民數記32:1-42

32:1 流便子孫和迦得子孫的牲畜極其眾多；他們看見雅謝地和基列地是可牧放牲畜之地，
32:2 就來見摩西和祭司以利亞撒，並會眾的首領，說：
32:3 「亞大錄、底本、雅謝、寧拉、希實本、以利亞利、示班、尼波、比穩，
32:4 就是耶和華在以色列會眾前面所攻取之地，是可牧放牲畜之地，你僕人也有牲畜」；
32:5 又說：「我們若在你眼前蒙恩，求你把這地給我們為業，不要領我們過約旦河。」
32:6 摩西對迦得子孫和流便子孫說：「難道你們的弟兄去打仗，你們竟坐在這裡嗎？
32:7 你們為何使以色列人灰心喪膽、不過去進入耶和華所賜給他們的那地呢？
32:8 我先前從加低斯‧巴尼亞打發你們先祖去窺探那地，他們也是這樣行。
32:9 他們上以實各谷，去窺探那地回來的時候，使以色列人灰心喪膽，不進入耶和華所賜給他們的地。
32:10 當日，耶和華的怒氣發作，就起誓說：
32:11 『凡從埃及上來、二十歲以外的人斷不得看見我對亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許之地，因為他們沒有專心跟從我。
32:12 惟有基尼洗族耶孚尼的兒子迦勒和嫩的兒子約書亞可以看見，因為他們專心跟從我。』
32:13 耶和華的怒氣向以色列人發作，使他們在曠野飄流四十年，等到在耶和華眼前行惡的那一代人都消滅了。
32:14 誰知，你們起來接續先祖，增添罪人的數目，使耶和華向以色列大發烈怒。
32:15 你們若退後不跟從他，他還要把以色列人撇在曠野，便是你們使這眾民滅亡。」
32:16 兩支派的人挨近摩西，說：「我們要在這裡為牲畜壘圈，為婦人孩子造城。
32:17 我們自己要帶兵器行在以色列人的前頭，好把他們領到他們的地方；但我們的婦人孩子，因這地居民的緣故，要住在堅固的城內。
32:18 我們不回家，直等到以色列人各承受自己的產業。
32:19 我們不和他們在約旦河那邊一帶之地同受產業，因為我們的產業是坐落在約旦河東邊這裡。」
32:20 摩西對他們說：「你們若這樣行，在耶和華面前帶著兵器出去打仗，
32:21 所有帶兵器的人都要在耶和華面前過約旦河，等他趕出他的仇敵，
32:22 那地被耶和華制伏了，然後你們可以回來，向耶和華和以色列才為無罪，這地也必在耶和華面前歸你們為業。
32:23 倘若你們不這樣行，就得罪耶和華，要知道你們的罪必追上你們。
32:24 如今你們口中所出的，只管去行，為你們的婦人孩子造城，為你們的羊群壘圈。」
32:25 迦得子孫和流便子孫對摩西說：「僕人要照我主所吩咐的去行。
32:26 我們的妻子、孩子、羊群，和所有的牲畜都要留在基列的各城。
32:27 但你的僕人，凡帶兵器的，都要照我主所說的話，在耶和華面前過去打仗。」
32:28 於是，摩西為他們囑咐祭司以利亞撒和嫩的兒子約書亞，並以色列眾支派的族長，說：
32:29 「迦得子孫和流便子孫，凡帶兵器在耶和華面前去打仗的，若與你們一同過約旦河，那地被你們制伏了，你們就要把基列地給他們為業。
32:30 倘若他們不帶兵器和你們一同過去，就要在迦南地你們中間得產業。」
32:31 迦得子孫和流便子孫回答說：「耶和華怎樣吩咐僕人，僕人就怎樣行。
32:32 我們要帶兵器，在耶和華面前過去，進入迦南地，只是約旦河這邊、我們所得為業之地仍歸我們。」
32:33 摩西將亞摩利王西宏的國和巴珊王噩的國，連那地和周圍的城邑，都給了迦得子孫和流便子孫，並約瑟的兒子瑪拿西半個支派。
32:34 迦得子孫建造底本、亞他錄、亞羅珥、
32:35 亞他錄‧朔反、雅謝、約比哈、
32:36 伯‧寧拉、伯‧哈蘭，都是堅固城。他們又壘羊圈。
32:37 流便子孫建造希實本、以利亞利、基列亭、
32:38 尼波、巴力‧免、西比瑪（尼波、巴力‧免，名字是改了的），又給他們所建造的城另起別名。
32:39 瑪拿西的兒子瑪吉，他的子孫往基列去，佔了那地，趕出那裡的亞摩利人。
32:40 摩西將基列賜給瑪拿西的兒子瑪吉，他子孫就住在那裡。
32:41 瑪拿西的子孫睚珥去佔了基列的村莊，就稱這些村莊為哈倭特‧睚珥。
32:42 挪巴去佔了基納和基納的鄉村，就按自己的名稱基納為挪巴。

The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. ² So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, ³ “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— ⁴ the land the Lord subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. ⁵ If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.”

⁶ Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them? ⁸ This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. ⁹ After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: ¹¹ ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— ¹² not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ ¹³ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.

¹⁴ “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel. ¹⁵ If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.”

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens here for our livestock and cities for our women and children. ¹⁷ But we will arm ourselves for battle^[a] and go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance. ¹⁹ We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”

²⁰ Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle ²¹ and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him— ²² then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the Lord.

²³ “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. ²⁴ Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”

²⁵ The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands. ²⁶ Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead. ²⁷ But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

²⁸ Then Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes. ²⁹ He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you, you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession. ³⁰ But if they do not cross over with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.”

³¹ The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said. ³² We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed, but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.”

³³ Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.

³⁴ The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, ³⁵ Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, ³⁶ Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks. ³⁷ And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh and Kiriathaim, ³⁸ as well as Nebo and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah. They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

³⁹ The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it and drove out the Amorites who were there. ⁴⁰ So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. ⁴¹ Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.^{[b] 42} And Nobah captured Kenath and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah after himself.

***********

    流便子孫和迦得子孫看見約旦河東邊土地廣闊，想在取得那地來牧養自己的牲畜，於是像摩西提起他們要以此為他們的家業所在。摩西本來是反對的，因為他們不以應許之地就是約旦河西為業，怕引起耶和華的怒氣！但是，他們對摩西保證必定會和其他支派的人依且在應許之地征戰，直等到大家得地為業之時才歸回，摩西才勉強答應他們的請求。

    當然從這個事例我們看見，教會許多的事情需要像這樣的溝通，不是牧者說了算，也不是有所要求的人說了算，大家必須彼此溝通，取得一個符合上帝心意的共識，如此才是教會治理的上策！

    求主幫助我們，讓教會中大家以尊主為大的精神，彼此溝通建立共識，然後一同努力實行彼此所認同的作法，如此教會才會繼續進步，越來越有主的榮光充滿在其中。

詩篇44篇

     詩篇44:1-26  ,

詩篇44:1-26

44:1 （可拉後裔的訓誨詩，交與伶長。）上帝啊，你在古時，我們列祖的日子所行的事，我們親耳聽見了；我們的列祖也給我們述說過。

44:2 你曾用手趕出外邦人，卻栽培了我們列祖；你苦待列邦，卻叫我們列祖發達。

44:3 因為他們不是靠自己的刀劍得地土，也不是靠自己的膀臂得勝，乃是靠你的右手、你的膀臂，和你臉上的亮光，因為你喜悅他們。

44:4 上帝啊，你是我的王；求你出令使雅各得勝。

44:5 我們靠你要推倒我們的敵人，靠你的名要踐踏那起來攻擊我們的人。

44:6 因為，我必不靠我的弓；我的刀也不能使我得勝。

44:7 惟你救了我們脫離敵人，使恨我們的人羞愧。

44:8 我們終日因上帝誇耀，還要永遠稱謝你的名。（細拉）

44:9 但如今你丟棄了我們，使我們受辱，不和我們的軍兵同去。

44:10 你使我們向敵人轉身退後；那恨我們的人任意搶奪。

44:11 你使我們當作快要被吃的羊，把我們分散在列邦中。

44:12 你賣了你的子民也不賺利，所得的價值並不加添你的資財。

44:13 你使我們受鄰國的羞辱，被四圍的人嗤笑譏刺。

44:14 你使我們在列邦中作了笑談，使眾民向我們搖頭。

44:15 我的凌辱終日在我面前，我臉上的羞愧將我遮蔽，

44:16 都因那辱罵毀謗人的聲音，又因仇敵和報仇人的緣故。

44:17 這都臨到我們身上，我們卻沒有忘記你，也沒有違背你的約。

44:18 我們的心沒有退後；我們的腳也沒有偏離你的路。

44:19 你在野狗之處壓傷我們，用死蔭遮蔽我們。

44:20 倘若我們忘了上帝的名，或向別神舉手，

44:21 上帝豈不鑒察這事嗎？因為他曉得人心裡的隱祕。

44:22 我們為你的緣故終日被殺；人看我們如將宰的羊。

44:23 主啊，求你睡醒，為何儘睡呢？求你興起，不要永遠丟棄我們！

44:24 你為何掩面，不顧我們所遭的苦難和所受的欺壓？

44:25 我們的性命伏於塵土；我們的肚腹緊貼地面。

44:26 求你起來幫助我們！憑你的慈愛救贖我們！

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b]

¹ We have heard it with our ears, O God;
    our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
    in days long ago.
² With your hand you drove out the nations
    and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples
    and made our ancestors flourish.
³ It was not by their sword that they won the land,
    nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
    and the light of your face, for you loved them.

⁴ You are my King and my God,
    who decrees^[c] victories for Jacob.
⁵ Through you we push back our enemies;
    through your name we trample our foes.
⁶ I put no trust in my bow,
    my sword does not bring me victory;
⁷ but you give us victory over our enemies,
    you put our adversaries to shame.
⁸ In God we make our boast all day long,
    and we will praise your name forever.^[d]

⁹ But now you have rejected and humbled us;
    you no longer go out with our armies.
¹⁰ You made us retreat before the enemy,
    and our adversaries have plundered us.
¹¹ You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
    and have scattered us among the nations.
¹² You sold your people for a pittance,
    gaining nothing from their sale.

¹³ You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
    the scorn and derision of those around us.
¹⁴ You have made us a byword among the nations;
    the peoples shake their heads at us.
¹⁵ I live in disgrace all day long,
    and my face is covered with shame
¹⁶ at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
    because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

¹⁷ All this came upon us,
    though we had not forgotten you;
    we had not been false to your covenant.
¹⁸ Our hearts had not turned back;
    our feet had not strayed from your path.
¹⁹ But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;
    you covered us over with deep darkness.

²⁰ If we had forgotten the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
²¹ would not God have discovered it,
    since he knows the secrets of the heart?
²² Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

²³ Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
²⁴ Why do you hide your face
    and forget our misery and oppression?

²⁵ We are brought down to the dust;
    our bodies cling to the ground.
²⁶ Rise up and help us;
    rescue us because of your unfailing love.

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

    詩人紀念上帝曾經如何的幫助以色列人，使以色列人可以靠耶和華的幫助得迦南地為業！但是，如今以色列人遭大難，所以詩人呼籲上帝要照以前的方式，繼續幫助以色列人度過難關！

    當然詩人在此用強烈的語氣向上帝禱告說：「主啊，求你睡醒，為何儘睡呢？求你興起，不要永遠丟棄我們！你為何掩面，不顧我們所遭的苦難和所受的欺壓？我們的性命伏於塵土；我們的肚腹緊貼地面。求你起來幫助我們！憑你的慈愛救贖我們！」

    其實上帝並沒有放棄以色列人，祂盼望以色列人經過苦難之後，可以悔改歸向祂。祂藉著詩人的話語，像以色列人保證祂必保守到底，雖然詩人這樣的禱告，好像失去了信心，上帝仍然記念與幫助，今日也是如此！

民數記31章

         民數記31:1-54  ,

          民數記31:23 , 

          民數記31:23  ,

民數記31:1-54

31:1 耶和華吩咐摩西說：
31:2 「你要在米甸人身上報以色列人的仇，後來要歸到你列祖（原文是本民）那裡。」
31:3 摩西吩咐百姓說：「要從你們中間叫人帶兵器出去攻擊米甸，好在米甸人身上為耶和華報仇。
31:4 從以色列眾支派中，每支派要打發一千人去打仗。」
31:5 於是從以色列千萬人中，每支派交出一千人，共一萬二千人，帶著兵器預備打仗。
31:6 摩西就打發每支派的一千人去打仗，並打發祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈同去；非尼哈手裡拿著聖所的器皿和吹大聲的號筒。
31:7 他們就照耶和華所吩咐摩西的，與米甸人打仗，殺了所有的男丁。
31:8 在所殺的人中，殺了米甸的五王，就是以未、利金、蘇珥、戶珥、利巴，又用刀殺了比珥的兒子巴蘭。
31:9 以色列人擄了米甸人的婦女孩子，並將他們的牲畜、羊群，和所有的財物都奪了來，當作擄物，
31:10 又用火焚燒他們所住的城邑和所有的營寨，
31:11 把一切所奪的、所擄的，連人帶牲畜都帶了去，
31:12 將所擄的人，所奪的牲畜、財物，都帶到摩押平原，在約旦河邊與耶利哥相對的營盤，交給摩西和祭司以利亞撒，並以色列的會眾。
31:13 摩西和祭司以利亞撒，並會眾一切的首領，都出到營外迎接他們。
31:14 摩西向打仗回來的軍長，就是千夫長、百夫長，發怒，
31:15 對他們說：「你們要存留這一切婦女的活命嗎？
31:16 這些婦女因巴蘭的計謀，叫以色列人在毘珥的事上得罪耶和華，以致耶和華的會眾遭遇瘟疫。
31:17 所以，你們要把一切的男孩和所有已嫁的女子都殺了。
31:18 但女孩子中，凡沒有出嫁的，你們都可以存留她的活命。
31:19 你們要在營外駐紮七日；凡殺了人的，和一切摸了被殺的，並你們所擄來的人口，第三日，第七日，都要潔淨自己，
31:20 也要因一切的衣服、皮物、山羊毛織的物，和各樣的木器，潔淨自己。」
31:21 祭司以利亞撒對打仗回來的兵丁說：「耶和華所吩咐摩西律法中的條例乃是這樣：
31:22 金、銀、銅、鐵、錫、鉛，
31:23 凡能見火的，你們要叫它經火就為潔淨，然而還要用除污穢的水潔淨它；凡不能見火的，你們要叫它過水。
31:24 第七日，你們要洗衣服，就為潔淨，然後可以進營。」
31:25 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
31:26 「你和祭司以利亞撒，並會眾的各族長，要計算所擄來的人口和牲畜的總數。
31:27 把所擄來的分作兩半：一半歸與出去打仗的精兵，一半歸與全會眾。
31:28 又要從出去打仗所得的人口、牛、驢、羊群中，每五百取一，作為貢物奉給耶和華。
31:29 從他們一半之中，要取出來交給祭司以利亞撒，作為耶和華的舉祭。
31:30 從以色列人的一半之中，就是從人口、牛、驢、羊群、各樣牲畜中，每五十取一，交給看守耶和華帳幕的利未人。」
31:31 於是摩西和祭司以利亞撒照耶和華所吩咐摩西的行了。
31:32 除了兵丁所奪的財物以外，所擄來的：羊六十七萬五千隻；
31:33 牛七萬二千隻；
31:34 驢六萬一千匹；
31:35 女人共三萬二千口，都是沒有出嫁的。
31:36 出去打仗之人的分，就是他們所得的那一半，共計羊三十三萬七千五百隻，
31:37 從其中歸耶和華為貢物的，有六百七十五隻；
31:38 牛三萬六千隻，從其中歸耶和華為貢物的，有七十二隻；
31:39 驢三萬零五百匹，從其中歸耶和華為貢物的，有六十一匹；
31:40 人一萬六千口，從其中歸耶和華的，有三十二口。
31:41 摩西把貢物，就是歸與耶和華的舉祭，交給祭司以利亞撒，是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。
31:42 以色列人所得的那一半，就是摩西從打仗的人取來分給他們的。
31:43 （會眾的那一半有：羊三十三萬七千五百隻；
31:44 牛三萬六千隻；
31:45 驢三萬零五百匹；
31:46 人一萬六千口。）
31:47 無論是人口是牲畜，摩西每五十取一，交給看守耶和華帳幕的利未人，是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。
31:48 帶領千軍的各軍長，就是千夫長、百夫長，都近前來見摩西，
31:49 對他說：「僕人權下的兵已經計算總數，並不短少一人。
31:50 如今我們將各人所得的金器，就是腳鍊子、鐲子、打印的戒指、耳環、手釧，都送來為耶和華的供物，好在耶和華面前為我們的生命贖罪。」
31:51 摩西和祭司以利亞撒就收了他們的金子，都是打成的器皿。
31:52 千夫長、百夫長所獻給耶和華為舉祭的金子共有一萬六千七百五十舍客勒。
31:53 各兵丁都為自己奪了財物。
31:54 摩西和祭司以利亞撒收了千夫長、百夫長的金子，就帶進會幕，在耶和華面前作為以色列人的紀念。

The Lord said to Moses, ² “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

³ So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them. ⁴ Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” ⁵ So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. ⁶ Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

⁷ They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. ⁸ Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. ⁹ The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. ¹⁰ They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. ¹¹ They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, ¹² and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴ Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

¹⁵ “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. ¹⁶ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. ¹⁷ Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, ¹⁸ but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives. ²⁰ Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.”

²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is what is required by the law that the Lord gave Moses: ²² Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead ²³ and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. ²⁴ On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.”

²⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. ²⁷ Divide the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. ²⁸ From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. ²⁹ Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. ³⁰ From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.” ³¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

³² The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, ³³ 72,000 cattle, ³⁴ 61,000 donkeys ³⁵ and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

³⁶ The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

337,500 sheep, ³⁷ of which the tribute for the Lord was 675;

³⁸ 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72;

³⁹ 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the Lord was 61;

⁴⁰ 16,000 people, of whom the tribute for the Lord was 32.

⁴¹ Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part, as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁴² The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— ⁴³ the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴ 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵ 30,500 donkeys ⁴⁶ and 16,000 people. ⁴⁷ From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses ⁴⁹ and said to him, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. ⁵⁰ So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”

⁵¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. ⁵² All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.^{[a] 53} Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. ⁵⁴ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.

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    因為米甸仁和巴蘭先知陷害以色列人，導致他們受到大的瘟疫，有很多人因此病逝。還好上帝透過祭司以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈做潔淨的事工，將與米甸女子喊與她同房的以色列人殺了，上帝的憤怒才止住，瘟疫才可以停止。

    現在以色列人重新站起來，因為上帝的保守，使他們大勝米甸人，並將米甸的五個王與先知巴蘭消滅！不僅如此，還讓他們獲得許多戰利品，可見上帝多麼眷顧他們！

    我們的人生也是有上帝的保守，雖然有時候我們也會像以色列一樣跌倒與失敗，但是上帝不會因此就忘記我們或以怒氣對待我們，只要我們肯悔改歸向上帝，上帝一定會讓我們重奏凱歌，讓我們重新在上帝的賜福當中！

民數記30章

        民數記30:1-16   ,