尼希米記10:1-39

 

10:1 簽名的是：哈迦利亞的兒子─省長尼希米，和西底家；
10:2 祭司：西萊雅、亞撒利雅、耶利米、
10:3 巴施戶珥、亞瑪利雅、瑪基雅、
10:4 哈突、示巴尼、瑪鹿、
10:5 哈琳、米利末、俄巴底亞、
10:6 但以理、近頓、巴錄、
10:7 米書蘭、亞比雅、米雅民、
10:8 瑪西亞、璧該、示瑪雅；
10:9 又有利未人，就是亞散尼的兒子耶書亞、希拿達的子孫賓內、甲篾；
10:10 還有他們的弟兄示巴尼、荷第雅、基利他、毘萊雅、哈難、
10:11 米迦、利合、哈沙比雅、
10:12 撒刻、示利比、示巴尼、
10:13 荷第雅、巴尼、比尼努；
10:14 又有民的首領，就是巴錄、巴哈‧摩押、以攔、薩土、巴尼、
10:15 布尼、押甲、比拜、
10:16 亞多尼雅、比革瓦伊、亞丁、
10:17 亞特、希西家、押朔、
10:18 荷第雅、哈順、比賽、
10:19 哈拉、亞拿突、尼拜、
10:20 抹比押、米書蘭、希悉、
10:21 米示薩別、撒督、押杜亞、
10:22 毘拉提、哈難、亞奈雅、
10:23 何細亞、哈拿尼雅、哈述、
10:24 哈羅黑、毘利哈、朔百、
10:25 利宏、哈沙拿、瑪西雅、
10:26 亞希雅、哈難、亞難、
10:27 瑪鹿、哈琳、巴拿。
10:28 其餘的民、祭司、利未人、守門的、歌唱的、尼提寧，和一切離絕鄰邦居民歸服上帝律法的，並他們的妻子、兒女，凡有知識能明白的，
10:29 都隨從他們貴冑的弟兄，發咒起誓，必遵行上帝藉他僕人摩西所傳的律法，謹守遵行耶和華─我們主的一切誡命、典章、律例；
10:30 並不將我們的女兒嫁給這地的居民，也不為我們的兒子娶他們的女兒。
10:31 這地的居民若在安息日，或甚麼聖日，帶了貨物或糧食來賣給我們，我們必不買。每逢第七年必不耕種，凡欠我們債的必不追討。
10:32 我們又為自己定例，每年各人捐銀一舍客勒三分之一，為我們上帝殿的使用，
10:33 就是為陳設餅、常獻的素祭，和燔祭，安息日、月朔、節期所獻的與聖物，並以色列人的贖罪祭，以及我們上帝殿裡一切的費用。
10:34 我們的祭司、利未人，和百姓都掣籤，看每年是哪一族按定期將獻祭的柴奉到我們上帝的殿裡，照著律法上所寫的，燒在耶和華─我們上帝的壇上。
10:35 又定每年將我們地上初熟的土產和各樣樹上初熟的果子都奉到耶和華的殿裡。
10:36 又照律法上所寫的，將我們頭胎的兒子和首生的牛羊都奉到我們上帝的殿，交給我們上帝殿裡供職的祭司；
10:37 並將初熟之麥子所磨的麵和舉祭、各樣樹上初熟的果子、新酒與油奉給祭司，收在我們上帝殿的庫房裡，把我們地上所產的十分之一奉給利未人，因利未人在我們一切城邑的土產中當取十分之一。
10:38 利未人取十分之一的時候，亞倫的子孫中，當有一個祭司與利未人同在。利未人也當從十分之一中取十分之一，奉到我們上帝殿的屋子裡，收在庫房中。
10:39 以色列人和利未人要將五穀、新酒，和油為舉祭，奉到收存聖所器皿的屋子裡，就是供職的祭司、守門的、歌唱的所住的屋子。這樣，我們就不離棄我們上帝的殿。

 

  Those who sealed it were:

Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah.

Zedekiah, ² Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

³ Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,

⁴ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk,

⁵ Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

⁶ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷ Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

⁸ Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah.

These were the priests.

⁹ The Levites:

Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

¹⁰ and their associates: Shebaniah,

Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

¹¹ Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah,

¹² Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

¹³ Hodiah, Bani and Beninu.

¹⁴ The leaders of the people:

Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵ Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

¹⁶ Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷ Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

¹⁸ Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹ Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰ Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

²¹ Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²² Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³ Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

²⁴ Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

²⁵ Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

²⁶ Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,

²⁷ Malluk, Harim and Baanah.

²⁸ “The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— ²⁹ all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

³⁰ “We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.

³¹ “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.

³² “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel^[b] each year for the service of the house of our God: ³³ for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings^[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.

³⁴ “We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.

³⁵ “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.

³⁶ “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.

³⁷ “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. ³⁸ A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. ³⁹ The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.

“We will not neglect the house of our God.”

 

 

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

 

    我們常常美其名：敬拜上帝要在心靈，而不是外表。也因為這樣，不關心禮拜堂的需要，十一奉獻沒有每個月奉獻，甚至沒有奉獻到十分之一，導致教會財政拮据，於是禮拜堂十分破舊、傳道人生活十分清苦！

 

    然而這一群回歸的猶太人的立志，都和聖殿及利未人得著供應有關，使聖殿中的敬拜可以維持下去。因為敬拜要有祭物、柴火、陳設餅、…，而利未人和祭司沒有土地為業，只有事奉上帝沒有牧養與種植農作物，只能以上帝為祂們的產業。所以，猶大的百姓要以十分之一奉獻成為他們的生活所需。

 

    同樣今日教會的牧者，專心在教會服事，在道理上受教的要供應他們的需要，正如保羅所說：「在道理上受教的，當把一切需用的供給施教的人。」（加拉太書6:6）

 

 

尼希米記9章

     尼希米記9:1-38  ,

     尼希米記9:6   ,

    尼希米記9:16-19  ,

尼希米記9:1-38

 

9:1 這月二十四日，以色列人聚集禁食，身穿麻衣，頭蒙灰塵。
9:2 以色列人（人：原文是種類）就與一切外邦人離絕，站著承認自己的罪惡和列祖的罪孽。
9:3 那日的四分之一站在自己的地方念耶和華─他們上帝的律法書，又四分之一認罪，敬拜耶和華─他們的上帝。
9:4 耶書亞、巴尼、甲篾、示巴尼、布尼、示利比、巴尼、基拿尼站在利未人的臺上，大聲哀求耶和華─他們的上帝。
9:5 利未人耶書亞、甲篾、巴尼、哈沙尼、示利比、荷第雅、示巴尼、毘他希雅說：「你們要站起來稱頌耶和華─你們的上帝，永世無盡。耶和華啊，你榮耀之名是應當稱頌的！超乎一切稱頌和讚美。」
9:6 「你，惟獨你是耶和華！你造了天和天上的天，並天上的萬象，地和地上的萬物，海和海中所有的；這一切都是你所保存的。天軍也都敬拜你。
9:7 你是耶和華上帝，曾揀選亞伯蘭，領他出迦勒底的吾珥，給他改名叫亞伯拉罕。
9:8 你見他在你面前心裡誠實，就與他立約，應許把迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、革迦撒人之地賜給他的後裔，且應驗了你的話，因為你是公義的。
9:9 「你曾看見我們列祖在埃及所受的困苦，垂聽他們在紅海邊的哀求，
9:10 就施行神蹟奇事在法老和他一切臣僕，並他國中的眾民身上。你也得了名聲，正如今日一樣，因為你知道他們向我們列祖行事狂傲。
9:11 你又在我們列祖面前把海分開，使他們在海中行走乾地，將追趕他們的人拋在深海，如石頭拋在大水中；
9:12 並且白晝用雲柱引導他們，黑夜用火柱照亮他們當行的路。
9:13 你也降臨在西奈山，從天上與他們說話，賜給他們正直的典章、真實的律法、美好的條例與誡命，
9:14 又使他們知道你的安息聖日，並藉你僕人摩西傳給他們誡命、條例、律法。
9:15 從天上賜下糧食充他們的飢，從磐石使水流出解他們的渴，又吩咐他們進去得你起誓應許賜給他們的地。
9:16 但我們的列祖行事狂傲，硬著頸項不聽從你的誡命；
9:17 不肯順從，也不記念你在他們中間所行的奇事，竟硬著頸項，居心背逆，自立首領，要回他們為奴之地。但你是樂意饒恕人，有恩典，有憐憫，不輕易發怒，有豐盛慈愛的上帝，並不丟棄他們。
9:18 他們雖然鑄了一隻牛犢，彼此說『這是領你出埃及的上帝』，因而大大惹動你的怒氣；
9:19 你還是大施憐憫，在曠野不丟棄他們。白晝，雲柱不離開他們，仍引導他們行路；黑夜，火柱也不離開他們，仍照亮他們當行的路。
9:20 你也賜下你良善的靈教訓他們；未嘗不賜嗎哪使他們糊口，並賜水解他們的渴。
9:21 在曠野四十年，你養育他們，他們就一無所缺：衣服沒有穿破，腳也沒有腫。
9:22 並且你將列國之地照分賜給他們，他們就得了西宏之地、希實本王之地，和巴珊王噩之地。
9:23 你也使他們的子孫多如天上的星，帶他們到你所應許他們列祖進入得為業之地。
9:24 這樣，他們進去得了那地，你在他們面前制伏那地的居民，就是迦南人；將迦南人和其君王，並那地的居民，都交在他們手裡，讓他們任意而待。
9:25 他們得了堅固的城邑、肥美的地土、充滿各樣美物的房屋、鑿成的水井、葡萄園、橄欖園，並許多果木樹。他們就吃而得飽，身體肥胖，因你的大恩，心中快樂。
9:26 「然而，他們不順從，竟背叛你，將你的律法丟在背後，殺害那勸他們歸向你的眾先知，大大惹動你的怒氣。
9:27 所以你將他們交在敵人的手中，磨難他們。他們遭難的時候哀求你，你就從天上垂聽，照你的大憐憫賜給他們拯救者，救他們脫離敵人的手。
9:28 但他們得平安之後，又在你面前行惡，所以你丟棄他們在仇敵的手中，使仇敵轄制他們。然而他們轉回哀求你，你仍從天上垂聽，屢次照你的憐憫拯救他們，
9:29 又警戒他們，要使他們歸服你的律法。他們卻行事狂傲，不聽從你的誡命，干犯你的典章（人若遵行就必因此活著），扭轉肩頭，硬著頸項，不肯聽從。
9:30 但你多年寬容他們，又用你的靈藉眾先知勸戒他們，他們仍不聽從，所以你將他們交在列國之民的手中。
9:31 然而你大發憐憫，不全然滅絕他們，也不丟棄他們；因為你是有恩典、有憐憫的上帝。
9:32 「我們的上帝啊，你是至大、至能、至可畏、守約施慈愛的上帝。我們的君王、首領、祭司、先知、列祖，和你的眾民，從亞述列王的時候直到今日所遭遇的苦難，現在求你不要以為小。
9:33 在一切臨到我們的事上，你卻是公義的；因你所行的是誠實，我們所做的是邪惡。
9:34 我們的君王、首領、祭司、列祖都不遵守你的律法，不聽從你的誡命和你警戒他們的話。
9:35 他們在本國裡沾你大恩的時候，在你所賜給他們這廣大肥美之地上不事奉你，也不轉離他們的惡行。
9:36 我們現今作了奴僕；至於你所賜給我們列祖享受其上的土產，並美物之地，看哪，我們在這地上作了奴僕！
9:37 這地許多出產歸了列王，就是你因我們的罪所派轄制我們的。他們任意轄制我們的身體和牲畜，我們遭了大難。」
9:38 因這一切的事，我們立確實的約，寫在冊上。我們的首領、利未人，和祭司都簽了名。

 

  On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. ³ They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God. ⁴ Standing on the stairs of the Levites were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. ⁵ And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.^[a]”

“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. ⁶ You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

⁷ “You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. ⁸ You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.

⁹ “You saw the suffering of our ancestors in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea.^{[b] 10} You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. ¹¹ You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. ¹² By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

¹³ “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. ¹⁴ You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. ¹⁵ In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.

¹⁶ “But they, our ancestors, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and they did not obey your commands. ¹⁷ They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, ¹⁸ even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.

¹⁹ “Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. ²⁰ You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. ²¹ For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.

²² “You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon^[c] king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan. ²³ You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess. ²⁴ Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. ²⁵ They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

²⁶ “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. ²⁷ So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

²⁸ “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.

²⁹ “You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’ Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. ³⁰ For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. ³¹ But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

³² “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. ³³ In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. ³⁴ Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. ³⁵ Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.

³⁶ “But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. ³⁷ Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.

³⁸ “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”^[

 

 

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    歸回的猶大百姓感受到上帝的慈愛，就敘述過去的事情記念上帝的恩典，並且認罪悔改與讚美上帝！不僅如此，如經文所說：「因這一切的事，我們立確實的約，寫在冊上。我們的首領、利未人，和祭司都簽了名。」

 

    這裡的簽名也是一種承諾，就是決心要敬畏上帝，遵守上帝的律法，要離開過去得罪上帝的生活，重新在上帝面前立志，要兂行上帝的律法過新的生活來榮耀上帝！

 

    在今日我們雖然不是靠行律法稱義，但是我們既然蒙上帝的恩典，在基督耶穌裡得救了，我們更是要以上帝的律法成為我們生活的指引，活出上帝兒女的樣式，也因為這樣我們不僅要讀新約，更要讀舊約，尋求上帝喜悅的生活樣式，活出上帝兒子的樣式，因為舊約也是見證基督！