5Manna74-Conquest of Canaan—Jericho (Part 1)
5嗎哪74-佔領迦南─耶利哥城(第一部分)
Caleb Lee—Singapore
李加勒─新加坡
Jericho was the city conquered by the Israelites after God had allowed them to cross the River Jordan on dry ground. According to military experts, it was Jericho’s location that made it so important. Being right in the middle of the land, it was an invaluable entry point to Canaan. The conquest of Jericho and Ai would effectively split the land of Canaan into the northern and southern regions. Indeed, this was exactly what would happen as the Israelites went on to undertake their northern and southern conquests. 神讓百姓走過約旦河乾地後，耶利哥城是以色列百姓所攻下的城市。據軍事專家介紹，耶利哥城佔據很重要的地理位置。耶利哥城位於迦南地的中間偏右，是進迦南地的切入點。攻下耶利哥城和艾城，會使迦南地分為南北兩方。事實上，這正是以色列人能繼續向南北兩方征服的原因。
Apart from how and why Jericho was conquered, this event is also significant because of the people involved: Rahab, the inhabitants of Jericho, the people of Israel who went out to fight this war, and Joshua. 除了如何征服和攻打耶利哥城的原因外，佔領耶利哥城一事極其重要，因為牽涉以下人物：住在耶利哥城的喇合，參與這場戰爭的以色列人，以及約書亞。
This article considers the first two protagonistic perspectives—Rahab and her compatriots.
這篇文章考慮到前兩個protagonistic觀點─喇合和她的同胞。
RAHAB
喇合
Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.” So the king of Jericho sent to
Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.” (Josh 2:1–3) 當下，嫩的兒子約書亞從什亭暗暗打發兩個人作探子，吩咐說：「你們去窺探那地和耶利哥。」於是二人去了，來到一個妓女名叫喇合的家裡，就在那裏躺臥。有人告訴耶利哥王說：「今夜有以色列人來到這裏窺探此地。」
耶利哥王打發人去見喇合說：「那來到你這裏，進了你家的人要交出來，因為他們來窺探全地。」（書二：1-3）
At first glance, it would seem that these two spies were not very wise. They had chosen to lodge with a lady of dubious virtue; a person who, many of us expect, would betray friends and acquaintances for money or when under threat. When the king of Jericho learned of the spies, he sent his soldiers to hunt for them. Their search led them to Rahab’s house. She had to quickly decide what to do. At this crucial juncture, Rahab chose to hide the spies on the roof of her house and deceive the soldiers (Josh 2:4–7). 乍看之下，這兩位探子似乎不是明智的。他們選擇託付一個德性受人質疑的女人，以多數人的看法，這樣的人會為了錢或在受到威脅的時候，出賣朋友和熟人。當耶利哥王得知有間諜，派兵去追捕他們。士兵們搜至喇合的房子。她必須馬上做決定。在此關鍵的時刻，喇合選擇了隱藏那兩個躲在她屋頂的間諜，並欺騙了士兵（書二：4-7）
In the process, she told two lies. First, she claimed she did not know their origins although she did (cf. Josh 2:4,9). Second, she told the soldiers the men had left although they were still hiding at her place (cf. Josh 2:5,6). The first lie was to protect herself and the second lie was to protect the Israelites by sending the soldiers off on a wild goose chase. Eventually, when the Israelites captured Jericho, Rahab and her family were spared. 在這個過程中，她說了兩個謊言。第一個謊言，她聲稱不知道探子的來歷，其實她很清楚（參見書二：4,9）。第二個謊言，她告訴士兵探子已經離開，儘管他們仍然隱藏在她的家中（參見書二：5,6）。第一個謊言是為了保護自己，第二個謊言是為了讓士兵離開，保護以色列人。最後，以色列人攻下耶利哥，喇合和她的家人也能得救。
An analysis of this event would show that Rahab was not saved because of her lies, but because of her faith which was demonstrated through her immediate action. New Testament authors attest to this: By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. (Heb 11:31) Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (Jas 2:25) 這個事件表明，喇合得救不是因為她說謊，而是因為她透過立即行動證明她的信心。新約聖經的作者證實了這一點：妓女喇合因著信，曾和和平平地接待探子，就不與那些不順從的人一同滅亡。（來十一：31）同樣地，當喇合接待探子，及把他們全安送走時，不也顯明她的義嗎？（雅二：25）
What then are the critical elements of Rahab’s faith?
那麼喇合信心的關鍵因素是什麼？
- Recognition of God and His People
After she had sent the soldiers away, Rahab told the two spies, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you” (Josh 2:9). 喇合送走士兵後，對兩個探子說：「我知道耶和華已經把這地賜給你們，並且因你們的緣故我們都驚慌了。這地的一切居民在你們面前心都消化了。（書二：9）
Rahab’s words showed her faith and belief in the true God. How did she come to have this kind of faith? For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. (Josh 2:10) 喇合的話顯示了她的信心和她所信的是真神。她這樣的信仰從何而來？因為我們聽見你們出埃及的時候，耶和華怎樣在你們前面使紅海的水乾了，並且你們怎樣待約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王西宏和噩，將他們盡行毀滅。（書二：10）
The events that Rahab were referring to had happened about forty years apart. It was not surprising that she had heard about the more recent annihilation of the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. But somehow, she had also heard about the Israelites’ miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, which took place four decades ago. 喇合所提及的事情，大約在四十年前發生。她聽說過兩個亞摩利王西宏和噩被滅的事情，並不令人意外。但不知道為什麼，她也聽說過在四十年前，以色列人過紅海的神蹟。
And critically she did not stop at just hearing about it; she also thought deeply about it. She did not dismiss the Red Sea miracle as fanciful legend. In fact, after analytical reflection, she correctly concluded that the Lord God was with the children of Israel and that He had promised them the land of Canaan. 重要地是，她聽到神蹟後並沒有停止思考，她反而細細咀嚼過此事。她不認為紅海神蹟是個天馬行空的傳說。事實上，她經過深思熟慮後，所得的結論是，真神與以色列民同在，並且答應以色列民進迦南地。
Faith comes by hearing. From careful and thoughtful hearing, Rahab was able to recognize the Lord God and to understand who His chosen people were. 信心來自聽見。透過留心聆聽且經過思考，喇合能夠認識耶和華神，並瞭解是神選擇自己的子民。
(2) Concern for Loved Ones關心親人
The second element of Rahab’s faith can be seen from her deep concern for her family (Josh 2:12–13). Having heard of the miracles accompanying the Israelites’ military campaign, she put two and two together; she realized that her city was doomed because they were up against the God of heaven and earth and His people. Not one to labor under feelings of misguided patriotism, her immediate thought was to secure salvation for her family. 喇合信心的第二個要素，從她深切地關心她的家人，可以看得出來（書二：12–13）。聽聞以色列人軍事行動的奇蹟後，她將兩個因素結合;她意識到，她的城市注定淪陷，因為他們對抗的是天地間的神和他的子民。她沒有固執於錯誤的愛國主義情懷中，而是立即想起該如何拯救她的家人。
Today, we have heard the truth. 今天，我們聽到了真理。
But are we anxious for our family members and the people around us who have not yet received salvation? 但是，我們渴望那些還沒有接受救恩的家人和我們周遭的人能得救嗎？
Is this matter of highest priority for us such that we are prepared to try all ways and means to bring the truth to them? Rahab’s faith was demonstrated through her compelling need to ensure the safety
of her family. 嘗試以所有的途徑和方法，使他們瞭解真相，對我們來說是否最重要的呢？喇合的信心是通過她的迫切希望確保她的家人安全。
- Obedience and Action 順服和行道
The third element of Rahab’s faith is that, having heard and believed, she obeyed and took immediate action. 喇合的信心的第三個要素是，聽到且相信，她順服並立刻採取行動。
Rahab’s plea for the deliverance of her entire house had met with this response: “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you” (Josh 2:14). 二人對她說：「你若不洩漏我們這件事，我們情願替你們死。耶和華將這地賜給我們的時候，我們必以慈愛誠實待你。」（書二：14）
The two spies promised to spare Rahab and her relatives under two conditions. First, Rahab and her
family were not to tell anyone else about the coming of the spies (Josh 2:20). Second, Rahab had to tie a scarlet thread to the window of her house, gather all her relatives in her house, and ensure that nobody left the house (Josh 2:17–19). 二人對她說：「你要這樣行。不然，你叫我們所起的誓就與我們無干了。我們來到這地的時候，你要把這條朱紅線繩繫在縋我們下去的窗戶上，並要使你的父母、弟兄，和你父的全家都聚集在你家中。凡出了你家門往街上去的，他的罪（原文是血）必歸到自己的頭上，與我們無干了。凡在你家裡的，若有人下手害他，流他血的罪就歸到我們的頭上。（書二：17–19）
The scarlet thread was to indicate the house of Rahab to the invading children of Israel. This was the only way by which the people within the house would be spared. It was a very severe warning. Anyone who left the house and went into the street would have only himself to blame if he were to be killed. 用朱紅線繩來指出喇合的房子，防止以色列人的侵略。這是讓房子內的人倖免的唯一途徑。這是一個非常嚴重的警告。如果任何人離開那房子到街上去而被殺害，他是咎由自取。
The scarlet thread has often been said to mean the blood of Christ. It represents entering into Christ and into the house of God to escape the coming destruction. We enjoy the safety of being in God’s house today. 朱紅線繩經常被說成預表基督的血。朱紅線繩代表歸入基督，進入神的殿逃避即將到來的災難。今日我們享平安，是因在神的殿中。
But is our family safely ensconced in God’s house too? 但我們的家人也安全地藏身在神的殿中嗎？
After the spies had stated their conditions, Rahab agreed and complied immediately (Josh 2:21). Faith without works is dead (Jas 2:26). In our context, after we have heard and believed, we must not procrastinate. We must do whatever God has commanded. And like Rahab, we must do so immediately. 當間諜開出條件後，喇合同意並立即遵守（書2:21）。信心沒有行為是死的（雅2:26）。對於我們來說，我們已聽見並相信之後，絕不能拖延。我們必須照神所吩咐的一切而行。就像喇合，我們即刻去做。
THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO
耶利哥城的人民
Scholars have classified Jericho as one of the oldest cities in the world. 學者認為耶利哥城是最古老的城市之一。
By the time Joshua sent the spies, it had a ruler, an army, and strong fortifications, suggesting a certain level of sophistication and prosperity. 約書亞派探子的時候，耶利哥城有領導人，一支軍隊及強大的防禦軍事力量，代表此城有一定的成熟與繁榮水平。
So the city would clearly have had many more inhabitants apart from Rahab. Many would have been richer and of higher status than she. 顯而易見地，除了喇合之外，此城市有更多的人。這些居民比起喇合來說，有更多的財富以及較高的社會地位。
What all these inhabitants of Jericho shared was a great terror of the Israelites. They had all heard how the Lord had helped the Israelites cross the Red Sea and destroy the Amorites (Josh 2:10). However, their fear drove them differently. It was in this that the people of Jericho provided a stark and tragic contrast to Rahab. 耶利哥人所害怕的是以色列人。他們都聽到了主怎樣幫助以色列人越過紅海和破毀滅亞摩利的兩個王（書2:10）。然而，他們的恐懼是不一樣的。正是在這一點，在喇合身上，耶利哥城的人提供了一個鮮明和悲慘的對比。
Rahab’s fear developed into faith, prompting her to take action to help the spies and then negotiate for her family’s deliverance. In contrast, the king of Jericho’s fear drove him to pursue the two spies. What could he have done to stop the imminent invasion even if he had caught the spies? Joshua could have sent more. 喇合的恐懼成為堅定的信念，促使她採取行動，幫助間諜，然後商討如何救她的家人。相比之下，耶利哥王的恐懼使他去追捕兩個探子。假設耶利哥王抓住了兩個探子，那他能夠立即阻止以色列人入侵嗎？其實約書亞大可再派幾個探子來。
So while Rahab’s fear turned her to God, the rest of Jericho only tried to wait out or delay the inevitable. 因此，雖然喇合的恐懼將她領向神，其餘的耶利哥人只是在守株待兔，等待以色列人離開。
Some context would help us understand Jericho’s state of mind. 以下資料有助於我們理解的耶利哥城人的心態。
The people in Jericho were possibly Amorites. In Abraham’s time, God had revealed part of His future plan to Abraham. He told Abraham that his descendants would become slaves; but in the fourth generation, they would return to the land where Abraham dwelt, i.e., Canaan. Their slavery would last for four generations because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet complete (Gen 15:16). 在耶利哥的人可能都是亞摩利人。在亞伯拉罕的時候，神曾透露他未來計劃的一部分。神告訴亞伯拉罕，他的後裔將成為奴隸;但是在第四代，他們將返回到亞伯拉罕居住的土地，就是迦南地。他們為奴直至第四代，因為亞摩利人的罪孽，還沒有完成（創15:16）。
In other words, God had been very patient with the Canaanites for a long time. God knew of their sins, especially of the people of Jericho. But these people continued to remain hard-hearted. 換句話說，神對迦南人的耐心已經有很長一段時間。神知道他們的罪孽，尤其是耶利哥城的人。但是這些人持續地硬心。
Hearing of the mighty works of the God of Israel had evoked fear. But there was still no repentance. 耶利哥人聽到神在以色列行的大神蹟已經很懼怕。但他們仍然沒有悔改。
Ultimately, when the people of Jericho heard how the Israelites crossed over the river Jordan on dry ground, they knew that there was no more hope. So, with a fearful expectation of judgment, they sat tight, doing nothing except weep over their impending destruction. 最終，當耶利哥城的人聽到以色列人走乾地過約旦河後，他們知道沒有希望了。因此，除了恐懼戰競地哀哭，等候毀滅性的審判，他們什麼都沒有做。
The tragic end of the people of Jericho is a warning to us modern believers not to step out of the love of God. There is a boundary that we must never cross. Once we cross this boundary, there is no turning back. 耶利哥人的悲慘結局是一個警告，我們現代的信徒不要離開神的愛。那是一個界限，我們絕不能越過。一旦我們越過這個界限，沒有回頭路可走。
What is this boundary? 什麼是界限呢？
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. (Heb 10:26–27) 因為我們得知真道以後，若故意犯罪，贖罪的祭就再沒有了；惟有戰懼等候審判和那燒滅眾敵人的烈火。（來10：26-27）
According to Hebrews 10, if we sin willfully, we can only wait fearfully for judgment, because there is no more forgiveness of sins. Sinning willfully generally refers to mortal sins, such as adultery, murder, or apostasy. But there are other “minor” sins that may also fall under the category of sinning willfully. For example, we sin willfully if we say that continuous lying is okay. 根據希伯來書第十章，如果我們故意犯罪，我們只能等待可怕的審判，因為再沒有憢恕了。故意犯罪，一般是指不可饒恕的大罪，如姦淫，殺人，或拜偶像。但也有其他“次等”的罪也可算為故意犯罪。例如，如果我們認為持續說謊是沒有問題的。
If we continue to lie without guilt and still think we have committed no egregious error, then we have already crossed the boundary. Like Jericho, we would only be waiting for judgment and destruction. 如果我們繼續說謊，並沒有內疚和仍然認為我們沒有犯甚麼罪，那麼我們已經越過了界限。就像耶利哥人，我們只在等待審判和毀滅。
CONCLUSION
結論
Rahab and the people of Jericho provide us with two instructive contrasts of faith versus faithlessness, of obedience versus recalcitrance, and of active action versus passive apprehension. Grace came upon a woman with a sinful occupation who started with nothing. She was saved and had a part with the Messiah (cf. Mt 1:5). God was moved by her faith, which was born through a thoughtful analysis of what she had heard of the Lord God and demonstrated through her immediate action. In the time of judgment, no wealth, status, learning, or weapons could help the other inhabitants of Jericho. 喇合和耶利哥的人民為我們提供了信心的順從與頑抗和不忠，兩個啟發性的對比；主動行動與被動的憂慮。恩典臨到一個有犯罪職業的女人，她一開始什麼也沒有。她已得救並與彌賽亞有份（瑪1：5）。神感動了她的信心，這是通過她深思熟慮的分析聽到了神，通過她立即行動來證明。在審判的日子，沒有財富、地位、學歷或者武器可以幫助耶利哥的其他居民。
They were destroyed because of their stubborn refusal to change. Hence, we need to be watchful, keeping in close communion with God, lest we fall prey to sin. And if we do step out of the love of God, then let us return to God immediately. Like Rahab, God will surely deliver us and our loved ones if we act by faith. 他們毀滅是因他們固執地拒絕改變。因此，我們需要警惕，常常與神溝通親近，免得我們墮入罪惡。如果我們走出神的愛中，那就讓我們立即回轉向神。就像喇合一樣，如果我們靠信心行事，神一定會救我們和我們所愛的人。
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)