Joshua 22

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

1 约书亚召来了吕便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派的人来，

2 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.

2 对他们说：“你们都遵守了耶和华的仆人摩西的一切吩咐，也听从了我的一切吩咐。

3 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.

3 这些日子以来，你们从没有离弃自己的弟兄，遵守了你们的上帝耶和华的吩咐。

4 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.

4 现在你们的上帝耶和华已经照祂的应许使你们的弟兄安居，你们可以回到约旦河东，到摩西赐给你们作产业的地方。

5 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.”

5 不过，你们要谨遵耶和华的仆人摩西吩咐你们的诫命和律法，要爱你们的上帝耶和华，遵行祂的旨意，听从祂的命令，依靠祂，全心全意地事奉祂。”

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

6 于是，约书亚为他们祝福，送他们回去，他们就各自返回家园去了。

7 (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,

7 摩西已经在巴珊把土地分给了玛拿西半个支派，约书亚把约旦河西的土地分给了玛拿西另外的半个支派及其他支派。约书亚派他们回家的时候，为他们祝福，

8 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.”

8 说：“现在你们带着大量财物、牲畜、金银、铜、铁和衣物返回家园，要把从敌人那里得来的财物分给你们的弟兄。”

9 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.

9 于是，吕便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派的人便离开在迦南的示罗的以色列人，返回耶和华借摩西分配给他们的基列。

10 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.

10 他们来到约旦河附近的迦南境内，就在约旦河边筑了一座高大的祭坛。

11 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.”

11 以色列人听见吕便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派的人在约旦河西的迦南境内筑起了一座祭坛，

12 And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

12 便全部聚集在示罗，要讨伐他们。

13 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.

13 以色列人派祭司以利亚撒的儿子非尼哈去基列见他们，

14 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.

14 又从每支派差遣一位族长，共十位随行。

15 They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,

15 他们来到基列的吕便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派的人那里，对他们说：

16 “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?

16 “耶和华的全体会众问你们，你们怎能这样背叛以色列的上帝，离弃耶和华，为自己另建祭坛呢？

17 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.

17 从前拜毗珥的罪恶不够大吗？那一次，瘟疫降到耶和华的会众身上，直到今日我们还没有洗净这罪。

18 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.

18 你们今日要离弃耶和华吗？今日你们背叛耶和华，明日祂必向以色列全体会众发怒。

19 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.

19 你们如果认为自己的土地不洁净，可以搬到耶和华的土地上跟我们一起居住，这里有耶和华的圣幕。只是不可在耶和华的祭坛以外，为自己另筑祭坛，以致背叛耶和华，背叛我们。

20 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!’”

20 从前谢拉的曾孙亚干私自留下那些耶和华吩咐要毁灭之物，耶和华的烈怒难道没有临到以色列全体会众吗？因他的罪而死的不只他一个人！”

21 Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:

21 吕便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派的人便回答这些以色列的族长说：

22 “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.

22 “大能的上帝耶和华，大能的上帝耶和华，祂知道一切！以色列人也当知道！如果我们悖逆或干犯耶和华，愿祂今天就不放过我们！

23 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.

23 如果我们离弃耶和华，为自己造祭坛，或在坛上献燔祭、素祭和平安祭，愿耶和华亲自惩罚我们。

24 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?

24 我们这样做是怕以后你们的子孙可能会对我们的子孙说，‘你们和以色列的上帝耶和华有什么关系？

25 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.

25 耶和华把约旦河定为我们跟你们吕便人和迦得人的边界，你们与耶和华一点关系也没有。’这样，恐怕你们的子孙会使我们的子孙不再敬畏耶和华。

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

26 因此，我们便商议在这里筑一座祭坛，这坛不是用来献燔祭或别的祭，

27 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!’

27 只是在你们和我们之间，也在彼此的后人之间立个证据，证明我们也献燔祭、平安祭及其他祭事奉耶和华，免得日后你们的子孙对我们的子孙说，‘你们与耶和华一点关系也没有。’

28 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.’

28 我们商议，万一你们对我们或我们的子孙这样说，我们可以回答说，‘你们看我们祖先筑的这座祭坛跟耶和华的祭坛一模一样，只是这座坛不是用来献燔祭或别的祭，而是作为你们和我们之间的证据！’

29 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.”

29 我们根本无意背叛、离弃我们的上帝耶和华，在祂圣幕前的祭坛以外另筑祭坛来献燔祭、素祭和别的祭。”

30 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.

30 祭司非尼哈和以色列会众的族长听了他们的解释，都很满意。

31 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.”

31 以利亚撒的儿子祭司非尼哈对他们说：“今日我们知道耶和华在我们当中，因为你们没有对耶和华不忠，现在你们使以色列人免遭耶和华的惩罚了。”

32 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.

32 以利亚撒的儿子非尼哈祭司和众族长便离开吕便人和迦得人，从基列回到迦南向以色列人报告这事。

33 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.

33 众人听后，都很满意，便颂赞耶和华，打消了出兵讨伐吕便人和迦得人、毁灭他们家园的念头。

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

34 吕便人和迦得人给那座祭坛取名叫“证坛”，意思是这坛在我们中间证明耶和华是上帝。