約書亞記 22

¹當時，約書亞召了流便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人來，Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh

²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。and told them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

³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　神所吩咐你們當守的。All this time you have not deserted your brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you by the LORD your God.

⁴如今耶和華─你們　神照著他所應許的，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。And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.

⁵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　神，行他一切的道，守他的誡命，專靠他，盡心盡性事奉他。」But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD 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.”

⁶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。So Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.

⁷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，(To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them,

⁸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。」saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”

⁹於是流便人、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。So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

¹⁰流便人、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，就在約旦河那裡築了一座壇；那壇看著高大。And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.

¹¹以色列人聽說流便人、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。Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”

¹²全會眾一聽見，就聚集在示羅，要上去攻打他們。And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

¹³以色列人打發祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈，往基列地去見流便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人；The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

¹⁴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。With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.

¹⁵他們到了基列地，見流便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人，對他們說：They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,

¹⁶「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　神，為自己築一座壇，悖逆了耶和華，這犯的是甚麼罪呢？“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?

¹⁷從前拜毘珥的罪孽還算小嗎？雖然瘟疫臨到耶和華的會眾，到今日我們還沒有洗淨這罪。Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.

¹⁸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。And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

¹⁹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　神的壇以外為自己築壇。If indeed the land of your inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.

²⁰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。」Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”

²¹於是流便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人回答以色列軍中的統領說：Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:

²²「大能者　神耶和華！大能者　神耶和華！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），“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.

²³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。If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

²⁴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　神有何關涉呢？But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

²⁵因為耶和華把約旦河定為我們和你們這流便人、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。For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.

²⁶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，That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.

²⁷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。』Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’

²⁸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。』Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

²⁹我們在耶和華─我們　神帳幕前的壇以外，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。」Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”

³⁰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，聽見流便人、迦得人、瑪拿西人所說的話，就都以為美。When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.

³¹祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈對流便人、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。」Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”

³²祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈與眾首領離了流便人、迦得人，從基列地回往迦南地，到了以色列人那裡，便將這事回報他們。Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead.

³³以色列人以這事為美，就稱頌　神，不再提上去攻打流便人、迦得人、毀壞他們所住的地了。The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.

³⁴流便人、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　神。So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”