1那時若瑟後裔的家族中,有默納協的子孫,瑪基爾的兒子基肋阿得子孫的家族首領,來到梅瑟和以色列子民各家族的首領前,說: 1And the princes of the families of Galaad, the son of Machir, the son of Manasses, of the stock Of the children of Joseph, came and spoke to Moses before the princes of Israel, and said:
2「上主吩咐我主,以抽籤來分給以色列子民土地為產業,我主又領了上主的命,將我們兄弟責羅斐哈得的產業,分給他的女兒們。 2The Lord hath commanded thee, my lord, that thou shouldst divide the land by lot to the children of Israel, and that thou shouldst give to the daughters of Salphaad our brother the possession due to their father:
3現在,如果她們嫁給了以色列子民另一支派的人,她們的產業就脫離了我們祖先的產業,而加在所嫁給的那一支派的產業上:這樣,我們抽籤分得的產業就減少了。 3Now if men of another tribe take them to wives, their possession will follow them, and being transferred to another tribe, will be a diminishing of our inheritance.
4甚至一到以色列子民的喜年,她們的產業仍就加在所嫁的那一支派的產業內,我們祖先支派的產業就少了她們那一份。」 4And so it shall come to pass, that when the jubilee, that is, the fiftieth year of remission, is come, the distribution made by the lots shall be confounded, and the possession of the one shall pass to the others.
5梅瑟依上主的指示訓令以色列子民說:「若瑟子孫支派說的有理。 5Moses answered the children of Israel, and said by the command of the Lord: The tribe of the children of Joseph hath spoken rightly.
6上主對於責羅斐哈得的女兒們這樣吩咐說:她們可任意嫁給自己所喜愛的人,但只應嫁給屬於自己祖先支派的人。 6And this is the law promulgated by the Lord touching the daughters of Salphaad: Let them marry to whom they will, only so that it be to men of their own tribe.
7以色列子民的產業不可由一支派轉移至另一支派,因為以色列子民每人應固守自己祖先支派的產業。 7Lest the possession of the children of Israel be mingled from tribe to tribe. For all men shall marry wives of their own tribe and kindred:
8以色列子民支派中,凡繼承產業的女子,應嫁給她祖先支派的人為妻,好使每個以色列子民能固守祖先的產業。 8And all women shall take husbands of the same tribe: that the inheritance may remain in the families,
9這樣,產業就不會由一支派轉移至另一支派,因為以色列子民各支派應固守自己的產業。」 9And that the tribes be not mingled one with another, but remain so
10上主怎樣吩咐了梅瑟,責羅斐哈得的女兒們就怎樣做了。 10As they were separated by the Lord. And the daughters of Salphaad did as was commanded:
11責羅斐哈得的女兒:瑪赫拉、提爾匝、曷革拉、米耳加和諾阿,都嫁給了自己叔伯的兒子們, 11And Maala, and Thersa, and Hegla, and Melcha, and Noa were married to the sons of their uncle by their father,
12即嫁給了若瑟的兒子默納協子孫家族的人:如此她們的產業仍保留在她們祖先家族的支派內。 12Of the family of Manasses, who was the son of Joseph: and the possession that had been allotted to them, remained in the tribe and family of their father.
13這是上主在耶里哥對面,約但河邊,摩阿布曠野內,藉梅瑟向以色列子民所頒布的誡命和規則。 13These are the commandments and judgments, which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to the children of Israel, in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan over against Jericho.
36:1-13
本章是27:1-11的补遗。4节所提及的「喜年」,见肋25:8-17,29,30 。