Joshua 22

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

當時，約書亞召了呂便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人來，

2 and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you.

對他們說：「耶和華僕人摩西所吩咐你們的，你們都遵守了；我所吩咐你們的，你們也都聽從了。

3 You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of Jehovah your God.

你們這許多日子，總沒有撇離你們的弟兄，直到今日，並守了耶和華－你們上帝所吩咐你們當守的。

4 Now Jehovah your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan.

如今耶和華－你們上帝照着他所應許的，使你們弟兄得享平安，現在可以轉回你們的帳棚，到耶和華的僕人摩西在約旦河東所賜你們為業之地。

5 Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

只要切切地謹慎遵行耶和華僕人摩西所吩咐你們的誡命律法，愛耶和華－你們的上帝，行他一切的道，守他的誡命，專靠他，盡心盡性事奉他。」

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

於是約書亞為他們祝福，打發他們去，他們就回自己的帳棚去了。

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

瑪拿西那半支派，摩西早已在巴珊分給他們地業。這半支派，約書亞在約旦河西，在他們弟兄中，分給他們地業。約書亞打發他們回帳棚的時候為他們祝福，

8 and spoke to them, saying, "Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

對他們說：「你們帶許多財物，許多牲畜和金、銀、銅、鐵，並許多衣服，回你們的帳棚去，要將你們從仇敵奪來的物，與你們眾弟兄同分。」

9 The descendants of Reuben and the descendants 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 to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Jehovah by Moses.

於是呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人從迦南地的示羅起行，離開以色列人，回往他們得為業的基列地，就是照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐的得了為業之地。

10 When they came to the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.

呂便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人到了靠近約旦河的一帶迦南地，就在約旦河那裏築了一座壇；那壇看着高大。

11 The children of Israel heard this, "Look, the descendants of Reuben and the descendants 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 pertains to the children of Israel."

以色列人聽說呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人靠近約旦河邊，在迦南地屬以色列人的那邊築了一座壇。

12 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.

全會眾一聽見，就聚集在示羅，要上去攻打他們。

13 The children of Israel sent to the descendants of Reuben, and to the descendants of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,

以色列人打發祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈，往基列地去見呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人；

14 and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and every one of them heads of ancestral houses among the thousands of Israel.

又打發十個首領與非尼哈同去，就是以色列每支派的一個首領，都是以色列軍中的統領。

15 They came to the descendants of Reuben, and to the descendants of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

他們到了基列地，見呂便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人，對他們說：

16 "Thus says the whole congregation of Jehovah, 'What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that you have built you an altar, to rebel this day against Jehovah?

「耶和華全會眾這樣說，你們今日轉去不跟從耶和華，干犯以色列的上帝，為自己築一座壇，悖逆了耶和華，這犯的是甚麼罪呢？

17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of Jehovah,

從前拜毗珥的罪孽還算小嗎？雖然瘟疫臨到耶和華的會眾，到今日我們還沒有洗淨這罪。

18 that you must turn away this day from following Jehovah? It will be, seeing that you rebel today against Jehovah, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

你們今日竟轉去不跟從耶和華嗎？你們今日既悖逆耶和華，明日他必向以色列全會眾發怒。

19 However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of Jehovah, in which Jehovah's tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against Jehovah, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the altar of Jehovah our God.

你們所得為業之地，若嫌不潔淨，就可以過到耶和華之地，就是耶和華的帳幕所住之地，在我們中間得地業。只是不可悖逆耶和華，也不可得罪我們，在耶和華－我們上帝的壇以外為自己築壇。

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man did not perish alone in his iniquity.'"

從前謝拉的曾孫亞干豈不是在那當滅的物上犯了罪，就有忿怒臨到以色列全會眾嗎？那人在所犯的罪中不獨一人死亡。」

21 Then the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,

於是呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人回答以色列軍中的統領說：

22 "El, God, Jehovah. El, God, Jehovah. He knows; and Israel shall know. If it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah, do not save us this day,

「大能者上帝耶和華！大能者上帝耶和華！他是知道的！以色列人也必知道！我們若有悖逆的意思，或是干犯耶和華（願你今日不保佑我們），

23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Jehovah; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let Jehovah himself require it.

為自己築壇，要轉去不跟從耶和華，或是要將燔祭、素祭、平安祭獻在壇上，願耶和華親自討我們的罪。

24 If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your descendants might speak to our descendants, saying, "What have you to do with Jehovah, the God of Israel?

我們行這事並非無故，是特意做的，說：恐怕日後你們的子孫對我們的子孫說：『你們與耶和華－以色列的上帝有何關涉呢？

25 For Jehovah has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you descendants of Reuben and descendants of Gad. You have no portion in Jehovah."' So your children might make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.

因為耶和華把約旦河定為我們和你們這呂便人、迦得人的交界，你們與耶和華無分了。』這樣，你們的子孫就使我們的子孫不再敬畏耶和華了。

26 Therefore we said, 'Let's now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;

因此我們說：『不如為自己築一座壇，不是為獻燔祭，也不是為獻別的祭，

27 but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of Jehovah before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;' that your descendants may not tell our descendants in time to come, 'You have no portion in Jehovah.'

乃是為你我中間和你我後人中間作證據，好叫我們也在耶和華面前獻燔祭、平安祭，和別的祭事奉他，免得你們的子孫日後對我們的子孫說，你們與耶和華無分了。』

28 Therefore we said, 'It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, "Look the pattern of the altar of Jehovah, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you."'

所以我們說：『日後你們對我們，或對我們的後人這樣說，我們就可以回答說，你們看我們列祖所築的壇是耶和華壇的樣式；這並不是為獻燔祭，也不是為獻別的祭，乃是為作你我中間的證據。』

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

我們在耶和華－我們上帝帳幕前的壇以外，另築一座壇，為獻燔祭、素祭，和別的祭，悖逆耶和華，今日轉去不跟從他，我們斷沒有這個意思。」

30 When Phinehas the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well.

祭司非尼哈與會中的首領，就是與他同來以色列軍中的統領，聽見呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西人所說的話，就都以為美。

31 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, to the descendants of Gad, and to the descendants of Manasseh, "Today we know that Jehovah is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this trespass against Jehovah. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah."

祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈對呂便人、迦得人、瑪拿西人說：「今日我們知道耶和華在我們中間，因為你們沒有向他犯了這罪。現在你們救以色列人脫離耶和華的手了。」

32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the leaders, returned from the descendants of Reuben, and from the descendants of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.

祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈與眾首領離了呂便人、迦得人，從基列地回往迦南地，到了以色列人那裏，便將這事回報他們。

33 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 in which the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad lived.

以色列人以這事為美，就稱頌上帝，不再提上去攻打呂便人、迦得人、毀壞他們所住的地了。

34 The descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad called the altar: "A witness between us that Jehovah is God."

呂便人、迦得人給壇起名叫證壇，意思說：這壇在我們中間證明耶和華是上帝。