< Joshua 7 >

1 However, the Israelites had not been faithful regarding those things set apart for the Lord. Achan had taken some of them which made the Lord very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
以色列人在當滅的物上犯了罪;因為猶大支派中,謝拉的曾孫,撒底的孫子,迦米的兒子亞干取了當滅的物;耶和華的怒氣就向以色列人發作。
2 Joshua sent men from the camp near Jericho to the town of Ai, which is near Bethaven, east of Bethel. “Go and explore the land,” he told them. So they went and explored around Ai.
當下,約書亞從耶利哥打發人往伯特利東邊、靠近伯‧亞文的艾城去,吩咐他們說:「你們上去窺探那地。」他們就上去窺探艾城。
3 When they returned they told Joshua, “The whole army isn't needed. Two or three thousand men is enough to go and attack Ai. Don't bother sending everyone—there's only a few of them.”
他們回到約書亞那裏,對他說:「眾民不必都上去,只要二三千人上去就能攻取艾城;不必勞累眾民都去,因為那裏的人少。」
4 So around three thousand men went to fight, but they were beaten by the men of Ai and they ran away.
於是民中約有三千人上那裏去,竟在艾城人面前逃跑了。
5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing the Israelites from the town gate until they were defeated, killing them on their way down. At this the Israelites became afraid, losing all their courage.
艾城的人擊殺了他們三十六人,從城門前追趕他們,直到示巴琳,在下坡殺敗他們;眾民的心就消化如水。
6 Joshua ripped his clothes and fell down with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord until the evening. The elders did likewise, and he and the elders threw dust on their heads.
約書亞便撕裂衣服;他和以色列的長老把灰撒在頭上,在耶和華的約櫃前俯伏在地,直到晚上。
7 Joshua cried, “Why, oh why, Lord God, did you bring us across the Jordan River only to hand us over to the Amorites for them to destroy us? We should have been satisfied to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
約書亞說:「哀哉!主耶和華啊,你為甚麼竟領這百姓過約旦河,將我們交在亞摩利人的手中,使我們滅亡呢?我們不如住在約旦河那邊倒好。
8 Excuse me, Lord, but what can I say now that Israel has turned tail and run away from its enemies?
主啊,以色列人既在仇敵面前轉背逃跑,我還有甚麼可說的呢?
9 The Canaanites and everyone living in the land will come and surround us and wipe us out so completely that even our name will be forgotten. Then what will happen to your great reputation?”
迦南人和這地一切的居民聽見了就必圍困我們,將我們的名從地上除滅。那時你為你的大名要怎樣行呢?」
10 But the Lord replied to Joshua, “Stand up! What do you think you're doing lying on your face like that?
耶和華吩咐約書亞說:「起來!你為何這樣俯伏在地呢?
11 Israel has sinned and has broken my agreement that I ordered them to keep. They have taken some of the things set apart for me; they have acted dishonestly; they have hidden the stolen items with their own belongings.
以色列人犯了罪,違背了我所吩咐他們的約,取了當滅的物;又偷竊,又行詭詐,又把那當滅的放在他們的家具裏。
12 That's why the Israelites can't stand up to their enemies. That's why they turn and run from their enemies, and have themselves become set apart for destruction. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you have removed from among you those things set apart for destruction.
因此,以色列人在仇敵面前站立不住。他們在仇敵面前轉背逃跑,是因成了被咒詛的;你們若不把當滅的物從你們中間除掉,我就不再與你們同在了。
13 Get up, and make sure the people are pure. Tell them, ‘Make yourselves pure in readiness for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, There are things set apart for me that are hidden among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove all of them.
你起來,叫百姓自潔,對他們說:『你們要自潔,預備明天,因為耶和華-以色列的上帝這樣說:以色列啊,你們中間有當滅的物,你們若不除掉,在仇敵面前必站立不住!』
14 In the morning, you will come forward, tribe by tribe. Whichever tribe the Lord chooses will come forward clan by clan. The clan that the Lord chooses will come forward family by family. The family that the Lord chooses will come forward man by man.
到了早晨,你們要按着支派近前來;耶和華所取的支派,要按着宗族近前來;耶和華所取的宗族,要按着家室近前來;耶和華所取的家室,要按着人丁,一個一個地近前來。
15 The one who is caught with what was set apart for destruction will be burned by fire, along with all that is his, for he broke the Lord's agreement and committed a terrible act in Israel.’”
被取的人有當滅的物在他那裏,他和他所有的必被火焚燒;因他違背了耶和華的約,又因他在以色列中行了愚妄的事。」
16 Joshua got up early the next morning and called Israel forward, tribe by tribe.
於是,約書亞清早起來,使以色列人按着支派近前來,取出來的是猶大支派;
17 The tribe of Judah was chosen. The clans of Judah came forward and the Zerahites were chosen. The clan of Zerahites came forward, and the family of Zabdi was chosen.
使猶大支派近前來,就取了謝拉的宗族;使謝拉的宗族,按着家室人丁,一個一個地近前來,取出來的是撒底;
18 The family of Zabdi came forward, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
使撒底的家室,按着人丁,一個一個地近前來,就取出猶大支派的人謝拉的曾孫,撒底的孫子,迦米的兒子亞干。
19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord, the God of Israel, and confess. Tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me.”
約書亞對亞干說:「我兒,我勸你將榮耀歸給耶和華-以色列的上帝,在他面前認罪,將你所做的事告訴我,不要向我隱瞞。」
20 “It's true!” Achan replied. “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did.
亞干回答約書亞說:「我實在得罪了耶和華-以色列的上帝。我所做的事如此如此:
21 Among the plunder I saw a beautiful cloak from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I really wanted them, so I took them. They're hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver buried deeper.”
我在所奪的財物中看見一件美好的示拿衣服,二百舍客勒銀子,一條金子重五十舍客勒,我就貪愛這些物件,便拿去了。現今藏在我帳棚內的地裏,銀子在衣服底下。」
22 Joshua sent men who ran over to search the tent. They found what had been hidden, with the silver buried deeper.
約書亞就打發人跑到亞干的帳棚裏。那件衣服果然藏在他帳棚內,銀子在底下。
23 The men took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. There they spread them out before the Lord.
他們就從帳棚裏取出來,拿到約書亞和以色列眾人那裏,放在耶和華面前。
24 Then Joshua, with all the Israelites, took Achan, the son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, together with his sons and daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, and his tent—everything he had—and brought them to the Valley of Achor.
約書亞和以色列眾人把謝拉的曾孫亞干和那銀子、那件衣服、那條金子,並亞干的兒女、牛、驢、羊、帳棚,以及他所有的,都帶到亞割谷去。
25 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why did you bring so much trouble down on us? Today the Lord will bring trouble down on you.” All the Israelites stoned Achan. Then when they had stoned the rest they burned their bodies.
約書亞說:「你為甚麼連累我們呢?今日耶和華必叫你受連累。」於是以色列眾人用石頭打死他,將石頭扔在其上,又用火焚燒他所有的。
26 They set up a great pile of stones over him which remains to this day. The Lord was no longer angry. This is why the place was called the Valley of Achor ever since.
眾人在亞干身上堆成一大堆石頭,直存到今日。於是耶和華轉意,不發他的烈怒。因此那地方名叫亞割谷,直到今日。

< Joshua 7 >