民數記23:1-30

23:1 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡給我築七座壇，為我預備七隻公牛，七隻公羊。」
23:2 巴勒照巴蘭的話行了。巴勒和巴蘭在每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
23:3 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在你的燔祭旁邊，我且往前去，或者耶和華來迎見我。他指示我甚麼，我必告訴你。」於是巴蘭上一淨光的高處。
23:4 上帝迎見巴蘭；巴蘭說：「我預備了七座壇，在每座壇上獻了一隻公牛，一隻公羊。」
23:5 耶和華將話傳給巴蘭，又說：「你回到巴勒那裡，要如此如此說。」
23:6 他就回到巴勒那裡，見他同摩押的使臣都站在燔祭旁邊。
23:7 巴蘭便題起詩歌說：巴勒引我出亞蘭，摩押王引我出東山，說：來啊，為我咒詛雅各；來啊，怒罵以色列。
23:8 上帝沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？
23:9 我從高峰看他，從小山望他；這是獨居的民，不列在萬民中。
23:10 誰能數點雅各的塵土？誰能計算以色列的四分之一？我願如義人之死而死；我願如義人之終而終。
23:11 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你向我做的是甚麼事呢？我領你來咒詛我的仇敵，不料，你竟為他們祝福。」
23:12 他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
23:13 巴勒說：「求你同我往別處去，在那裡可以看見他們；你不能全看見，只能看見他們邊界上的人。在那裡要為我咒詛他們。」
23:14 於是領巴蘭到了瑣腓田，上了毘斯迦山頂，築了七座壇；每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。
23:15 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你站在這燔祭旁邊，等我往那邊去迎見耶和華。」
23:16 耶和華臨到巴蘭那裡，將話傳給他；又說：「你回到巴勒那裡，要如此如此說。」
23:17 他就回到巴勒那裡，見他站在燔祭旁邊；摩押的使臣也和他在一處。巴勒問他說：「耶和華說了甚麼話呢？」
23:18 巴蘭就題詩歌說：巴勒，你起來聽；西撥的兒子，你聽我言。
23:19 上帝非人，必不致說謊，也非人子，必不致後悔。他說話豈不照著行呢？他發言豈不要成就呢？
23:20 我奉命祝福；上帝也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
23:21 他未見雅各中有罪孽，也未見以色列中有奸惡。耶和華─他的上帝和他同在；有歡呼王的聲音在他們中間。
23:22 上帝領他們出埃及；他們似乎有野牛之力。
23:23 斷沒有法術可以害雅各，也沒有占卜可以害以色列。現在必有人論及雅各，就是論及以色列說：上帝為他行了何等的大事！
23:24 這民起來，彷彿母獅，挺身，好像公獅，未曾吃野食，未曾喝被傷者之血，決不躺臥。
23:25 巴勒對巴蘭說：「你一點不要咒詛他們，也不要為他們祝福。」
23:26 巴蘭回答巴勒說：「我豈不是告訴你說『凡耶和華所說的，我必須遵行』嗎？」
23:27 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者上帝喜歡你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」
23:28 巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毘珥山頂上。
23:29 巴蘭對巴勒說：「你在這裡為我築七座壇，又在這裡為我預備七隻公牛，七隻公羊。」
23:30 巴勒就照巴蘭的話行，在每座壇上獻一隻公牛，一隻公羊。

  Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ² Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.
⁴ God met with him, and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
⁵ The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”
⁶ So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials. ⁷ Then Balaam spoke his message:

“Balak brought me from Aram,
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
    come, denounce Israel.’
⁸ How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce
    those whom the Lord has not denounced?
⁹ From the rocky peaks I see them,
    from the heights I view them.
I see a people who live apart
    and do not consider themselves one of the nations.
¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
    and may my final end be like theirs!”

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”

¹² He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
¹³ Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.” ¹⁴ So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”
¹⁶ The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”
¹⁷ So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
¹⁸ Then he spoke his message:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.
¹⁹ God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?
²⁰ I have received a command to bless;
    he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

²¹ “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,
    no misery observed^[a] in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them;
    the shout of the King is among them.
²² God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
²³ There is no divination against^[b] Jacob,
    no evil omens against^[c] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
²⁴ The people rise like a lioness;
    they rouse themselves like a lion
that does not rest till it devours its prey
    and drinks the blood of its victims.”

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

²⁶ Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”
²⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” ²⁸ And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.
²⁹ Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ³⁰ Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

************

    巴勒要巴蘭先知咒詛以色列人，可是巴蘭卻一而再、再而三的祝福以色列人。也因為這樣，讓巴勒很不高興。巴蘭卻故意戲弄巴勒，要他一在換位置，其實他深知上帝地幫助以色列人！

    巴蘭祝福以色列人，也讓我們感受到上帝的心意是不被人的作為改變的，人再多的花樣是沒有意義的，重要的還是人要順應上帝的旨意來行事，人是無法改變與抗拒上帝的旨意的！

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，既然知道上帝的旨意是無法抗拒的，我們就要越發相信：耶穌基督必定再來，上帝的國必定實現！耶穌基督已經復活、升天、坐在上帝的右邊，祂的再來是不會落空的，我們當存歡喜快樂的心來面對！

詩篇35篇

                     詩篇35:1-28  ,

                      詩篇35:1-3  ,   詩篇35:3   , 

                     詩篇35:4-6  ,

                    詩篇35:22-23    ,

詩篇35:1-28

35:1 （大衛的詩。）耶和華啊，與我相爭的，求你與他們相爭！與我相戰的，求你與他們相戰！
35:2 拿著大小的盾牌，起來幫助我。
35:3 抽出槍來，擋住那追趕我的；求你對我的靈魂說：我是拯救你的。
35:4 願那尋索我命的，蒙羞受辱！願那謀害我的，退後羞愧！
35:5 願他們像風前的糠，有耶和華的使者趕逐他們。
35:6 願他們的道路又暗又滑，有耶和華的使者追趕他們。
35:7 因他們無故地為我暗設網羅，無故地挖坑，要害我的性命。
35:8 願災禍忽然臨到他身上！願他暗設的網纏住自己！願他落在其中遭災禍！
35:9 我的心必靠耶和華快樂，靠他的救恩高興。
35:10 我的骨頭都要說：耶和華啊，誰能像你救護困苦人脫離那比他強壯的，救護困苦窮乏人脫離那搶奪他的？
35:11 凶惡的見證人起來，盤問我所不知道的事。
35:12 他們向我以惡報善，使我的靈魂孤苦。
35:13 至於我，當他們有病的時候，我便穿麻衣，禁食，刻苦己心；我所求的都歸到自己的懷中。
35:14 我這樣行，好像他是我的朋友，我的弟兄；我屈身悲哀，如同人為母親哀痛。
35:15 我在患難中，他們卻歡喜，大家聚集。我所不認識的那些下流人聚集攻擊我；他們不住地把我撕裂。
35:16 他們如同席上好嬉笑的狂妄人向我咬牙。
35:17 主啊，你看著不理要到幾時呢？求你救我的靈魂脫離他們的殘害！救我的生命（生命：原文是獨一者）脫離少壯獅子！
35:18 我在大會中要稱謝你，在眾民中要讚美你。
35:19 求你不容那無理與我為仇的向我誇耀！不容那無故恨我的向我擠眼！
35:20 因為他們不說和平話，倒想出詭詐的言語害地上的安靜人。
35:21 他們大大張口攻擊我，說：阿哈，阿哈，我們的眼已經看見了！
35:22 耶和華啊，你已經看見了，求你不要閉口！主啊，求你不要遠離我！
35:23 我的上帝我的主啊，求你奮興醒起，判清我的事，伸明我的冤！
35:24 耶和華─我的上帝啊，求你按你的公義判斷我，不容他們向我誇耀！
35:25 不容他們心裡說：阿哈，遂我們的心願了！不容他們說：我們已經把他吞了！
35:26 願那喜歡我遭難的一同抱愧蒙羞！願那向我妄自尊大的披慚愧，蒙羞辱！
35:27 願那喜悅我冤屈得伸的（冤屈得伸：原文是公義）歡呼快樂；願他們常說：當尊耶和華為大！耶和華喜悅他的僕人平安。
35:28 我的舌頭要終日論說你的公義，時常讚美你。

Of David.

¹ Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me.
² Take up shield and armor;
    arise and come to my aid.
³ Brandish spear and javelin^[a]
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.”

⁴ May those who seek my life
    be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net for me without cause
    and without cause dug a pit for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.
¹⁰ My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
    the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
    and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b]
    they gnashed their teeth at me.

¹⁷ How long, Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life from these lions.
¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
    among the throngs I will praise you.
¹⁹ Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
    maliciously wink the eye.
²⁰ They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²² Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far from me, Lord.
²³ Awake, and rise to my defense!
    Contend for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶ May all who gloat over my distress
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication
    shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
    your praises all day long.

*******************

    咒詛和讚美可以在一起嗎？詩人很巧妙將這兩者放在一起，來說明上帝的善與人的惡。使人透過這樣的詩歌，面對人的逼迫與傷害之時，仍然可以讚美上帝與仰望上帝。

    當然上帝的善與人的惡能分別，人才可以避免將不必要的抱怨歸給上帝，進而能在困境中得上帝的安慰與拯救。上帝的善是就上帝的本質來說；另一方面，人的惡是因為人的行為，不是本質。也因為這樣，我們可以明白耶穌基督為甚麼是獅子又是羔羊：對於人的惡行，耶穌基督是獅子，要除去人的罪行；對於人受轄制的本性，因耶穌基督為羔羊的代贖，勝過死與罪，好使具有上帝之形象的本性得釋放。

    求主保守我們，讓我們倚靠上帝在基督裡的拯救，因為唯有如此，人才有真正的平安，才能夠終日論說上帝的公義，時常讚美上帝。

民數記22:21-41

22:21 巴蘭早晨起來，備上驢，和摩押的使臣一同去了。
22:22 上帝因他去就發了怒；耶和華的使者站在路上敵擋他。他騎著驢，有兩個僕人跟隨他。
22:23 驢看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裡有拔出來的刀，就從路上跨進田間，巴蘭便打驢，要叫牠回轉上路。
22:24 耶和華的使者就站在葡萄園的窄路上；這邊有牆，那邊也有牆。
22:25 驢看見耶和華的使者，就貼靠牆，將巴蘭的腳擠傷了；巴蘭又打驢。
22:26 耶和華的使者又往前去，站在狹窄之處，左右都沒有轉折的地方。
22:27 驢看見耶和華的使者，就臥在巴蘭底下，巴蘭發怒，用杖打驢。
22:28 耶和華叫驢開口，對巴蘭說：「我向你行了甚麼，你竟打我這三次呢？」
22:29 巴蘭對驢說：「因為你戲弄我，我恨不能手中有刀，把你殺了。」
22:30 驢對巴蘭說：「我不是你從小時直到今日所騎的驢嗎？我素常向你這樣行過嗎？」巴蘭說：「沒有。」
22:31 當時，耶和華使巴蘭的眼目明亮，他就看見耶和華的使者站在路上，手裡有拔出來的刀，巴蘭便低頭俯伏在地。
22:32 耶和華的使者對他說：「你為何這三次打你的驢呢？我出來敵擋你，因你所行的，在我面前偏僻。
22:33 驢看見我就三次從我面前偏過去；驢若沒有偏過去，我早把你殺了，留牠存活。」
22:34 巴蘭對耶和華的使者說：「我有罪了。我不知道你站在路上阻擋我；你若不喜歡我去，我就轉回。」
22:35 耶和華的使者對巴蘭說：「你同這些人去吧！你只要說我對你說的話。」於是巴蘭同著巴勒的使臣去了。
22:36 巴勒聽見巴蘭來了，就往摩押京城去迎接他；這城是在邊界上，在亞嫩河旁。
22:37 巴勒對巴蘭說：「我不是急急地打發人到你那裡去召你嗎？你為何不到我這裡來呢？我豈不能使你得尊榮嗎？」
22:38 巴蘭說：「我已經到你這裡來了！現在我豈能擅自說甚麼呢？上帝將甚麼話傳給我，我就說甚麼。」
22:39 巴蘭和巴勒同行，來到基列‧胡瑣。
22:40 巴勒宰了（原文是獻）牛羊，送給巴蘭和陪伴的使臣。
22:41 到了早晨，巴勒領巴蘭到巴力的高處；巴蘭從那裡觀看以色列營的邊界。

 ²¹ Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. ²² But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. ²⁸ Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
²⁹ Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
³² The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.^{[a] 33} The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
³⁴ Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
³⁵ The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
³⁸ “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
³⁹ Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. ⁴¹ The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.

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    在聖經中有兩個地方記載動物說人話的，一個是在創世記中說到蛇說話引誘夏娃，另一處是這裡。因為巴蘭先知執意要去巴勒王那裏，不管耶和華的禁止，驢子讓他免受天使的殺害，還鞭打驢子，所以驢子說話警告他。

    從這樣的記載中，我們也認識到人的軟弱與上帝的保守。所以，上帝的禁止或攔阻並不是壞事，反而讓我們不會犯更大的錯誤。雖然巴蘭是貪財的先知，上帝卻攔阻他去行惡，也使巴勒王清楚上帝對以色列人的喜愛。

    同樣，在今日我們有經歷到上帝這樣的保守，因為上帝有其妙的護理大工，使我們經歷各樣的考驗之後，得著上帝的安慰與保守，不會偏離上帝所預備的道路，進入上帝的應許之中！

民數記22章

          民數記22:1-20  ,

           民數記22:21-41  ,