Joshua 4

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,

1 民众都过河之后，耶和华对约书亚说：

2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,

2 “你去从民众中选出十二个人，每支派选一人，

3 and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests were standing, carry them with you, and set them down in the place where you spend the night.’”

3 吩咐他们从约旦河床祭司站立的地方取十二块石头，放在你们今晚住宿的地方。”

4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,

4 约书亚便召来他从以色列人中选的十二个人，每支派一人，对他们说：

5 and said to them, “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel,

5 “从你们上帝耶和华的约柜前过去，到约旦河中间，以色列每个支派中有一人扛一块石头回来，一共十二块，

6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

6 留在你们中间作记号。以后，倘若你们的子孙问你们，‘这些石头是什么意思？’

7 you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”

7 你们就告诉他们，‘约旦河水在耶和华的约柜前曾经被截断，当约柜过河的时候，河水被截断了。这些石头要在以色列人当中作为永久的纪念。’”

8 Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.

8 以色列人遵行了约书亚的吩咐。他们按以色列人支派的数目，从约旦河中取了十二块石头，搬来放在住宿的地方，正如耶和华对约书亚的吩咐。

9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.

9 约书亚又在约旦河床抬约柜的祭司站立的地方立了十二块石头。石头至今还在那里。

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,

10 抬约柜的祭司站在约旦河中间，一直站到耶和华吩咐约书亚交待民众做的每一件事都完成了，正如摩西对约书亚的吩咐。民众迅速过了河。

11 and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD crossed in the sight of the people.

11 所有人都过河以后，祭司才抬着耶和华的约柜在民众注视下过了河。

12 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.

12 吕便支派、迦得支派和玛拿西半个支派的人照摩西从前的嘱咐，带着兵器走在以色列人前面。

13 About 40,000 troops armed for battle crossed over before the LORD into the plains of Jericho.

13 大约有四万武装好的以色列人在耶和华面前过了河，前往耶利哥平原，准备作战。

14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.

14 那一天，耶和华在以色列众人面前提升约书亚，在他有生之年，他们像敬畏摩西一样敬畏他。

15 Then the LORD said to Joshua,

15 耶和华对约书亚说：

16 “Command the priests who carry the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.”

16 “你去吩咐抬约柜的祭司从约旦河里上来。”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”

17 约书亚便吩咐他们从约旦河里上来。

18 When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.

18 抬耶和华约柜的祭司从河床上来，脚刚一踏上岸，约旦河的水立刻恢复原状，像以往一样涨过两岸。

19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

19 那天是一月十日。以色列人从约旦河上来后，就在耶利哥东边的吉甲扎营。

20 And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

20 约书亚把从约旦河取来的十二块石头立在吉甲，

21 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’

21 并对以色列人说：“以后，你们的子孙问你们这堆石头是什么意思，

22 you are to tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’

22 你们就告诉他们，‘这是代表以色列人曾走干地穿过约旦河。’

23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.

23 因为你们的上帝耶和华使约旦河成为干地、让你们穿过，就像祂从前使红海成为干地、让我们穿过一样。

24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.”

24 这是要让天下万民都知道耶和华的手大有能力，要让你们永远敬畏你们的上帝耶和华。”