1
Jos 6:1-7.
英文原文
Jos 6:1-7.
JERICHO SHUT UP.
1. Now Jericho was straitly shut up--This verse is a parenthesis introduced to prepare the way for the directions given by the Captain of the Lord's host.
2
無標題
2. 看哪，我已經把耶利哥交在你手中——這話表明一項已定的旨意即將立即付諸執行；並且，儘管耶利哥的王和居民都是凶悍而富有經驗的勇士，會作頑強堅決的抵抗，主卻應許必輕易而確定地勝過他們。
英文原文
2. See, I have given into thine hand Jericho--The language intimates that a purpose already formed was about to be carried into immediate execution; and that, although the king and inhabitants of Jericho were fierce and experienced warriors, who would make a stout and determined resistance, the Lord promised a certain and easy victory over them.
3
無標題
3-5. 你們的一切兵丁要圍繞這城……如此你們要行六日，等等——這裏指示了行事的步驟。希伯來原文作「禧年的角」，即宣告禧年時所用的彎曲號角。起初所用的，大概就是這動物的角；後來既引進了金屬號筒，那原始的名稱與形制也照舊沿襲下來。這整套行事的設計，顯然是要使迦南人深深感受到神的全能，要以色列人從其中學得信靠神的應許這一難忘的功課，並使他們因約櫃是神同在的象徵而生出敬畏尊崇之心。繞城的日子既長，便愈加能抓住眾人的注意，加深以色列人和仇敵雙方的印象。七這個數目，在以色列人中乃是神與他們國家之間立約的印記 [KEIL, HENGSTENBERG]。
英文原文
3-5. ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war. . . . Thus shalt thou do six days, &c.--Directions are here given as to the mode of procedure. Hebrew, "horns of jubilee"; that is, the bent or crooked trumpets with which the jubilee was proclaimed. It is probable that the horns of this animal were used at first; and that afterwards, when metallic trumpets were introduced, the primitive name, as well as form of them, was traditionally continued. The design of this whole proceeding was obviously to impress the Canaanites with a sense of the divine omnipotence, to teach the Israelites a memorable lesson of faith and confidence in God's promises, and to inspire sentiments of respect and reverence for the ark as the symbol of His presence. The length of time during which those circuits were made tended the more intensely to arrest the attention, and to deepen the impressions, both of the Israelites and the enemy. The number seven was among the Israelites the symbolic seal of the covenant between God and their nation [KEIL, HENGSTENBERG].
6
無標題
6、7. 約書亞……召了祭司來——這位敬虔的領袖不論曾作過甚麼軍事上的部署，一聽到神所明示的旨意，便立時毫無保留地放下自己的一切主意，完全順服。
英文原文
6, 7. Joshua . . . called the priests--The pious leader, whatever military preparations he had made, surrendered all his own views, at once and unreservedly, to the declared will of God.
8
Jos 6:8-19.
書 6:8-19。
繞城六日
8-11. 七個祭司拿七個羊角走在耶和華面前——即在約櫃前，約櫃被稱為「約櫃」，因其中盛有刻着聖約的法版。整支隊伍在深沉莊嚴的靜默中前行，正與他們領袖起初給百姓的吩咐相符——在他們未得信號以先，當禁戒一切歡呼吶喊。那情景必是奇特的：沒有堆築土壘，沒有拔出刀劍，沒有架設攻城器械，沒有工兵挖掘地道——這裏有帶兵器的勇士，卻不發一擊；他們只管行走，不可爭戰。耶利哥城的人想必以這場面為笑料 [BISHOP HALL]。
英文原文
Jos 6:8-19.
THE CITY COMPASSED SIX DAYS.
8-11. the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets . . . passed on before the Lord--before the ark, called "the ark of the covenant," for it contained the tables on which the covenant was inscribed. The procession was made in deep and solemn silence, conforming to the instructions given to the people by their leader at the outset, that they were to refrain from all acclamation and noise of any kind until he should give them a signal. It must have been a strange sight; no mound was raised, no sword drawn, no engine planted, no pioneers undermining--here were armed men, but no stroke given; they must walk and not fight. Doubtless the people of Jericho made themselves merry with the spectacle [BISHOP HALL].
12
無標題
12-14. 約書亞清早起來，祭司又抬起耶和華的約櫃——第二日的遊行似乎是在早晨舉行的。除此之外，直到最小的細節，第一日所定的安排，成了其餘六日一貫遵循的準則。
英文原文
12-14. Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord--The second day's procession seems to have taken place in the morning. In all other respects, down even to the smallest details, the arrangements of the first day continued to be the rule followed on the other six.
15
無標題
15. 第七日清早，日出的時候，他們起來……繞城七次——因為那天他們要繞城七圈。不過可見被召參與行軍的，只是以色列的民兵——因為兩百萬人一天之內繞城這麼多次，是不可想像的。
英文原文
15. on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city . . . seven times--on account of the seven circuits they had to make that day. It is evident, however, that the militia only of the Israelites had been called to the march--for it is inconceivable that two millions of people could have gone so frequently round the city in a day.
16
無標題
16. 到了第七次……約書亞對百姓說：呼喊吧，因為耶和華已經把城交給你們了——這一耽延，把他們的信心和順服以如此顯著的方式顯明出來，所以使徒特加稱許
(來 11:30)。
英文原文
16. it came to pass at the seventh time, . . . Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city--This delay brought out their faith and obedience in so remarkable a manner, that it is celebrated by the apostle
(Heb 11:30).
17
無標題
17-19. 這城要完全歸神——
(參
利 27:28)。
cherem（即「當滅之物」）乃指完全獻上毀滅之物
(申 7:2；20:17；
撒上 15:3)。
當一座敵城被宣告當滅，其中的男丁牲畜都要被殺——不許取任何掠物。偶像及其上一切貴重飾物都要用火焚燒
(申 7:25；
參 代上 14:12)。
一切物或毀掉，或分別為聖歸入聖所。約書亞顯然是奉神之命，對耶利哥這座大而富庶的城宣告此令。這判決雖嚴厲，卻與那聖潔、公義、良善之律法的要求相符，其所以公義，不僅因其居民乃一罪惡滿盈之族，也因他們抗拒約旦河近日奇事的光照。況且耶利哥似乎有從四方全國而來的援軍協守
(書 24:11)，
其傾覆必使一切當滅之民盡皆癱瘓，從而有助於全地的征服；如此驚人的軍事神蹟也表明，這事不是出於人，而是出於神的大能和神的忿怒。
英文原文
17-19. And the city shall be accursed--(See on
Le 27:28).
The cherem, or "anathema," was a devotion to utter destruction
(De 7:2; 20:17; 1Sa 15:3).
When such a ban was pronounced against a hostile city, the men and animals were killed--no booty was allowed to be taken. The idols and all the precious ornaments on them were to be burned
(De 7:25; compare 1Ch 14:12).
Everything was either to be destroyed or consecrated to the sanctuary. Joshua pronounced this ban on Jericho, a great and wealthy city, evidently by divine direction. The severity of the doom, accordant with the requirements of a law which was holy, just, and good, was justified, not only by the fact of its inhabitants being part of a race who had filled up their iniquities, but by their resisting the light of the recent astonishing miracle at the Jordan. Besides, as Jericho seems to have been defended by reinforcements from all the country
(Jos 24:11),
its destruction would paralyze all the rest of the devoted people, and thus tend to facilitate the conquest of the land; showing, as so astounding a military miracle did, that it was done, not by man, but by the power and through the anger, of God.
18
無標題
18. 你們務要謹慎，不可取那當滅的物——一般而言，攻取別城時他們可以取掠物
(申 2:35；3:7；
書 8:27)。
但這城既是迦南的初熟之果，便作了例外；除了喇合和她家中的人之外，一概不可存留
[書 6:17]。
違犯這嚴厲的命令，不僅使犯罪者自招咒詛，更因惹動神怒，使全以色列遭遇患難災禍。這些是攻城最後一幕之前所給（或重申）的指示
(申 13:17；7:26)。
英文原文
18. and ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing--Generally they were at liberty to take the spoil of other cities that were captured
(De 2:35; 3:7; Jos 8:27).
But this, as the first fruits of Canaan, was made an exception; nothing was to be spared but Rahab and those in her house
[Jos 6:17].
A violation of these stringent orders would not only render the guilty persons obnoxious to the curse, but entail distress and adversity upon all Israel, by provoking the divine displeasure. These were the instructions given, or repeated
(De 13:17; 7:26),
previous to the last act of the siege.
20
Jos 6:20, 21.
書 6:20、21。
城牆倒塌
20、21. 於是百姓呼喊，祭司也吹角——第七次繞城將近末了之時，約書亞發出信號，百姓便大聲吶喊，城牆隨之倒塌，無疑將大批居民埋在廢墟之下；攻城者衝入城中，將一切有氣息的和無氣息的盡都毀滅
(申 20:16、17)。
猶太作者們提到一項自古相傳的說法：這城是在安息日傾覆的。當記得迦南人是無可救藥的拜偶像者，沉溺於最可憎的惡習之中；神既可藉饑荒或瘟疫掃滅他們，公義的審判自然也可藉着刀劍而行。以刀劍作為刑罰有罪迦南人之器，其中也含着憐憫——因這刀只指向一城，便給其餘的人留下了悔改的時間。
英文原文
Jos 6:20, 21.
THE WALLS FALL DOWN.
20, 21. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets--Towards the close of the seventh circuit, the signal was given by Joshua, and on the Israelites' raising their loud war cry, the walls fell down, doubtless burying multitudes of the inhabitants in the ruins, while the besiegers, rushing in, consigned everything animate and inanimate to indiscriminate destruction
(De 20:16, 17).
Jewish writers mention it as an immemorial tradition that the city fell on the Sabbath. It should be remembered that the Canaanites were incorrigible idolaters, addicted to the most horrible vices, and that the righteous judgment of God might sweep them away by the sword, as well as by famine or pestilence. There was mercy mingled with judgment in employing the sword as the instrument of punishing the guilty Canaanites, for while it was directed against one place, time was afforded for others to repent.
22
Jos 6:22-25.
書 6:22-25。
喇合獲救
22、23. 約書亞曾吩咐說……你們進那妓女的家，把那女人和她所有的一切都從那裏帶出來——可見城牆並非一概盡毀，至少不是一時全毀，因為喇合的房子獲准存留，直到她的親人按應許被救出來。
英文原文
Jos 6:22-25.
RAHAB IS SAVED.
22, 23. Joshua had said . . . Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath--It is evident that the town walls were not demolished universally, at least all at once, for Rahab's house was allowed to stand until her relatives were rescued according to promise.
23
無標題
23. 將她一切親屬帶出來，安置在以色列的營外——這是暫時的隔離，為要使他們從本地偶像崇拜的污穢中得潔淨，並逐步受訓，得以進入神子民的群體之中。
英文原文
23. they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel--a temporary exclusion, in order that they might be cleansed from the defilement of their native idolatries and gradually trained for admission into the society of God's people.
24
無標題
24. 眾人將城……和其中所有的，都用火焚燒——只有金銀等金屬不致燒毀，便歸入聖所的府庫。
英文原文
24. burned the city . . . and all . . . therein--except the silver, gold, and other metals, which, as they would not burn, were added to the treasury of the sanctuary.
25
無標題
25. 她——即喇合
住在以色列中，直到今日——這證明本書寫成的日子，距所記之事並不久遠。
英文原文
25. she--Rahab
dwelleth in Israel unto this day--a proof that this book was written not long after the events related.
26
Jos 6:26, 27.
書 6:26, 27。
重建耶利哥者必受咒詛
26. 約書亞當時叫百姓起誓——即令同胞立下莊嚴誓言，約束自己也約束後裔，永不重建那城。其被毀乃神所定意，作為祂永久的記念，表明祂對偶像崇拜及其隨之而來的諸般罪惡深惡痛絕。
有興起重修這耶利哥城的人，當受咒詛——即膽敢嘗試重建之意。
他立根基的時候，必喪長子，安門的時候，必喪幼子——必成為無子之人——開工之始即以長子之死為記，及至完工之時，唯一存活的兒子亦隨之而亡。此咒詛於宣示之後五百五十年，方才應驗
(參
王上 16:34)。
英文原文
Jos 6:26, 27.
THE REBUILDER OF JERICHO CURSED.
26. Joshua adjured them at that time--that is, imposed upon his countrymen a solemn oath, binding on themselves as well as their posterity, that they would never rebuild that city. Its destruction was designed by God to be a permanent memorial of His abhorrence of idolatry and its attendant vices.
Cursed be the man . . . that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho--that is, makes the daring attempt to build.
he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it--shall become childless--the first beginning being marked by the death of his oldest son, and his only surviving child dying at the time of its completion. This curse was accomplished five hundred fifty years after its denunciation (see on
1Ki 16:34).
書 6:1-7。
耶利哥城關閉
1. 耶利哥的城門因以色列人就關得嚴緊——本節是一個括號插句，為萬軍之耶和華元帥所給的指示鋪路。