1
Jos 21:1-8.
英文原文
Jos 21:1-8.
EIGHT AND FORTY CITIES GIVEN BY LOT OUT OF THE OTHER TRIBES UNTO THE LEVITES.
1-3. Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites--The most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see on
Nu 35:2).
Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners as the other allotments. While the people, knowing the important duties they were to perform, are described
(Jos 21:3)
as readily conceding this "peculiar" to them, it had most probably been specified and reserved for their use while the distribution of the land was in progress.
4
無標題
4-8. 為哥轄族拈鬮——利未人分為哥轄、革順、米拉利三族。哥轄族中，惟獨亞倫一家被分別出來擔任祭司職任，其餘的都列為普通利未人。頭一鬮是哥轄族拈的；他們之中又先為祭司拈鬮，分得十三座城，其餘的哥轄人得十座
(書 21:5)；
革順人得十三座
(書 21:6)，
米拉利人得十二座
(書 21:7)。
英文原文
4-8. the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites--The Levites were divided into Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Among the former the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood, and all the rest were ranked in the common order of Levites. The first lot was drawn by the Kohathites; and the first of theirs again by the priests, to whom thirteen cities were granted, and ten to the rest of the Kohathites
(Jos 21:5);
thirteen to the Gershonites
(Jos 21:6),
and twelve to the Merarites
(Jos 21:7).
9
Jos 21:9-42.
書 21:9-42。
祭司的城邑
9-40. 他們就從……這裏所提的這些城邑中給出——祭司的城邑落在猶大和便雅憫境內，這是由於那位全無錯誤的神聖律法者之護理所定。這一安排的奇妙智慧與妥當，在羅波安年間發生分裂時便充分顯明出來。
英文原文
Jos 21:9-42.
THE CITIES OF THE PRIESTS.
9-40. they gave . . . these cities which are here mentioned by name--It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.
41
無標題
41. 利未人在以色列人的地業中所得的城邑，共四十八座，並有屬城的郊野——與其他支派相比，這比例似乎過大。但必須記得，這裏所列的乃是每一座利未城的名稱
(參
代上 6:39-66)；
而其他支派所提的，只是邊界上或沿界線的城邑。再者，利未人並非這四十八座城的唯一居民；其中必有相當數量的人留在那裏，耕種利未人的田畝、照料牲畜。更進一步說，利未城所有的只是「四圍的郊野」
[書 21:42]；
而以色列其他的城卻擁有一群獨立的村莊
(參
書 17:1-19:51)。
英文原文
41. All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs--This may appear too great a proportion compared with those of the other tribes. But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on
1Ch 6:39-66);
whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line. Besides, the Levites were not the exclusive inhabitants of those forty-eight cities; for there must have been also a considerable number of people kept there to cultivate the glebe lands and tend the cattle. Still further, the Levitical cities had nothing but "their suburbs round about them"
[Jos 21:42];
whereas the other cities in Israel possessed a group of independent villages (see
Jos 17:1-19:51).
43
Jos 21:43-45.
書 21:43-45。
神賜他們得享平安
43-45. 耶和華將向他們列祖起誓應許賜給他們的全地，都賜給以色列人了——這是自第十三章記述以色列人佔據那地以來，歷史的總結。無論是對百姓還是對約書亞
(書 1:5)
所作的一切應許，都已應驗或正在應驗；而所記以色列人的經歷
(書 21:45)，
也成了歷代神子民盼望與信心的根基，確知神對教會所作的一切其他應許，到了時候也必全然成就。
英文原文
Jos 21:43-45.
GOD GAVE THEM REST.
43-45. the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers--This is a general winding up of the history from the thirteenth chapter, which narrates the occupation of the land by the Israelites. All the promises made, whether to the people or to Joshua
(Jos 1:5),
had been, or were in the course of being fulfilled; and the recorded experience of the Israelites
(Jos 21:45),
is a ground of hope and confidence to the people of God in every age, that all other promises made to the Church will, in due time, be accomplished.
書 21:1-8。
從其他支派拈鬮給利未人的四十八座城
1-3. 利未人的族長近前來——三個利未家族中最年高德劭的成員，代表本支派申請現在履行所應許給他們的特殊供給
(參
民 35:2)。
他們的產業位於每一個支派的境內。分地之處、分地之法、分地之人，都與別的產業相同。百姓深知他們當盡的重要職責，被描述為樂意把這「特權」讓給他們
(書 21:3)；
事實上，這很可能是在分地進行之時便已指明、留作他們使用的。