1
Jos 9:1-27.
英文原文
Jos 9:1-27.
THE KINGS COMBINE AGAINST ISRAEL.
1. all the kings which were on this side--that is, the western side of Jordan.
in the hills, and in ther valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea--This threefold distinction marks out very clearly a large portion of Canaan. The first designates the hill country, which belonged afterwards to the tribes of Judah and Ephraim: the second, all the low country from Carmel to Gaza; and the third, the shores of the Mediterranean, from the Isthmus of Tyre to the plain of Joppa. (As for the tribes mentioned, see on
Nu 13:29).
heard thereof--that is, of the sacking of Jericho and Ai, as well as the rapid advance of the Israelites into the interior of the country.
2
無標題
2. 他們就都聚集，同心合意地要與約書亞和以色列人爭戰——他們雖然因各自的利益分歧而常常彼此交戰，但共同的危機感促使他們暫停彼此的仇隙，好借聯軍之力阻止這地落入外邦主人之手。
英文原文
2. they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord--Although divided by separate interests and often at war with each other, a sense of common danger prompted them to suspend their mutual animosities, that by their united forces they might prevent the land from falling into the hands of foreign masters.
3
Jos 9:3-15.
書 9:3-15。
基遍人用詭計與以色列人立約
3-15. 基遍的居民聽見——這座城如其名所示，坐落於一處岩石高地上，在耶路撒冷西北約六英里，即今日名為 El Jib 的村莊所在。它是希未人的京城，一座規模頗大的重鎮
(書 10:2)。
它似乎與附近幾座城鎮聯合，結成一個自由獨立的邦國
(書 9:17)，
並享有共和式的政體
(書 9:11)。
英文原文
Jos 9:3-15.
THE GIBEONITES OBTAIN A LEAGUE BY CRAFT.
3-15. when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard--This town, as its name imports, was situated on a rocky eminence, about six miles northwest from Jerusalem, where the modern village of El Jib now stands. It was the capital of the Hivites, and a large important city
(Jos 10:2).
It seems to have formed, in union with a few other towns in the neighborhood, a free independent state
(Jos 9:17)
and to have enjoyed a republican government
(Jos 9:11).
4
無標題
4. 他們就設詭計——他們行事機巧，所求的是保全性命之法；既知動武必歸無用，便不靠強權，而靠外交巧計。
把舊驢和舊口袋馱在驢上——東方的旅客用牲口馱運行李；貧寒之人把飲食、衣物、器具等一切日用所需，統統塞進一個毛織或粗麻布袋中，橫搭在所騎牲口的背上。
把舊皮袋酒袋補縫起來——山羊皮袋比陶器（有孔滲漏）或金屬器皿（在日頭下易被曬熱）都更適合盛裝各種液體，使之保持新鮮完好。這些皮袋用久了便會破裂，修補之法各不相同——或鑲入一塊新皮，或將裂口邊緣收攏縫成錢袋狀，或用一個圓扁的小木片塞住破洞。
英文原文
4. They did work wilily--They acted with dexterous policy, seeking the means of self-preservation, not by force, which they were convinced would be unavailing, but by artful diplomacy.
took old sacks upon their asses--Travellers in the East transport their luggage on beasts of burden; the poorer sort stow all their necessaries, food, clothes, utensils together, in a woollen or hair-cloth sack, laid across the shoulders of the beast they ride upon.
wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up--Goat-skins, which are better adapted for carrying liquor of any kind fresh and good, than either earthenware, which is porous, or metallic vessels, which are soon heated by the sun. These skin bottles are liable to be rent when old and much used; and there are various ways of mending them--by inserting a new piece of leather, or by gathering together the edges of the rent and sewing them in the form of a purse, or by putting a round flat splinter of wood into the hole.
5
無標題
5. 舊鞋補過的——只有一匹驢或騾子兼作坐騎與馱獸的人，往往要下騾步行——這或許正可解釋這些喬裝的旅客為何鞋子如此破舊。
餅……乾碎發黴——這想必是旅客常用的那種餅乾，做成大環狀，約一英寸厚、四五英寸直徑。因不像我們的餅乾烤得那般乾透，麵糰裏留下的水氣便使其變硬發黴。食用前通常先用水泡軟。
英文原文
5. old shoes and clouted--Those who have but one ass or mule for themselves and baggage frequently dismount and walk--a circumstance which may account for the worn shoes of the pretended travellers.
bread . . . dry and mouldy--This must have been that commonly used by travellers--a sort of biscuit made in the form of large rings, about an inch thick, and four or five inches in diameter. Not being so well baked as our biscuits, it becomes hard and mouldy from the moisture left in the dough. It is usually soaked in water previous to being used.
6
無標題
6-14. 他們到吉甲營中約書亞那裏——這些外鄉人到了以色列大營，得見約書亞和眾長老，便向他們說明來意。
英文原文
6-14. they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal--Arrived at the Israelitish headquarters, the strangers obtained an interview with Joshua and the elders, to whom they opened their business.
7
無標題
7. 以色列人對希未人說：只怕你們是住在我們中間的——以色列人的回答暗示，他們毫無自主之權，所奉的命令是絕對的；這些外鄉人若屬於本地的任何部族，與他們結盟便是違法的，因神已明令禁止
(出 23:32；34:12；
申 7:2)。
英文原文
7. the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us--The answer of the Israelites implied that they had no discretion, that their orders were imperative, and that if the strangers belonged to any of the native tribes, the idea of an alliance with them was unlawful since God had forbidden it
(Ex 23:32; 34:12; De 7:2).
9
無標題
9. 僕人是從極遠之地而來，是因耶和華你神的名——他們佯稱是出於宗教的動機才來尋求與神的百姓結盟。但他們那番精心斟酌的言辭，值得留意之處在於：他們只舉遠方神所行的奇事為例，卻略過在迦南所行的，彷彿那些事的傳聞尚未傳到他們耳中。
英文原文
9. From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God--They pretended to be actuated by religious motives in seeking to be allied with His people. But their studied address is worthy of notice in appealing to instances of God's miraculous doings at a distance, while they pass by those done in Canaan, as if the report of these had not yet reached their ears.
14
無標題
14、15. 以色列人受了他們的食物，並沒有求問耶和華——他們那發了霉的餅經過查驗，被當作故事的憑據接受了。以色列人在這倉促的判斷上，犯了過分的輕信和當受責備的疏忽之罪——沒有藉着大祭司的烏陵和土明求問神的心意，便貿然結盟。然而，即便他們求問了神，是否會因此被禁止寬容、結交那些棄絕偶像、歸順敬拜真神的迦南部族，也未可知。至少，他們與基遍人立約一事並未受責備；反倒是後來違背這約，受到了嚴厲的刑罰
(撒下 21:1；
並參 書 11:19、20)。
英文原文
14, 15. the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord--The mouldy appearance of their bread was, after examination, accepted as guaranteeing the truth of the story. In this precipitate conclusion the Israelites were guilty of excessive credulity and culpable negligence, in not asking by the high priest's Urim and Thummim the mind of God, before entering into the alliance. It is not clear, however, that had they applied for divine direction they would have been forbidden to spare and connect themselves with any of the Canaanite tribes who renounced idolatry and embraced and worshipped the true God. At least, no fault was found with them for making a covenant with the Gibeonites; while, on the other hand, the violation of it was severely punished
(2Sa 21:1; and Jos 11:19, 20).
16
無標題
16、17. 過了三天……他們才聽見原來他們是近鄰，是住在我民中間的——這消息是在他們繼續深入內行進時才得知的；因為
書 9:17
當譯作「以色列人起行的時候，就到了他們的城邑」。基遍距吉甲約十八至二十英里。
英文原文
16, 17. at the end of three days . . . they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them--This information was obtained in their further progress through the country; for as
Jos 9:17
should be rendered, "when the children of Israel journeyed, they came to their cities." Gibeon was about eighteen or twenty miles from Gilgal.
17
無標題
17. 基非拉——
(書 18:26；
拉 2:25；
尼 7:29)。
比錄——
(撒下 4:2)，
即今 El Berich，距 El Jib（基遍）約二十分鐘路程。
基列耶琳——意即「森林之城」，即今 Kuryet-el-Enab [ROBINSON]。
英文原文
17. Chephirah--
(Jos 18:26; Ezr 2:25; Ne 7:29).
Beeroth--
(2Sa 4:2),
now El Berich, about twenty minutes' distance from El Jib (Gibeon).
Kirjath-jearim--"the city of forests," now Kuryet-el-Enab [ROBINSON].
18
無標題
18-27. 以色列人沒有擊殺他們——基遍人的詭計在道德上是惡的。會眾的首領並未為他們所結之盟的便利或合法辯護；但他們深知自己所起之誓的莊嚴約束；儘管百姓的呼聲喧囂反對——或因失去了基遍的掠物而失望，或因表面上有違神命而不滿——他們仍決意持守所許的願，「因為他們已指着耶和華以色列的神起了誓」。以色列的首領們行得問心無愧；他們覺得自己既已莊嚴承諾，便當受約束；但為防止他們草率所帶來的禍患，他們決定貶抑基遍人為奴僕，藉此防止百姓被引誘陷於拜偶像之中，這樣他們以為便盡到了律法的真精神與本旨。
英文原文
18-27. the children of Israel smote them not--The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gibeon, or by displeasure at the apparent breach of the divine commandment, they determined to adhere to their pledge, "because they had sworn by the Lord God of Israel." The Israelitish princes acted conscientiously; they felt themselves bound by their solemn promise; but to prevent the disastrous consequences of their imprudent haste, they resolved to degrade the Gibeonites to a servile condition as a means of preventing their people from being ensnared into idolatry, and thus acted up, as they thought, to the true spirit and end of the law.
27
無標題
27. 劈柴挑水的人——即在聖所中作最卑賤服事與粗重雜役的僕役；故被稱為尼提寧
(代上 9:2； 拉 2:43； 8:20)，
即「給予」、「奉獻」之意。這樣的刑罰反倒使他們得著極大的宗教特權
(詩 84:10)。
英文原文
27. hewers of wood and drawers of water--The menials who performed the lowest offices and drudgery in the sanctuary; whence they were called Nethinims
(1Ch 9:2; Ezr 2:43; 8:20);
that is, given, appropriated. Their chastisement thus brought them into the possession of great religious privileges
(Ps 84:10).
書 9:1-27。
諸王聯合對抗以色列
1. 約旦河西——即約旦河西邊的諸王。
山上、低地，並大海邊——這三層劃分，相當清楚地界定了迦南的一大片地土。頭一項指山區，後來歸猶大和以法蓮支派；第二項指從迦密到加沙的一切低地；第三項指地中海沿岸，從推羅地峽到約帕平原。（至於所提的部族，
參
民 13:29）。
聽見這事*——即聽見耶利哥和艾城被劫掠，以及以色列人迅速推進那地腹地之事。