Add parallel Print Page Options

耶和華的使者在波金

耶和華的使者從吉甲上到波金,說:「我領你們從埃及上來,帶你們到我向你們列祖起誓應許之地。我曾說:『我永不廢棄我與你們的約。 你們不可與這地的居民立約,要拆毀他們的祭壇。』你們竟沒有聽從我的話。你們為何這樣做呢! 因此我說:『我必不將他們從你們面前趕出。他們必作你們肋下的荊棘[a],他們的神明必成為你們的圈套。』」 耶和華的使者向以色列眾人說這些話的時候,百姓放聲大哭。 於是他們給那地方起名叫波金[b],並在那裏向耶和華獻祭。

約書亞去世

約書亞解散百姓,以色列人回到自己的地業,佔各自的地。 約書亞在世的日子和他死了以後,那些見過耶和華為以色列所做一切大事的長老還在世的時候,百姓都事奉耶和華。 耶和華的僕人,的兒子約書亞死了,那時他一百一十歲。 以色列人把他葬在他自己地業的境內,以法蓮山區的亭拿‧希烈,在迦實山的北邊。 10 那世代的人也都歸到自己的列祖。後來興起的另一世代不認識耶和華,也不知道他為以色列所做的事。

以色列離棄耶和華

11 以色列人行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,去事奉諸巴力 12 他們離棄領他們出埃及地的耶和華—他們列祖的 神,去隨從別神,就是四圍列國的神明,向它們叩拜,惹耶和華發怒。 13 他們離棄了耶和華,去事奉巴力亞斯她錄 14 耶和華的怒氣向以色列發作,把他們交在搶奪他們的人手中,又把他們交給四圍仇敵的手中[c],以致他們在仇敵面前再也不能站立得住。 15 他們無論往何處去,耶和華的手都以災禍攻擊他們,正如耶和華所說的,又如耶和華向他們所起的誓;他們就極其困苦。

16 耶和華興起士師,士師就拯救他們脫離搶奪他們之人的手。 17 然而,他們卻不聽從士師,竟隨從別神而行淫,向它們叩拜。他們列祖所行的道,所聽從耶和華的命令,他們都速速偏離了,並不照樣遵行。 18 耶和華為他們興起士師,耶和華與士師同在。士師在世的一切日子,耶和華拯救他們脫離仇敵的手。耶和華因他們受欺壓迫害所發出的哀聲,就憐憫他們。 19 但士師一死,他們又轉去行惡,比他們祖宗更壞,去隨從別神,事奉叩拜它們,總不放棄他們的惡習和頑梗的行為。 20 於是耶和華的怒氣向以色列發作,說:「因為這國違背我吩咐他們列祖當守的約,不聽從我的話, 21 約書亞死的時候所剩下的各國,我必不再從他們面前趕出任何一個, 22 為要藉此考驗以色列是否肯謹守遵行耶和華的道,像他們列祖一樣地謹守。」 23 耶和華留下那些國家,不將他們速速趕出,也不把他們交在約書亞的手中。

Footnotes

  1. 2.3 「肋下的荊棘」:原文是「肋旁」;原文另譯「敵人」。
  2. 2.5 「波金」意思是「哭」。
  3. 2.14 「交給…手中」:原文是「賣給…手中」;本卷書下同。

And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.

And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:

12 And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

13 And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

20 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

The angel of the Lord(A) went up from Gilgal(B) to Bokim(C) and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt(D) and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors.(E) I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,(F) and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land,(G) but you shall break down their altars.(H)’ Yet you have disobeyed(I) me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you;(J) they will become traps(K) for you, and their gods will become snares(L) to you.’”

When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud,(M) and they called that place Bokim.[a](N) There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

Disobedience and Defeat(O)

After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.(P)

Joshua son of Nun,(Q) the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres[b](R) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.(S) 11 Then the Israelites did evil(T) in the eyes of the Lord(U) and served the Baals.(V) 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods(W) of the peoples around them.(X) They aroused(Y) the Lord’s anger(Z) 13 because they forsook(AA) him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.(AB) 14 In his anger(AC) against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands(AD) of raiders who plundered(AE) them. He sold them(AF) into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.(AG) 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them(AH) to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.(AI)

16 Then the Lord raised up judges,[c](AJ) who saved(AK) them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted(AL) themselves to other gods(AM) and worshiped them.(AN) They quickly turned(AO) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.(AP) 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved(AQ) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented(AR) because of their groaning(AS) under those who oppressed and afflicted(AT) them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt(AU) than those of their ancestors,(AV) following other gods and serving and worshiping them.(AW) They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn(AX) ways.

20 Therefore the Lord was very angry(AY) with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant(AZ) I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out(BA) before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test(BB) Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.(BC)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:5 Bokim means weepers.
  2. Judges 2:9 Also known as Timnath Serah (see Joshua 19:50 and 24:30)
  3. Judges 2:16 Or leaders; similarly in verses 17-19