前言

以下是摩西对以色列人说的话。当时以色列人在约旦河东的旷野、疏弗对面的亚拉巴,即巴兰、陀弗、拉班、哈洗录和底撒哈之间。 从何烈山取道西珥山到加低斯·巴尼亚,需十一天。 在离开埃及后第四十年的十一月一日,摩西把耶和华的一切吩咐告诉了以色列人。 那时,他已经打败了希实本的亚摩利王西宏以及盘踞在以得来和亚斯她录的巴珊王噩。 摩西在约旦河东的摩押讲解律法,说: “我们的上帝耶和华在何烈山对我们说,‘你们在这里已经住了多日, 现在该启程前往亚摩利人的山区、亚拉巴地区、山地、丘陵、南地、沿海一带、迦南和黎巴嫩,直到幼发拉底河。 看啊,我把那片土地赐给你们了,你们去占领吧,那是耶和华起誓赐给你们祖先亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各和他们后裔的地方。’

摩西设立首领

“那时,我对你们说,‘我无法独自承担管理你们的重任, 10 因为你们的上帝耶和华使你们人丁兴旺,以致今天人数多如天上的星星。 11 愿你们祖先的上帝耶和华使你们人数更增千倍,照祂的应许赐福给你们。 12 但我怎能独自担当解决你们问题和争端的重任呢? 13 你们要从各支派中选出有智慧、有见识、受尊重的人,我要立他们做你们的首领。’ 14 你们都同意这样的做法。 15 于是,我把各支派中有智慧和受敬重的人立为你们的首领,即千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长、十夫长和其他官长,治理你们。 16 我吩咐这些官员要聆听案件,公正地审理同胞之间或与外族人之间的诉讼, 17 不可偏私,不分贵贱,不惧情面,因为判决来自上帝。如果案件太难,可以交给我处理。 18 那时,我把一切当行之事都告诉了你们。

派人打探迦南

19 “我们照我们上帝耶和华的吩咐,从何烈山出发,走过你们所见的那大而可怕的旷野,前往亚摩利山区,来到加低斯·巴尼亚。 20 我对你们说,‘我们的上帝耶和华赐给我们的亚摩利山区到了。 21 看啊,你们祖先的上帝耶和华已把那片土地赐给你们,你们要照着祂的应许去占领那里,不要惧怕,不要气馁。’ 22 你们来对我说,‘我们要先派人去打探那地方,回来好告诉我们当走哪条路,当占哪些城。’ 23 我同意你们的建议,便从你们当中选出十二人,每支派选一人。 24 他们前往山区,到了以实各谷,打探那地方。 25 他们带回来一些那里的果子,禀告说,‘我们的上帝耶和华赐给我们的地方很好。’

26 “但你们却违背你们上帝耶和华的命令,不肯上去。 27 你们在帐篷中埋怨说,‘耶和华憎恨我们,所以才领我们离开埃及,要把我们交在亚摩利人手里,让他们消灭我们。 28 我们怎能上去呢?那些弟兄的报告令我们胆战心惊,他们说那里的人比我们高大,城邑雄伟,城墙高达云霄,还有亚衲人在那里。’ 29 我对你们说,‘不要惊慌,不要怕他们。 30 你们的上帝耶和华必带领你们,为你们争战,正如祂当着你们的面在埃及所行的一样。 31 你们在旷野曾目睹你们的上帝耶和华像父亲抱儿子一样,一路把你们抱到这地方。’ 32-33 祂为你们开路,为你们找安营的地方,夜间用火柱、白天用云柱为你们引路。尽管如此,你们还是不信靠你们的上帝耶和华。

惩罚叛逆

34 “你们的埋怨惹耶和华发怒,祂起誓说, 35 ‘这邪恶的一代没有一人能看见我起誓要赐给他们祖先的佳美之地, 36 只有耶孚尼的儿子迦勒能看见,我必把他所踏之地赐给他和他的后代,因为他全心全意地跟从我。’ 37 因为你们的缘故,耶和华也向我发怒,说,‘你也不能进入那片土地, 38 但你的助手——嫩的儿子约书亚可以进入。你要鼓励他,因为他将带领以色列承受那片土地。 39 你们说你们的子女会被掳去,但这些还不知善恶的孩子都将进入那片土地,我要把那里赐给他们,他们将占领那里。 40 而你们要掉头,沿红海的路回到旷野。’

41 “于是,你们对我说,‘我们得罪了耶和华,现在我们愿意遵从我们的上帝耶和华的吩咐,上去作战。’你们便各自拿起兵器,以为可以轻易攻占山区。 42 但耶和华让我告诉你们,‘不要上去作战,以免被敌人击败,因为耶和华不会与你们同在。’ 43 我把耶和华的话转告了你们,但你们不听,违背耶和华的命令,擅自前往山区。 44 住在山区的亚摩利人蜂拥出击,打败了你们,从西珥追杀你们,一直追到何珥玛。 45 你们回来在耶和华面前哭泣,但耶和华不理会你们的哭声。 46 因此,你们在加低斯住了很久。

The Command to Leave Horeb

These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan(A)—that is, in the Arabah(B)—opposite Suph, between Paran(C) and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb(D) to Kadesh Barnea(E) by the Mount Seir(F) road.)(G)

In the fortieth year,(H) on the first day of the eleventh month,(I) Moses proclaimed(J) to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. This was after he had defeated Sihon(K) king of the Amorites,(L) who reigned in Heshbon,(M) and at Edrei had defeated Og(N) king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.(O)

East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab,(P) Moses began to expound this law, saying:

The Lord our God said to us(Q) at Horeb,(R) “You have stayed long enough(S) at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites;(T) go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah,(U) in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev(V) and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites(W) and to Lebanon,(X) as far as the great river, the Euphrates.(Y) See, I have given you this land(Z).(AA) Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore(AB) he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

The Appointment of Leaders

At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden(AC) for me to carry alone.(AD) 10 The Lord your God has increased(AE) your numbers(AF) so that today you are as numerous(AG) as the stars in the sky.(AH) 11 May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase(AI) you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!(AJ) 12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?(AK) 13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men(AL) from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

15 So I took(AM) the leading men of your tribes,(AN) wise and respected men,(AO) and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders(AP) of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.(AQ) 16 And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge(AR) fairly,(AS) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.(AT) 17 Do not show partiality(AU) in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,(AV) for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”(AW) 18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.(AX)

Spies Sent Out

19 Then, as the Lord our God commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites(AY) through all that vast and dreadful wilderness(AZ) that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea.(BA) 20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession(BB) of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid;(BC) do not be discouraged.”(BD)

22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy(BE) out the land(BF) for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”

23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected(BG) twelve of you, one man from each tribe. 24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol(BH) and explored it. 25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported,(BI) “It is a good land(BJ) that the Lord our God is giving us.”(BK)

Rebellion Against the Lord

26 But you were unwilling to go up;(BL) you rebelled(BM) against the command of the Lord your God. 27 You grumbled(BN) in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller(BO) than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites(BP) there.’”

29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid(BQ) of them.(BR) 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight(BS) for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried(BT) you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”(BU)

32 In spite of this,(BV) you did not trust(BW) in the Lord your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day,(BX) to search(BY) out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

34 When the Lord heard(BZ) what you said, he was angry(CA) and solemnly swore:(CB) 35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land(CC) I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb(CD) son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.(CE)

37 Because of you the Lord became angry(CF) with me also and said, “You shall not enter(CG) it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua(CH) son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage(CI) him, because he will lead(CJ) Israel to inherit(CK) it. 39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive,(CL) your children who do not yet know(CM) good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. 40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a](CN)

41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

42 But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’”(CO)

43 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. 44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees(CP) and beat you down from Seir(CQ) all the way to Hormah.(CR) 45 You came back and wept before the Lord,(CS) but he paid no attention(CT) to your weeping and turned a deaf ear(CU) to you. 46 And so you stayed in Kadesh(CV) many days—all the time you spent there.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 1:40 Or the Sea of Reeds

These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

(There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;

After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:

On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:

Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:

10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.

15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.

20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us.

21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.

23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:

24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.

25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us.

26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God:

27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.

32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God,

33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

34 And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying,

35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers.

36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.

37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.

42 And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them. Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

45 And ye returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.

The Previous Command to Enter Canaan

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel (A)on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the [a]plain opposite [b]Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir (B)to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass (C)in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them, (D)after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth (E)in[c] Edrei.

On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying, “The Lord our God spoke to us (F)in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long (G)enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the [d]plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates. See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord [e]swore to your fathers—to (H)Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’

Tribal Leaders Appointed(I)

“And (J)I spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I [f]alone am not able to bear you. 10 The Lord your God has multiplied you, (K)and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. 11 (L)May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you (M)as He has promised you! 12 (N)How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? 13 Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them [g]heads over you.’ 14 And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ 15 So I took (O)the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and [h]made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and (P)judge righteously between a man and his (Q)brother or the stranger who is with him. 17 (R)You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for (S)the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, (T)bring to me, and I will hear it.’ 18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.

Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land(U)

19 “So we departed from Horeb, (V)and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then (W)we came to Kadesh Barnea. 20 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; (X)do not fear or be discouraged.’

22 “And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.’

23 “The plan pleased me well; so (Y)I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. 24 (Z)And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. 25 They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a (AA)good land which the Lord our God is giving us.’

26 (AB)“Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God; 27 and you (AC)complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord (AD)hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where can we go up? Our brethren have [i]discouraged our hearts, saying, (AE)“The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the (AF)Anakim there.” ’

29 “Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, (AG)or afraid of them. 30 (AH)The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a (AI)man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ 32 Yet, for all that, (AJ)you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 (AK)who went in the way before you (AL)to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion(AM)

34 “And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, (AN)and took an oath, saying, 35 (AO)‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I [j]swore to give to your fathers, 36 (AP)except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because (AQ)he [k]wholly followed the Lord.’ 37 (AR)The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there. 38 (AS)Joshua the son of Nun, (AT)who stands before you, he shall go in there. (AU)Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

39 (AV)‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who (AW)you say will be victims, who today (AX)have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. 40 (AY)But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.’

41 “Then you answered and said to me, (AZ)‘We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain.

42 “And the Lord said to me, ‘Tell them, (BA)“Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.” ’ 43 So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but (BB)rebelled against the command of the Lord, and (BC)presumptuously[l] went up into the mountain. 44 And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you (BD)as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah. 45 Then you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.

46 (BE)“So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you spent there.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 1:1 Heb. arabah
  2. Deuteronomy 1:1 One LXX ms., Tg., Vg. Red Sea
  3. Deuteronomy 1:4 LXX, Syr., Vg. and; cf. Josh. 12:4
  4. Deuteronomy 1:7 Heb. arabah
  5. Deuteronomy 1:8 promised
  6. Deuteronomy 1:9 am not able to bear you by myself
  7. Deuteronomy 1:13 rulers
  8. Deuteronomy 1:15 appointed
  9. Deuteronomy 1:28 Lit. melted
  10. Deuteronomy 1:35 promised
  11. Deuteronomy 1:36 fully
  12. Deuteronomy 1:43 willfully