What the Bible says about Joshua
神命令約書亞征服迦南
1 耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後，耶和華對摩西的助手嫩的兒子約書亞說：
2 「我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約旦河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。
3 凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。
4 從曠野和這黎巴嫩，直到大河，就是幼發拉底河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落的方向，都要作你們的疆土。
5 你一生的日子，必無人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
6 你當剛強壯膽，因為你必使這百姓承受那地為業，就是我向他們列祖起誓要給他們的地。
7 只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往哪裏去， 都可以順利。
8 這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。
9 我豈沒有吩咐你嗎？你當剛強壯膽，不要懼怕，也不要驚惶，因為你無論往哪裏去，耶和華你的 神必與你同在。」
準備過約旦河
10 於是，約書亞吩咐百姓的官長說：
11 「你們要走遍營中，吩咐百姓說：『當預備食物， 因為三日之內你們要過這約旦河，進去得耶和華—你們 神賜給你們為業之地。』」
12 約書亞對呂便人、迦得人和瑪拿西半支派的人說：
13 「你們要記得耶和華的僕人摩西所吩咐你們的話說：『耶和華—你們的 神使你們得享安寧，必將這地賜給你們。』
14 你們的妻子、孩子和牲畜可以留在約旦河東、摩西所給你們的地。但你們中間所有大能的勇士都要帶着兵器，在你們的弟兄前面過去，你們要幫助他們。
15 等到耶和華使你們的弟兄和你們一樣得享平靜，並且得着耶和華—你們 神所賜他們為業之地的時候，你們才可以回到你們所得之地，承受為業，就是耶和華的僕人摩西在約旦河東、向日出的方向所給你們的地。」
16 他們回答約書亞說：「凡你吩咐我們的，我們都必做；凡你差我們去的地方，我們都必去。
17 我們在一切事上怎樣聽從摩西，也必照樣聽從你。惟願耶和華—你的 神與你同在，像與摩西同在一樣。
18 無論甚麼人違背你的命令，不聽從你所吩咐他的一切話，就必處死。你只要剛強壯膽！」
1:1–18 Joshua as Israel’s new leader. The Lord initiated the action by commanding Joshua, his chosen replacement for Moses (see Dt 31:1–8), to lead Israel across the Jordan and take possession of the promised land. He urged courage and promised success—but only if Israel obeyed the law of God that Moses had given them. Ch. 1 consists of speeches significant in their content and order: The Lord commanded Joshua as his appointed leader over his people (vv. 1–9); Joshua, as the Lord’s representative, addressed Israel (vv. 10–15); Israel responded to Joshua as the Lord’s representative and successor to Moses (vv. 16–18). Thus the events of the book are set in motion and the roles of the main actors indicated (Introduction: Title and Theological Theme).
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6 窺探那地的人中，嫩的兒子約書亞和耶孚尼的兒子迦勒撕裂衣服，
7 對以色列全會眾說：「我們所走過、所窺探之地是極美之地。
8 耶和華若喜愛我們，就必領我們進入那地，把這流奶與蜜之地賜給我們。
9 但你們不可背叛耶和華，也不要怕那地的百姓，因為他們是我們的食物。保護他們的已經離開他們，耶和華卻與我們同在。不要怕他們！」
10 當全會眾正說着要拿石頭打死他們的時候，耶和華的榮光在會幕中向以色列眾人顯現。
Joshua and Caleb (14:6–10a)
Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, a sign of mourning (cf. Gen. 37:29, 34; Lev. 10:6; Jos. 7:6; 2 Sam. 13:31), and sought to encourage the people. If the Lord is pleased with us (i.e. if we do not alienate Him by rebellion), he will lead us into that land (8). 9. Their protection is gone: ‘protection’ is the shadow that protects from the heat of the eastern sun (cf. Ps. 121:5, 6; Isa. 30:2, 3; 32:2; Jon. 4:6). Keil took it to refer to the protection of God, who was about to judge them (cf. Gen. 15:16; Exod. 34:24; Lev. 18:25; 20:23), but it could refer to the protection of their own deities (cf. Dt. 32:30, 31). So ICC, JB, GNB. 10. But the whole assembly talked about stoning them: it was probably not an order of the elders, but a spontaneous reaction of the people (cf. Exod. 17:4; 1 Sam. 30:6). In Israel stoning was the usual method of execution (cf. 15:35, 36; Lev.20:2, etc.).
(d) The Glory Appears (14:10b–12)
The cloud was continually over the tabernacle (cf. Exod. 40:38) but here it evidently flashed with light at the entrance to the sanctuary (cf. 16:19; 20:6 and Exod. 16:10; 33:9, 10). With v. 12 cf. Exod. 32:9, 10. God’s purpose would not be deflected by their failure.
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以色列人過約旦河
3 約書亞清早起來，和以色列眾人起行，離開什亭，來到約旦河，過河以前住在那裏。
2 過了三天，官長走遍營中，
3 吩咐百姓說：「當你們看見利未家的祭司抬着耶和華—你們 神的約櫃的時候，你們就要起行離開所住的地方，跟着約櫃走，
4 使你們知道所當走的路，因為這條路是你們從來沒有走過的。只是你們要與約櫃相隔約二千肘，不可太靠近約櫃。」
5 約書亞吩咐百姓說：「你們要使自己分別為聖，因為明天耶和華必在你們中間行奇事。」
6 約書亞對祭司說：「你們抬起約櫃，在百姓的前面過去。」於是他們抬起約櫃，走在百姓前面。
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被尊為大，使他們知道我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在。
8 你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司說：『你們到了約旦河的水邊，要在約旦河中站着。』」
9 約書亞對以色列人說：「你們近前，到這裏來，聽耶和華—你們 神的話。」
10 約書亞說：「你們因這事會知道永生的 神在你們中間，他必從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。
11 看哪！全地之主的約櫃必在你們的前面過去，到約旦河裏。
12 現在， 你們要從以色列支派中選出十二個人，每支派一人。
13 當抬耶和華全地之主約櫃的祭司，腳掌踏入約旦河水裏的時候，約旦河的水，就是從上往下流的水，必然中斷，豎立成壘。」
14 百姓起行離開帳棚過約旦河的時候，抬約櫃的祭司在百姓的前面。
15 那時正是收割的日子，約旦河的水漲滿兩岸。抬約櫃的人到了約旦河，抬約櫃的祭司腳一入水邊，
16 那從上往下流的水就在很遠的地方，在撒拉但旁邊的亞當城那裏停住，豎立成壘；那往亞拉巴海，就是鹽海下流的水全然中斷。於是，百姓在耶利哥的對面過了河。
17 抬耶和華約櫃的祭司在約旦河中的乾地上穩穩站着，以色列眾人都從乾地上過去，直到全國都過了約旦河。
Preparations East of the Jordan River: Israel, the Priests, and the Ark (3:1 – 17)
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out (3:1). The crossing of the Jordan River, unlike the crossing of the Reed Sea of the previous generation (Ex. 14 – 15), was accomplished in an orderly fashion. Most of this chapter is taken up with the detailed procedure by which Israel was to cross the river. The ceremonial progression across the Jordan resembles the ancient West Semitic religious procession detailed at thirteenth-century Emar in northern Syria — in particular, the multiple processions of the image of Dagan Lord of the Firstborn, who proceeds from his temple to various gates and standing stones before returning. However, other than the connection with a deity and his movement, there is no real parallel with the biblical texts of Joshua.
The God of Israel moves in the midst of his people in a procession that leads them into enemy territory. This forms a military procession and resembles the military marches of Egypt and the other powers of the ancient Near East. Although few descriptions remain of the procedure of such marches, there is a detailed description found in the second-millennium b.c. Hittite Instruction for the Royal Bodyguard. This tablet describes the responsibilities of the palace guard for the protection of the king. Most of it concerns the movement of the king in a cart from his palace to the place where he gives judgment and the return at the end of the day. Although there are many differences, of special interest is the manner in which the location of the guard is specified. They surround the king and protect him on all sides. This reminds us of the Israelite camp’s order of march through the desert (Num. 10:14 – 28).
However, the Hittite instructions also require that the guards should keep a specific distance from the king when they march. As the guards are required to stay at a certain distance from the cart carrying the king, so the Israelites are commanded to keep “a thousand yards” of distance from the ark, representing God in its movement across the Jordan River (3:4). The specific directions and the whole ceremony of Joshua 3 – 4 suggest a movement comparable to that of a king surrounded by his army as they march to battle.
Jordan River
Revital Salomon, Israel
Standard of Ur war panel showing victory procession
Caryn Reeder, courtesy of the British Museum
Shittim (3:1). See 2:1.
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