約書亞記 3

¹約書亞清早起來，和以色列眾人都離開什亭，來到約旦河，就住在那裡，等候過河。Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.

²過了三天，官長走遍營中，After three days the officers went through the camp

³吩咐百姓說：「你們看見耶和華─你們　神的約櫃，又見祭司利未人抬著，就要離開所住的地方，跟著約櫃去。and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.

⁴只是你們和約櫃相離要量二千肘，不可與約櫃相近，使你們知道所當走的路，因為這條路你們向來沒有走過。」But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”

⁵約書亞吩咐百姓說：「你們要自潔，因為明天耶和華必在你們中間行奇事。」Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

⁶約書亞又吩咐祭司說：「你們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭過去。」於是他們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭走。And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.

⁷耶和華對約書亞說：「從今日起，我必使你在以色列眾人眼前尊大，使他們知道我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在。Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.

⁸你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司說：『你們到了約旦河的水邊上，就要在約旦河水裡站住。』」Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”

⁹約書亞對以色列人說：「你們近前來，聽耶和華─你們　神的話。」So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”

^10–11約書亞說：「看哪，普天下主的約櫃必在你們前頭過去，到約旦河裡，因此你們就知道在你們中間有永生　神；並且他必在你們面前趕出迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亞摩利人、耶布斯人。He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.

¹²你們現在要從以色列支派中揀選十二個人，每支派一人，Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

¹³等到抬普天下主耶和華約櫃的祭司把腳站在約旦河水裡，約旦河的水，就是從上往下流的水，必然斷絕，立起成壘。」When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”

¹⁴百姓離開帳棚要過約旦河的時候，抬約櫃的祭司乃在百姓的前頭。So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.

¹⁵他們到了約旦河，腳一入水（原來約旦河水在收割的日子漲過兩岸），Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,

¹⁶那從上往下流的水便在極遠之地、撒拉但旁的亞當城那裡停住，立起成壘；那往亞拉巴的海，就是鹽海，下流的水全然斷絕。於是百姓在耶利哥的對面過去了。the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

¹⁷抬耶和華約櫃的祭司在約旦河中的乾地上站定，以色列眾人都從乾地上過去，直到國民盡都過了約旦河。The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.