling in our midst, so how do we make a covenant with you?”
8 他們對約書亞說：「我們是你的僕人。」約書亞問他們說：「你們是甚麼人？是從哪裏來的？」
And they say to Joshua, “We [are] your servants.” And Joshua says to them, “Who [are] you? And where do you come from?”
9 他們回答說：「僕人從極遠之地而來，是因聽見耶和華－你上帝的名聲和他在埃及所行的一切事，
And they say to him, “Your servants have come from a very far-off land, for the Name of your God YHWH, for we have heard His fame, and all that He has done in Egypt,
10 並他向約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王，就是希實本王西宏和在亞斯他錄的巴珊王噩一切所行的事。
and all that He has done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who [is] in Ashtaroth.
11 我們的長老和我們那地的一切居民對我們說：『你們手裏要帶着路上用的食物去迎接以色列人，對他們說：我們是你們的僕人；現在求你們與我們立約。』
And our elderly, and all the inhabitants of our land speak to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and you have said to them: We [are] your servants, and now, make a covenant with us;
12 我們出來要往你們這裏來的日子，從家裏帶出來的這餅還是熱的；看哪，現在都乾了，長了霉了。
this bread of ours—we provided ourselves with it hot out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go to you, and now, behold, it is dry, and has been crumbs;
13 這皮酒袋，我們盛酒的時候還是新的；看哪，現在已經破裂。我們這衣服和鞋，因為道路甚遠，也都穿舊了。」
and these [are] the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and behold, they have split; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.”
14 以色列人受了他們些食物，並沒有求問耶和華。
And the men take of their provision, and have not asked the mouth of YHWH;
15 於是約書亞與他們講和，與他們立約，容他們活着；會眾的首領也向他們起誓。
and Joshua makes peace with them, and makes a covenant with them, to keep them alive; and the princes of the congregation swear to them.
16 以色列人與他們立約之後，過了三天才聽見他們是近鄰，住在以色列人中間的。
And it comes to pass, that at the end of three days after they have made a covenant with them, that they hear that they [are] their neighbors—that they are dwelling in their midst.
17 以色列人起行，第三天到了他們的城邑，就是基遍、基非拉、比錄、基列‧耶琳。
And the sons of Israel journey and come to their cities on the third day—and their cities [are] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim—
18 因為會眾的首領已經指着耶和華－以色列的上帝向他們起誓，所以以色列人不擊殺他們；全會眾就向首領發怨言。
and the sons of Israel have not struck them, for the princes of the congregation have sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel, and all the congregation murmur against the princes.
19 眾首領對全會眾說：「我們已經指着耶和華－以色列的上帝向他們起誓，現在我們不能害他們。
And all the princes say to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them;
20 我們要如此待他們，容他們活着，免得有忿怒因我們所起的誓臨到我們身上。」
we do this to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not on us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.”
21 首領又對會眾說：「要容他們活着。」於是他們為全會眾作了劈柴挑水的人，正如首領對他們所說的話。
And the princes say to them, “They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes spoke to them.”
22 約書亞召了他們來，對他們說：「為甚麼欺哄我們說『我們離你們甚遠』呢？其實你們是住在我們中間。
And Joshua calls for them, and speaks to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, yet you [are] dwelling in our midst?
23 現在你們是被咒詛的！你們中間的人必斷不了作奴僕，為我上帝的殿作劈柴挑水的人。」
And now you are cursed, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God.”
24 他們回答約書亞說：「因為有人實在告訴你的僕人，耶和華－你的上帝曾吩咐他的僕人摩西，把這全地賜給你們，並在你們面前滅絕這地的一切居民，所以我們為你們的緣故甚怕喪命，就行了這事。
And they answer Joshua and say, “Because it was certainly declared to your servants that your God YHWH commanded His servant Moses to give all the land to you, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;
25 現在我們在你手中，你以怎樣待我們為善為正，就怎樣做吧！」
and now, behold, we [are] in your hand, as [it is] good, and as [it is] right in your eyes to do to us—do.”
26 於是約書亞這樣待他們，救他們脫離以色列人的手，以色列人就沒有殺他們。
And he does to them so, and delivers them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;
27 當日約書亞使他們在耶和華所要選擇的地方，為會眾和耶和華的壇作劈柴挑水的人，直到今日。
and on that day Joshua makes them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of YHWH, to this day, at the place which He chooses.
