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約書亞再攻艾城

耶和華對約書亞說:“你不要懼怕,也不要驚慌,你只管帶領所有能作戰的人,起來上艾城去;你看,我已經把艾城的王和他的人民、城市、土地都交在你手裡了。 你怎樣對待耶利哥和耶利哥的王,也要照樣對待艾城和艾城的王;只是城中的戰利品和牲畜,你們可以據為己有;你要在城後面設下攻城的伏兵。”

於是,約書亞和所有能作戰的人都起來上艾城去;約書亞選了三萬英勇的戰士,趁夜派他們出去, 吩咐他們說:“你們注意,要在城後面埋伏攻城;不可離城太遠,人人都要作好準備。 我和所有與我一起的人,要向城推進。城裡的人像前一次出來攻擊我們的時候,我們就在他們面前逃跑; 他們必定出來追趕我們,我們就把他們引出城來,因為他們必定說:‘這些人像前一次一樣在我們面前逃跑了。’所以我們要在他們面前逃跑。 那時你們就要從埋伏的地方起來,佔領那城,因為耶和華你們的 神必把城交在你們的手裡。 你們佔領了城以後,就要放火燒城;要照著耶和華的話行事;你們要謹慎,我已經吩咐你們了。” 約書亞差派他們去了,他們就上到埋伏的地方去,住在伯特利和艾城的中間,就是在艾城的西邊。那一夜,約書亞卻在人民中間住宿。

10 約書亞清早起來,召集人民上艾城去,他和以色列的長老走在人民的前面。 11 所有與他在一起的戰士都上去,迫近艾城,在城的北面安營;在約書亞和艾城中間有一個山谷, 12 約書亞挑了大約五千人,要他們埋伏在伯特利和艾城中間,就是艾城的西面。 13 於是他們把眾民,就是在城北的全軍和在城西的伏兵都布置好了。那一夜,約書亞走進了山谷之中。 14 艾城的王看見了這情形,就和艾城的人急忙在清早起來,按著亞拉巴前面所約定之處出到亞拉巴,要與以色列人交戰;王卻不知道在城後面有伏兵要攻擊他。 15 約書亞和以色列人在他們面前裝敗,沿著通往曠野的路逃跑。 16 城裡的眾民都被召集,去追趕他們;艾城的人追趕約書亞的時候,就都被誘離城。 17 艾城和伯特利城沒有留下一個人不出來追趕以色列人;他們撇下了敞開的城門,去追趕以色列人。

攻陷艾城

18 耶和華對約書亞說:“你向著艾城伸出你手中的短槍,因為我要把城交在你手裡。”約書亞就向著艾城伸出他手裡的短槍。 19 他一伸手,伏兵就從埋伏的地方急忙起來,衝進城去,把城奪取,並連忙放火燒城。 20 艾城的人轉身觀看,看見城裡濃煙沖天,就全身乏力,不能逃跑;往曠野逃跑的以色列人就轉過來攻擊追趕他們的人。 21 約書亞和以色列人看見伏兵已經奪取了城,又看見城中濃煙上升,就轉回,擊殺艾城的人。 22 伏兵也出城攻擊艾城的人;艾城的人就被困在以色列人中間,前後受敵;於是以色列人把他們擊殺,沒有留下一個,也沒有一個逃脫。 23 他們活捉了艾城的王,把他解到約書亞那裡。

24 以色列人在田間、在曠野,殺盡了所有追趕他們的艾城的居民,艾城的人全部倒在刀下,直到完全消滅;接著,以色列眾人回到艾城,用刀擊殺了城中的人。 25 那一天被殺的人,連男帶女,共有一萬二千人,就是艾城所有的人。 26 約書亞沒有收回伸出短槍的手,直到把艾城的居民都消滅為止。 27 只有那城裡的牲畜和戰利品,以色列人照著耶和華吩咐約書亞的話,都據為己有。 28 約書亞燒了艾城,使城永遠成為廢堆,一片荒涼,直到今日。 29 他又把艾城的王懸在樹上,直到黃昏的時候;日落的時候,約書亞吩咐人把屍體從樹上拿下來,丟在城門口那裡,又在屍體上堆起了一大堆石頭,這堆石頭一直存到今日。

以巴路山上築壇宣讀律法

30 那時,約書亞在以巴路山上,為耶和華以色列的 神築了一座祭壇, 31 是照著耶和華的僕人摩西吩咐以色列人的,照著摩西律法書上所寫的,用未經過鐵器打鑿的整塊石塊築成的一座祭壇;在這祭壇之上,眾人向耶和華獻燔祭,也獻平安祭。 32 約書亞在那裡,當著以色列人面前,把摩西所寫的摩西律法抄寫在石頭上。 33 全體以色列人和他們的長老、官長,以及審判官,都站在約櫃的兩旁,在抬耶和華約櫃的利未支派的祭司前面;無論是寄居的,或是本地人,一半對著基利心山,一半對著以巴路山;正如耶和華的僕人摩西以前所吩咐的,好為以色列民祝福。 34 然後,約書亞宣讀律法上一切祝福和咒詛的話,全都照著律法書上所寫的一切。 35 摩西吩咐的一切話,約書亞在以色列全體會眾和婦女、小孩,以及在他們中間來往的寄居者面前,沒有一句不向他們宣讀出來的。

Ang Pagsakop sa Ai

Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Josue, “Huwag kang matakot o kayaʼy manghina. Isama mo ang lahat ng iyong sundalo at lusubin ulit ninyo ang Ai, dahil ibinigay ko na sa inyo ang hari ng Ai, ang kanyang mga mamamayan, ang kanyang bayan at ang kanyang lupain. Kung ano ang ginawa ninyo sa Jerico at sa hari nito, ganoon din ang gawin ninyo sa Ai. Pero sa pagkakataong ito, maaari na ninyong kunin ang kanilang mga ari-arian at mga hayop para sa inyong sarili. Maghanda kayo at tambangan ninyo sila sa likod ng lungsod.”

Kaya umalis sila Josue at ang lahat ng sundalo niya para lusubin ang Ai. Pumili si Josue ng 30,000 sundalo na mahuhusay makipaglaban at pinaalis nang gabi. Ito ang bilin ni Josue sa kanila, “Magtago kayo sa likod ng lungsod, pero huwag masyadong malayo. Humanda kayo sa paglusob kahit anong oras. Ako at ang mga kasama ko ay lulusob sa harapan. Kung lalabas na sila sa pakikipaglaban sa amin, tatakas kami, gaya ng nangyari noon. Iisipin nilang natatakot kami kagaya noon, kaya hahabulin nila kami hanggang sa makalayo sila sa lungsod. Pagkatapos, lumabas kayo sa pinagtataguan nʼyo at sakupin ang lungsod. Ibibigay ito sa inyo ng Panginoon na inyong Dios. Kapag nasakop nʼyo na ang lungsod, sunugin nʼyo ito ayon sa sinabi ng Panginoon. Tiyakin nʼyong gagawin ito ayon sa iniutos.” Pinaalis sila ni Josue, at nagtago sila sa bandang kanluran ng Ai, sa kalagitnaan ng Ai at Betel. At sina Josue naman ay nagpaiwan sa kampo nang gabing iyon.

10 Kinaumagahan, maagang tinipon ni Josue ang mga tauhan niya. Pinangunahan niya at ng mga pinuno ng Israel ang mga tao sa pagpunta nila sa Ai. 11 Nakarating sila sa lugar na nakaharap sa lungsod, sa bandang hilaga nito, at doon sila nagtayo ng mga tolda. May lambak na nakapagitan sa kanila at sa Ai. 12 Nagpadala si Josue ng 5,000 sundalo para tambangan ang lungsod sa bandang kanluran nito, sa kalagitnaan ng Ai at Betel. 13 Kaya pumwesto na ang mga sundalo. Ang ibang mga sundalo ay nasa bandang hilaga ng lungsod, at ang iba naman ay naroon sa bandang kanluran nito.

Nang gabing iyon pumunta sina Josue sa lambak. 14 Nang makita ng hari ng Ai sina Josue, maaga paʼy agad-agad na siyang lumabas sa lungsod kasama ang mga tauhan niya, at pumunta sa lugar na nakaharap sa Lambak ng Jordan[a] para makipaglaban sa Israel. Hindi nila alam na may lulusob sa kanila galing sa likod ng lungsod. 15 Sina Josue at ang mga tauhan niya ay nagkunwaring natalo sila, at tumakas papuntang ilang. 16 Kaya hinabol silang lahat ng kalalakihan ng Ai hanggang sa unti-unti silang lumalayo sa lungsod. 17 Lahat ng kalalakihan sa Ai at sa Betel ay hinabol ang mga Israelita, kaya walang naiwan para ipagtanggol ang lungsod.

18 Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Josue, “Ituro mo ang sibat mo sa Ai dahil ibibigay ko ito sa inyo.” Kaya itinuro ni Josue ang sibat niya sa Ai. 19 Nang ginawa niya iyon, lumabas at nagsitakbo ang mga tauhan niyang nananambang sa bayan, lumusob sila papasok sa lungsod, at dali-daling sinunog ito. 20 Nang lumingon ang mga taga-Ai, nakita nila ang makapal na usok sa ibabaw ng lungsod. Wala na silang matatakbuhan, dahil bigla na lang silang hinarap ng mga Israelita na hinahabol nila sa ilang. 21 Dahil nang makita ni Josue at ng mga tauhan niya na nakapasok na sa lungsod ang mga kasama nila at sinunog na nila ito, bumalik sila at nilusob ang mga taga-Ai. 22 Lumusob din ang mga Israelitang pumasok sa lungsod, kaya napagitnaan nila ang mga taga-Ai. Pinatay nilang lahat ang mga ito at walang nakatakas o kayaʼy naiwang buhay sa kanila, 23 bukod lang sa hari nila. Binihag siya at dinala kay Josue.

24 Nang mapatay na nilang lahat ang taga-Ai na humabol sa kanila sa ilang, bumalik sila sa lungsod at pinatay din ang lahat ng naiwan doon. 25 Nang araw na iyon, namatay ang lahat ng naninirahan sa Ai – 12,000 lahat, lalaki at babae. 26 Nanatiling nakatutok ang sibat ni Josue sa lugar ng Ai hanggang hindi nalilipol ang lahat ng mamamayan nito. 27 Kinuha ng mga Israelita ang mga hayop at mga ari-arian ng lungsod, ayon sa sinabi ng Panginoon kay Josue. 28 Pagkatapos, ipinasunog ni Josue ang buong Ai, at hindi na ito muling maitatayo; hanggang ngayon wala nang nakatira rito. 29 Pinabitin ni Josue sa isang puno ang hari at pinabayaan doon maghapon. Paglubog ng araw, ipinakuha niya ang bangkay at ipinatapon sa labas ng pintuan ng lungsod. Pinatambakan nila ito ng malaking bunton ng mga bato, at hanggang ngayon ay makikita pa roon ang mga batong ito.

Binasa ang Kasunduan sa Bundok ng Ebal

30 Pagkatapos, nagpagawa si Josue ng altar sa Bundok ng Ebal para sa Panginoon, ang Dios ng Israel. 31 Ipinagawa niya ito ayon sa utos ni Moises na lingkod ng Panginoon sa mga Israelita. Nakasulat ito sa Aklat ng Kautusan ni Moises at ito ang sinasabi: “Gumawa ka ng altar na bato na hindi natabasan ng gamit na bakal.” Sa ibabaw ng altar, nag-alay sila sa Panginoon ng mga handog na sinusunog at mga handog para sa mabuting relasyon. 32 Sa harap ng mga Israelita, kinopya ni Josue sa mga bato[b] ang kautusang isinulat ni Moises. 33 Ang lahat ng mga Israelita, kasama ang kanilang mga tagapamahala, mga opisyal at mga hukom nila, pati ang mga dayuhang kasama nila ay tumayo sa dalawang grupo na magkaharap. Ang isang grupo ay nakatalikod sa Bundok ng Gerizim at ang isaʼy nakatalikod sa Bundok ng Ebal. Sa gitna nila ay nakatayo ang mga paring Levita na nagbubuhat ng Kahon ng Kasunduan. Nag-utos sa kanila noon si Moises na lingkod ng Panginoon na gawin ito sa panahong tatanggapin na nila ang pagbabasbas.

34 Binasa ni Josue ang Aklat ng Kasunduan, pati ang pagpapala at sumpa na nakasulat dito. 35 Isa-isang binasa ni Josue ang mga utos ni Moises sa harap ng buong mamamayan ng Israelita, kasama na ang mga babae, anak at mga dayuhang naninirahan kasama nila.

Footnotes

  1. 8:14 Lambak ng Jordan: sa Hebreo, Araba.
  2. 8:32 sa mga bato: o, sa mga bato ng altar.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.

And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the Lord shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.

12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

18 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.

28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.

29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.

30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal,

31 As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Ai Destroyed

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you. Arise, and go up to Ai. See, I have given the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hand. Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its spoils and its livestock. Now set an ambush for the city behind it.”

So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, mighty men of valor, and sent them out at night. He commanded them, “You shall ambush the city from behind. Do not go very far from the city. All of you be ready. I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to engage us as before, we will flee from them. They will come after us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will think, ‘They are fleeing from us as before!’ So we will flee from them. Then you shall rise up for the ambush and take possession of the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hands. When you have seized the city, set it on fire. Act according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.”

So Joshua sent them out. They went to the place of ambush and took up a position between Bethel and Ai, westward of Ai, and Joshua spent the night among the people.

10 Joshua got up early in the morning and mustered the people. He and the elders of Israel went up before the people to Ai. 11 All the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near to the city. They camped north of Ai, and there was a valley between them and Ai. 12 He took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, westward of the city. 13 So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.

14 When the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city hurriedly got up early and went out to engage Israel in battle at the assembly point near the Arabah. Yet he did not know that there was an ambush for him behind the city. 15 So Joshua and all Israel allowed themselves to be beaten before them, and they fled in the direction of the wilderness. 16 All the people who were in Ai were assembled to pursue them, so they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city wide open, and they pursued Israel.

18 The Lord said to Joshua, “Point toward Ai with the sword that is in your hand, for I will give it into your hand.” So Joshua pointed toward the city with the sword in his hand. 19 When his hand pointed, the men in ambush got up quickly from their place and ran. They came into the city, captured it, and quickly set the city on fire.

20 The men of Ai turned around and looked, and there from the city came smoke rising to the sky! They could not flee in any direction, and the people who had fled into the wilderness had turned back toward their pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city and that smoke rose from it, they turned and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then the men in the city came out to engage them in battle, so they were now in the middle, with Israel on each side. Israel struck them down until neither survivors nor escapees were left. 23 They took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 When Israel completed killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they had pursued them, and when all of them had finally fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 All who had fallen that day, men and women, numbered twelve thousand, all the people of Ai. 26 Joshua did not draw back his hand with the stretched-out sword until he destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 Israel plundered only the livestock and the spoil of that city for themselves, according to the word of the Lord that He had commanded Joshua.

28 Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 29 The king of Ai hanged on a tree until evening. At sunset, Joshua commanded that the people take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the city gate. They erected a large heap of stones over it that remains to this day.

The Covenant Renewal at Mount Ebal

30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel. As is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, it was “an altar of uncut stones not shaped by iron tools.” They sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord on it, as well as peace offerings. 32 There in the presence of the children of Israel he wrote a copy of the Law of Moses on the stones. 33 All Israel, resident alien and native alike, with its elders, officials, and judges, were standing on either side of the ark in front of the Levite priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded from the beginning, in order to bless the people of Israel.

34 After this, Joshua read out all the words of the law, both blessing and curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word from all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read out before the whole assembly of Israel, with the women, the children, and the resident aliens who were among them.