Numbers
Chapter17
1TheLORDsaidtoMoses,
上主训示梅瑟说:
2"TellEleazar,sonofAaronthepriest,toremovethecensersfromtheembers;andscatterthefiresomedistanceaway,
"你吩咐司祭亚郎的儿子厄肋阿匝尔,叫他将一切火盘从火堆中取去,把炭火散开,因为这一切都是圣的。
31forthesesinnershaveconsecratedthecensersatthecostoftheirlives.Havethemhammeredintoplatestocoverthealtar,becauseinbeingpresentedbeforetheLORDtheyhavebecomesacred.InthiswaytheyshallserveasasigntotheIsraelites."
以这些犯罪丧生者的火盘,打成薄片,用来包盖祭坛,──因为奉献在上主面前的火盘已成了圣的,──给以色列子民当作鉴戒。"
4SoEleazarthepriesthadthebronzecensersofthoseburnedduringtheofferinghammeredintoacoveringforthealtar,
厄肋阿匝尔司祭便取出那些被火烧死的人献过的铜火盘,叫人打成薄片,为包盖祭坛用,
5inkeepingwiththeorderswhichtheLORDhadgivenhimthroughMoses.ThiscoverwastobearemindertotheIsraelitesthatnolayman,noonewhowasnotadescendantofAaron,shouldapproachthealtartoofferincensebeforetheLORD,lesthemeetthefateofKorahandhisband.
为给以色列子民当作鉴戒,为叫凡不是出于亚郎子孙的俗人,不应前来在上主面前献香,以免和科辣黑及他的同党遭受一样的不幸。他全照上主藉梅瑟对他所吩咐的做了。
6ThenextdaythewholeIsraelitecommunitygrumbledagainstMosesandAaron,saying,"ItisyouwhohaveslaintheLORD'Speople."
次日,以色列子民全会众抱怨梅瑟和亚郎说:"正是你们害死了上主的人民"。
7Butwhilethecommunitywasdeliberatingagainstthem,MosesandAaronturnedtowardthemeetingtent,andthecloudnowcovereditandthegloryoftheLORDappeared.
当会众集合反对梅瑟和亚郎时,他们二人转向会幕;看,云彩遮盖了会幕,上主的荣耀发显了出来。
8ThenMosesandAaroncametothefrontofthemeetingtent,
梅瑟和亚郎遂走到会幕面前,
9andtheLORDsaidtoMosesandAaron,
上主吩咐梅瑟说:
10"Departfromthiscommunity,thatImayconsumethematonce."Buttheyfellprostrate.
"你们快离开这会众,我要立即消灭他们。"他们遂俯伏在地,
11ThenMosessaidtoAaron,"Takeyourcenser,putfirefromthealtarinit,layincenseonit,andbringitquicklytothecommunitytomakeatonementforthem;forwrathhascomeforthfromtheLORDandtheblowisfalling."
然后梅瑟向亚郎说:"你快拿火盘,由祭坛取火放在盘里,添上乳香,快拿到会众那里去,为他们行赎罪礼,因为愤怒已由上主面前发出,灾祸已经开始。"
12ObeyingtheordersofMoses,Aarontookhiscenserandraninamongthecommunity,wheretheblowwasalreadyfallingonthepeople.Then,asheofferedtheincenseandmadeatonementforthepeople,
亚郎遂照梅瑟所吩咐的拿了火盘,急忙跑到会众中;看,灾祸已在人民中开始;他遂添上乳香,为人民行赎罪礼,
13standingtherebetweenthelivingandthedead,thescourgewaschecked.
站在死者和生者之中,直到灾祸止息。
14Yetfourteenthousandsevenhundreddiedfromthescourge,inadditiontothosewhodiedbecauseofKorah.
在这次灾祸中死了一万四千七百,为科辣黑的缘故而死的人,还不在内。
15Whenthescourgehadbeenchecked,AaronreturnedtoMosesattheentranceofthemeetingtent.
亚郎于是回到会幕门口梅瑟那里,因为灾祸已止息了。
16TheLORDnowsaidtoMoses,
上主训示梅瑟说:
172"SpeaktotheIsraelitesandgetonestafffromthemforeachancestralhouse,twelvestaffsinall,onefromeachoftheirtribalprinces.Markeachman'snameonhisstaff;
"你吩咐以色列子民,叫他们每一家族拿一根棍杖,就是每一个领袖为自己家族拿一根,共十二根棍杖,把各人的名字写在自己的棍杖上;
183andmarkAaron'snameonLevi'sstaff,fortheheadofLevi'sancestralhouseshallalsohaveastaff.
但在肋未的棍杖上,要写亚郎的名字,因为为肋未的族长亦应有一根棍杖。
19Thenlaythemdowninthemeetingtent,infrontofthecommandments,whereImeetyou.
你将这些棍放在会幕内,放在约证前,即在我与你常相会的地方。
20Therethestaffofthemanofmychoiceshallsprout.ThuswillIsuppressfrommypresencetheIsraelites'grumblingagainstyou."
谁的棍杖开花,谁就是我所选择的人;这样,我就平息了以色列子民在我面前抱怨你们的怨言。"
21SoMosesspoketotheIsraelites,andtheirprincesgavehimstaffs,twelveinall,onefromeachtribalprince;andAaron'sstaffwaswiththem.
梅瑟于是告诉了以色列子民;他们所有的领袖都交给了他一根棍杖,每一家族中,每个领袖一根,共十二根棍杖;在他们的棍杖中,也有亚郎的棍杖。
22ThenMoseslaidthestaffsdownbeforetheLORDinthetentofthecommandments.
梅瑟就将棍杖放在约幕内,放在上主面前。
23Thenextday,whenMosesenteredthetent,Aaron'sstaff,representingthehouseofLevi,hadsproutedandputforthnotonlyshoots,butblossomsaswell,andevenboreripealmonds!
次日,梅瑟进入约幕内,看,肋未家族的亚郎的棍杖发了芽;不但发了芽,而且开了花,结了成熟的杏。
24MosesthereuponbroughtoutallthestaffsfromtheLORD'SpresencetotheIsraelites.Aftereachprinceidentifiedhisownstaffandtookit,
梅瑟就由上主面前取出所有的棍杖,给以色列子民观看;以后各人取回了自己的棍杖。
25theLORDsaidtoMoses,"PutbackAaron'sstaffinfrontofthecommandments,tobekeptthereasawarningtotherebellious,sothattheirgrumblingmayceasebeforeme;ifitdoesnot,theywilldie."
上主对梅瑟说:"收回亚郎的棍杖来,放在约证前;留给叛逆之徒当作鉴戒,为平息他们对我发的怨言,免得他们死亡。"
26AndMosesdidastheLORDhadcommandedhim.
梅瑟就这样做了。上主怎样吩咐他,他就怎样做了。
274ThentheIsraelitescriedouttoMoses,"Weareperishing;wearelost,wearealllost!
以色列子民对梅瑟申诉说:"看,我们要死了,我们完了!我们全完了!
28EverytimeanyoneapproachestheDwellingoftheLORD,hedies!Arewetoperishtothelastman?"
凡接近上主帐幕的都该死;我们岂不都该死?"
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Footnotes(注解)
1[3]Whateverwasbroughtintointimatecontactwithsomethingsacredsharedinitssacredness.SeenoteonNumbers19:20.
2[17](17)Thestaffwasnotmerelyanarticleofpracticaluse,butalsoasymbolofauthority;cfGenesis49:10;Numbers24:17;Jeremiah48:17.Hence,thestaffofaleaderofatribewasconsideredtheemblemofhistribe;infact,certainHebrewwordsfor"staff"alsomean"tribe."Perhapsforthisreason,toavoidconfusion,theauthorhereusestheterm"ancestralhouse"insteadoftheordinarywordfor"tribe."
3[18](18)Levi'sstaff:itisnotclearwhetherthisisconsideredasoneofthetwelvementionedintheprecedingverse,orasathirteenthstaff.SometimesLeviisreckonedasoneofthetwelvetribes(e.g.,Deut27:12-13),butmoreoftenthenumbertwelveisarrivedatbycountingthetwosub-tribesofJoseph,i.e.,EphraimandManasseh,asdistincttribes.InthispassagealsoitseemsprobablethatthetribeofLeviisconsideredapartfromtheothertwelve.
4[27](27,28)LogicallythesetwoversesbelongimmediatelyafterNumbers16:35.