Joshua
Chapter9
1WhenthenewsreachedthekingswestoftheJordan,inthemountainregionsandinthefoothills,andallalongthecoastoftheGreatSeaasfarasLebanon:Hittites,Amorites,Canaanites,Perizzites,HivitesandJebusites,
约但河西，住在山地和平原并沿大海一带直到黎巴嫩山的众王子，即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客纳罕人、培黎齐人、希威人和耶步斯人，听见了这些事，
2theyallformedanalliancetolaunchacommonattackagainstJoshuaandIsrael.
就联合起来，同心协力对抗若苏厄和以色列人。
3OnlearningwhatJoshuahaddonetoJerichoandAi,theinhabitantsofGibeon
基贝红居民听说若苏厄对耶里哥和哈依所行的事，
4putintoeffectadeviceoftheirown.Theychoseprovisionsforajourney,makinguseofoldsacksfortheirasses,andoldwineskins,tornandmended.
便设诡计带着行粮上路，将一些旧布袋和破裂缝补的旧酒囊驮在驴上；
5Theyworeold,patchedsandalsandshabbygarments;andallthebreadtheytookwasdryandcrumbly.
脚上穿著补过的破鞋，身上穿著褴褛的衣服；所带的食物，又干又碎，
6ThustheyjourneyedtoJoshuainthecampatGilgal,wheretheysaidtohimandtothemenofIsrael,＂Wehavecomefromadistantlandtoproposethatyoumakeanalliancewithus.＂
来到基耳加耳营中见若苏厄；对他和以色列人说：＂我们是远方来的，现在请你们与我们立约。＂
71ButthemenofIsraelrepliedtotheHivites,＂Youmaybelivinginlandthatisours.How,then,canwemakeanalliancewithyou?＂
以色列对这些希威人说：＂你们也许是我们附近的居民，我们怎能同你们立约？＂
8ButtheyansweredJoshua,＂Weareyourservants.＂ThenJoshuaaskedthem,＂Whoareyou?Wheredoyoucomefrom?＂
他们回答若苏厄说：＂我们是你的仆人。＂若苏厄问他们说：＂你们是什么人？是从那里来的？＂
9Theyansweredhim,＂Yourservantshavecomefromafar-offland,becauseofthefameoftheLORD,yourGod.ForwehaveheardreportsofallthathedidinEgypt
他们答说：＂你的仆人们是因为听了上主你们天主的名声，由极远的地方来的，因为我们听见人谈及衪的声望，和衪在埃及所行的一切，
10andallthathedidtothetwokingsoftheAmoritesbeyondtheJordan,Sihon,kingofHeshbon,andOg,kingofBashan,wholivedinAshtaroth.
以及衪对住在约但河东的两个阿摩黎王：即赫市朋王息红和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。
11Sooureldersandalltheinhabitantsofourcountrysaidtous,‘Takealongprovisionsforthejourneyandgotomeetthem.Saytothem:Weareyourservants;weproposethatyoumakeanalliancewithus.'
为此，我们的长老和我们本地的居民，对我们说：你们手中带些路上用的食物，去迎接以色列人；对他们说：我们是你们的仆人，现在请你们与我们立约。
12Thisbreadofourswasstillwarmwhenwebroughtitfromhomeasprovisionsthedaywelefttocometoyou,butnowitisdryandcrumbled.
看，这就是我们的食物，我们从家中带出来，要到你们这里来的那天还热，看，现在又干又碎；
13Hereareourwineskins,whichwerenewwhenwefilledthem,butnowtheyaretorn.Lookatourgarmentsandsandals,whicharewornoutfromtheverylongjourney.＂
这就是我们的酒囊，才盛酒的时候还新，看，现在都破裂了；这是我们的衣服和鞋，为了路途遥远，都穿烂了。＂
14ThentheIsraeliteprincespartookoftheirprovisions,withoutseekingtheadviceoftheLORD.
以色列的首领便取了些他们的行粮，并没有请求上主的谕示；
15SoJoshuamadeanalliancewiththemandenteredintoanagreementtosparethem,whichtheprincesofthecommunitysealedwithanoath.
若苏厄便与他们修好，与他们立了约，让他们生存，会众的首领也向他们起了誓。
16Threedaysaftertheagreementwasenteredinto,theIsraeliteslearnedthatthesepeoplewerefromnearby,andwouldbelivinginIsrael.
但是，与他们立约后过了三天，以色列人就听说，他们是住在自己附近的居民。
17Thethirddayontheroad,theIsraelitescametotheircitiesofGibeon,Chephirah,BeerothandKiriath-jearim,
以色列子民于是动身，第三天便到了他们的城市：就是基贝红、革非辣、贝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。
18butdidnotattackthem,becausetheprincesofthecommunityhadsworntothembytheLORD,theGodofIsrael.Whentheentirecommunitygrumbledagainsttheprinces,
但以色列子民没有击杀他们，因为会众的首领指着上主，以色列的天主，对他们起过誓；但全会众都对他们的首领不满。
19theseallremonstratedwiththepeople,＂WehavesworntothembytheLORD,theGodofIsrael,andsowecannotharmthem.
众首领对全会众说：＂我们既已指着上主以色列的天主对他们起誓，那么我们决不能加害他们，
20Letusthereforesparetheirlivesandsodealwiththemthatweshallnotbepunishedfortheoathwehavesworntothem.＂
只有这样做，就是让他们生存下去，免得因我们对他们所起的誓，为我们招来上主的义怒。＂
212Thustheprincesrecommendedthattheybeletlive,ashewersofwoodanddrawersofwaterfortheentirecommunity;andthecommunitydidastheprincesadvisedthem.
首领又对民众说：＂让他们生存下去，但他们应为全会众劈柴挑水。＂全会众便遵照首领的话而行。
22JoshuasummonedtheGibeonitesandsaidtothem,＂Whydidyoulietousandsaythatyoulivedatagreatdistancefromus,whenyouwillbelivinginourverymidst?
若苏厄将基贝红人召来，对他们说：＂你们为什么欺骗我们说：我们离你们很远，其实你们就住在我们附近？
23Forthisareyouaccursed:everyoneofyoushallalwaysbeaslave(hewersofwoodanddrawersofwater)forthehouseofmyGod.＂
从此你们应受诅咒，你们中间，决不断要有人在我天主的殿内，做劈柴挑水的劳役。＂
24TheyansweredJoshua,＂YourservantswerefullyinformedofhowtheLORD,yourGod,commandedhisservantMosesthatyoubegiventheentirelandandthatallitsinhabitantsbedestroyedbeforeyou.Since,therefore,atyouradvance,wewereingreatfearforourlives,weactedaswedid.
他们回答若苏厄说：＂你的仆人们确实听说：上主你的天主，曾吩咐衪的仆人梅瑟，要把这整块土地赐给你们，并在你们面前，将这地方上的一切居民消灭；我们见你们前来，我们实在为我们的生命担忧，所以才做了这事。
25Andnowthatweareinyourpower,dowithuswhatyouthinkfitandright.＂
现在，我们都在你手里，你以为怎样好，怎样对，就怎样对待我们罢！＂
263Joshuadidwhathehaddecided:whilehesavedthemfrombeingkilledbytheIsraelites,
若苏厄就这样对待了他们：将他们由以色列人手中救出，不让人加害他们。
27atthesametimehemadethem,astheystillare,hewersofwoodanddrawersofwaterforthecommunityandforthealtaroftheLORD,intheplaceoftheLORD'Schoice.
当天就派定他们在上主选定的地方，为会众，为上主的祭坛，劈柴挑水，直到今日。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[7]TheHivites:apparentlytheGibeonitesbelongedtothislargerethnicgroup(cfalsoJoshua11:19),althoughin2Sam21:2theyareclassedasAmorites;bothgroupsarelistedamongthesevennationsinCanaanwhomtheIsraelitesweretoexterminate;cfDeut7:1-2.
2[21]Hewersofwoodanddrawersofwater:proverbialtermsforthelowestsocialclassintheIsraelitecommunity;cfDeut29:10-11.
3[26-27]Lateron,SaulviolatedtheimmunityoftheGibeonites,butDavidvindicatedit;cf2Sam21:1-9.