1
Nu 10:1-36.
英文原文
Nu 10:1-36.
THE USE OF THE SILVER TRUMPETS.
2
無標題
2. 你要用銀子做兩枝號——這些號是長形的，有別於埃及人的號——埃及人召集民眾敬拜俄西里斯時所用的號彎曲如公羊角。摩西所造的號，按約瑟夫的描述及提多凱旋門上的浮雕所示，是直的，長約一肘或更長，管粗如笛。兩端的形狀與我們今日所用的極為相近。它們用純銀製成——因金屬純淨，能發出尖銳清晰的聲音；其數為二，大概因亞倫只有兩個兒子，但到了後期數量大增
(Jos 6:8; 2Ch 5:12)。 營中雖有二百五十萬之眾，兩枝號已綽綽有餘，因為在純淨的空氣中聲音易於傳播，並在西奈群山的谷地中迴響強烈。
英文原文
2. Make thee two trumpets of silver--These trumpets were of a long form, in opposition to that of the Egyptian trumpets, with which the people were convened to the worship of Osiris and which were curved like rams' horns. Those which Moses made, as described by JOSEPHUS and represented on the arch of Titus, were straight, a cubit or more in length, the tubes of the thickness of a flute. Both extremities bore a close resemblance to those in use among us. They were of solid silver--so as, from the purity of the metal, to give a shrill, distinct sound; and there were two of them, probably because there were only two sons of Aaron; but at a later period the number was greatly increased
(Jos 6:8; 2Ch 5:12).
And although the camp comprehended 2,500,000 of people, two trumpets would be quite sufficient, for sound is conveyed easily through the pure atmosphere and reverberated strongly among the valleys of the Sinaitic hills.
3
無標題
3-7. 他們吹號的時候——似乎是以音量強弱與音調變化來發出信號，以應不同場合之需，而以色列人也學會分辨。兩號同吹一個簡單一致的聲音，是召集全會眾；單吹一號，是召集首領商議公事；另有別種音符，用以發出警號——或為起行，或為出戰。一聲警號是東面營盤（猶大、以薩迦、西布倫三支派）起行的既定信號；兩聲警號是南面營起行的信號；雖現行希伯來文文本中未載，七十士譯本卻記三聲警號時西面營起行，四聲號角時北面營拔營。如此一來，以色列營中建立了極嚴密的秩序與紀律——任何軍事行軍也難以管理得更出色。
英文原文
3-7. when they shall blow with them--There seem to have been signals made by a difference in the loudness and variety in the notes, suited for different occasions, and which the Israelites learned to distinguish. A simple uniform sound by both trumpets summoned a general assembly of the people; the blast of a single trumpet convoked the princes to consult on public affairs; notes of some other kind were made to sound an alarm, whether for journeying or for war. One alarm was the recognized signal for the eastern division of the camp (the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun) to march; two alarms gave the signal for the southern to move; and, though it is not in our present Hebrew text, the Septuagint has, that on three alarms being sounded, those on the west; while on four blasts, those on the north decamped. Thus the greatest order and discipline were established in the Israelitish camp--no military march could be better regulated.
8
無標題
8. 祭司亞倫的兒子要吹號等——利未人或百姓中的普通人都不能擔任這發信號的差事。為要引起更大的重視、更忠心的遵行，這職事唯獨保留給祭司——作為事奉耶和華的僕人；正如古時波斯等東方國家，警報的號角是從君王的帳幕吹響的，照樣以色列的號也是從帳幕——以色列王可見的居所——吹響。
英文原文
8. the sons of Aaron the priests shall blow with the trumpets, &c.--Neither the Levites nor any in the common ranks of the people could be employed in this office of signal giving. In order to attract greater attention and more faithful observance, it was reserved to the priests alone, as the Lord's ministers; and as anciently in Persia and other Eastern countries the alarm trumpets were sounded from the tent of the sovereign, so were they blown from the tabernacle, the visible residence of Israel's King.
9
無標題
9. 你們將要打仗——無論是在迦南地遭外敵入侵，還是照神的應許前去得地為業，「你們〔即祭司〕要吹警號」。這吩咐後來確實照着行了
(Nu 31:6; 2Ch 13:12)； 在那些處境中，這是信靠神的敬虔之舉。在開戰前夕舉行莊嚴的宗教儀式，往往能激勵那些深知自己投身於正義事業之人的心；照樣，吹號既是神的命令，便在以色列人心中產生了這等效果。但這話所含的意義更深——即神彷彿要被號聲喚醒，以祂的同在與幫助來賜福。
英文原文
9. If ye go to war--In the land of Canaan, either when attacked by foreign invaders or when they went to take possession according to the divine promise, "ye [that is, the priests] shall blow an alarm." This advice was accordingly acted upon
(Nu 31:6; 2Ch 13:12);
and in the circumstances it was an act of devout confidence in God. A solemn and religious act on the eve of a battle has often animated the hearts of those who felt they were engaged in a good and just cause; and so the blowing of the trumpet, being an ordinance of God, produced that effect on the minds of the Israelites. But more is meant by the words--namely, that God would, as it were, be aroused by the trumpet to bless with His presence and aid.
10
無標題
10. 在你們快樂的日子和節期——歡慶和感恩的場合都要以吹號為始，正如後來一切節期都是如此
(Ps 81:3; 2Ch 29:27)， 以表明他們以何等喜樂歡欣的心情投入事奉神。
英文原文
10. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days--Festive and thanksgiving occasions were to be ushered in with the trumpets, as all feasts afterwards were
(Ps 81:3; 2Ch 29:27)
to intimate the joyous and delighted feelings with which they engaged in the service of God.
11
無標題
11. 第二年二月二十日等——以色列人在拉哈旱谷及西奈山脈鄰近的谷地紮營，共計十一個月又二十九天。（參
Ex 19:1）。 他們在西奈長住，除了服務至為重要的宗教目的之外，以色列人經過埃及為奴之地的困苦與壓迫，也需要一段休養生息的時間。他們在身體和道德上都還不足以與那些為得迦南而必須對抗的好戰民族交鋒。但西奈所發生的奇事——耶和華的膀臂如此明顯地為他們施展——所立的約與所保證的特殊福分——開始了一個塑造這百姓品格的道德和宗教教育歷程——使他們認識自己崇高的命運，並注入那唯獨能使一個國家成為偉大的神聖真理與公義的高貴原則。
英文原文
11. It came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, &c.--The Israelites had lain encamped in Wady-Er-Rahah and the neighboring valleys of the Sinaitic range for the space of eleven months and twenty-nine days. (Compare
Ex 19:1).
Besides the religious purposes of the highest importance to which their long sojourn at Sinai was subservient, the Israelites, after the hardships and oppression of the Egyptian servitude, required an interval of repose and refreshment. They were neither physically nor morally in a condition to enter the lists with the warlike people they had to encounter before obtaining possession of Canaan. But the wondrous transactions at Sinai--the arm of Jehovah so visibly displayed in their favor--the covenant entered into, and the special blessings guaranteed, beginning a course of moral and religious education which moulded the character of this people--made them acquainted with their high destiny and inspired them with those noble principles of divine truth and righteousness which alone make a great nation.
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無標題
12. 巴蘭的曠野——它自西奈山脈的山腳，或自提赫（Et-Tyh），橫亙那片廣大的高原，直到巴勒斯坦的西南邊界。
英文原文
12. wilderness of Paran--It stretched from the base of the Sinaitic group, or from Et-Tyh, over that extensive plateau to the southwestern borders of Palestine.
13
無標題
13-27. 以色列人……按着站口往前行的——大概在拔營之時，摩西站在某個高處，觀看各隊井然有序地從山口魚貫而出。行軍次序已詳
(Nu 2:1-34)； 但這龐大的人群在此是處於實際遷移之中，我們當留意為確保聖物安全運送所費的格外心思。在率領前鋒的猶大——以及隨行的以薩迦和西布倫——之後，跟着革順子孫和米拉利子孫，扛着帳幕沉重粗大的材料。其次是流便和以法蓮兩翼啟行。然後是哥轄子孫，他們位於移動人群的中央，肩扛聖具。他們與利未其餘部分相距甚遠，使後者在新營地有時間先把帳幕的框架立好，哥轄人才趕到。最後，但與其同盟支派為這龐大車隊殿後。每支派都歸在自己的首領或族長之下，一切行動都環繞自己的旗號集合。
英文原文
13-27. the children of Israel took their journey . . . by the hand of Moses--It is probable that Moses, on the breaking up of the encampment, stationed himself on some eminence to see the ranks defile in order through the embouchure of the mountains. The marching order is described
(Nu 2:1-34);
but, as the vast horde is represented here in actual migration, let us notice the extraordinary care that was taken for ensuring the safe conveyance of the holy things. In the rear of Judah, which, with the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun, led the van, followed the Gershonites and Merarites with the heavy and coarser materials of the tabernacle. Next in order were set in motion the flank divisions of Reuben and Ephraim. Then came the Kohathites, who occupied the center of the moving mass, bearing the sacred utensils on their shoulder. They were so far behind the other portions of the Levitical body that these would have time at the new encampment to rear the framework of the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived. Last of all, Dan, with the associated tribes, brought up the rear of the immense caravan. Each tribe was marshalled under its prince or chief and in all their movements rallied around its own standard.
29
無標題
29. 流珥的兒子何巴——又稱為流珥（即葉忒羅
[Ex 2:18， 旁註]）。這位米甸族長的兒子、摩西的內兄何巴，似乎在以色列人於西乃紮營的整個期間都寄居在他們中間，如今在他們起行時，提議要回自己的本鄉。摩西勸他留下，一方面是為他自己在信仰上的益處，另一方面，因他遊牧的生活習慣能使他提供有用的服務。
英文原文
29. Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite--called also Reuel (the same as Jethro
[Ex 2:18,
Margin]). Hobab, the son of this Midianite chief and brother-in-law to Moses, seems to have sojourned among the Israelites during the whole period of their encampment at Sinai and now on their removal proposed returning to his own abode. Moses urged him to remain, both for his own benefit from a religious point of view, and for the useful services his nomad habits could enable him to render.
31
無標題
31. 求你不要離開我們……你可以當作我們的眼目——摩西在享有雲柱引導之益時，仍如此懇切地堅持要這人隨行，令許多人驚訝。但應當記得，雲柱的引導雖然指出了穿過無路可循之曠野的大體路線，卻不會那樣詳細而具體地指出可得牧草、蔭蔽與水源的地點，而這些地點往往因流沙而隱藏在偏僻之處。況且有數支分遣隊從主力部隊中分出；何巴的服務，不是作為一個普通的阿拉伯人，而是作為一個強大氏族的領袖，必會極為有用。
英文原文
31. Leave us not, I pray thee . . . and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes--The earnest importunity of Moses to secure the attendance of this man, when he enjoyed the benefit of the directing cloud, has surprised many. But it should be recollected that the guidance of the cloud, though it showed the general route to be taken through the trackless desert, would not be so special and minute as to point out the places where pasture, shade, and water were to be obtained and which were often hid in obscure spots by the shifting sands. Besides, several detachments were sent off from the main body; the services of Hobab, not as a single Arab, but as a prince of a powerful clan, would have been exceedingly useful.
32
無標題
32. 你若和我們同去……耶和華所賜給我們的好處，我們也必照樣待你——此處提出了一個強烈的誘因；但似乎並未改變那年輕人的主意，因為他離去了，定居在自己的地區。（參見
Jud 1:16
以及
1Sa 15:6。）
英文原文
32. if thou go with us . . . what goodness the Lord will show unto us, the same will we do unto thee--A strong inducement is here held out; but it seems not to have changed the young man's purpose, for he departed and settled in his own district. (See on
Jud 1:16
and
1Sa 15:6).
33
無標題
33. 他們……行了三天的路程——第一天的進展甚小，約十八或二十英里。
耶和華的約櫃在他們前頭行——約櫃被抬在中央，因此某些著名解經家認為，本段應譯為「約櫃在他們眼前行」，其上的雲柱在他們眼中格外醒目。但很可能那雲柱在停駐時停在約櫃之上，在行軍時則在他們前頭引路——正如在某次行進時
（Ex 14:19），
經文明確說它變換了位置。
英文原文
33. they departed . . . three days' journey--the first day's progress being very small, about eighteen or twenty miles.
ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them--It was carried in the center, and hence some eminent commentators think the passage should be rendered, "the ark went in their presence," the cloud above upon it being conspicuous in their eyes. But it is probable that the cloudy pillar, which, while stationary, rested upon the ark, preceded them in the march--as, when in motion at one time
(Ex 14:19)
it is expressly said to have shifted its place.
35
無標題
35, 36. 約櫃往前行的時候，摩西就說：耶和華啊，求你興起，願你的仇敵四散——摩西作為百姓的代言人，在每次旅程的開始與結束，都獻上合宜的禱告。如此，所有的旅程都因敬虔而分別為聖；我們的禱告也當如此：「你若不親自和我們同去，就不要把我們從這裏領上去」
[Ex 33:15]。
英文原文
35, 36. when the ark set forward that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered--Moses, as the organ of the people, uttered an appropriate prayer both at the commencement and the end of each journey. Thus all the journeys were sanctified by devotion; and so should our prayer be, "If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence"
[Ex 33:15].
Nu 10:1-36.
銀號的用處。