約書亞記

第 3 章

1. 約書亞清早起來、和以色列眾人都離開什亭、來到約但河、就住在那裡、等候過河。
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to 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 throughout 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。
giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move 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。
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."
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。
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things 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。
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up 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。
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.
8. 你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司說、你們到了約但河的水邊上、就要在約但河水裡站住。
Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'"
9. 約書亞對以色列人說、你們近前來、聽耶和華你們 神的話。
Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.
10. 約書亞說、看哪、普天下主的約櫃必在你們前頭過去到約但河裡.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。
This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
11. 見上節
See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.
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 then, 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但河水裡、約但河的水、就是從上往下流的水、必然斷絕、立起成壘。
And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD--the Lord of all the earth--set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."
14. 百姓離開帳棚、要過約但河的時候、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 carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
15. 他們到了約但河、腳一入水、(原來約但河水、在收割的日子、漲過兩岸)
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried 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 water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to 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但河中的乾地上站定.以色列眾人都從乾地上過去、直到國民盡都過了約但河。
The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.