1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3 You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of Yahweh your God. 4 Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan. 5 Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."
6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. 7 Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but Joshua gave to the other half among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8 and spoke to them, saying, "Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers."
9 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 10 When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at. 11 The children of Israel heard this, "Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar along the border of the land of Canaan, in the region around the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the children of Israel." 12 When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. 13 The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest. 14 With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel. 15 They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 "The whole congregation of Yahweh says, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away today from following Yahweh, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against Yahweh? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of Yahweh, 18 that you must turn away today from following Yahweh? It will be, since you rebel today against Yahweh, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of Yahweh, in which Yahweh’s tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but don’t rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than Yahweh our God’s altar. 20 Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’"
21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel, 22 "The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, he knows; and Israel shall know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against Yahweh (don’t save us today), 23 that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let Yahweh himself require it.
24 "If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, "What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel? 25 For Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in Yahweh."’ So your children might make our children cease from fearing Yahweh.
26 "Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; 27 but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in Yahweh.’
28 "Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, "Behold the pattern of Yahweh’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you."’
29 "Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away today from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides Yahweh our God’s altar that is before his tabernacle!"
30 When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well. 31 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, "Today we know that Yahweh is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against Yahweh. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of Yahweh’s hand." 32 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33 The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived. 34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar "A Witness Between Us that Yahweh is God."
1 那时， 约书亚把流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人召了来，
2 对他们说： "耶和华的仆人摩西吩咐你们的一切， 你们都遵守了； 我吩咐你们的一切， 你们也都听从了。
3 这许多日子以来， 你们一直没有撇弃你们的兄弟， 直到今日； 耶和华你们的 神吩咐你们的命令， 你们也遵守了。
4 现在耶和华你们的 神， 照着他应许的， 已经使你们兄弟得享平安； 现在你们可以返回自己家里， 回到耶和华的仆人摩西在约旦河东赐给你们作产业的地方去。
5 只是你们要谨慎遵守耶和华的仆人摩西吩咐你们的诫命和律法， 爱耶和华你们的 神， 遵行他的一切道路， 谨守他的诫命， 紧紧倚靠他， 一心一意事奉他。"
6 于是约书亚给他们祝福， 打发他们回去， 他们就回自己的家里去了。
7 摩西在巴珊已经把产业分给了玛拿西半个支派； 至于另外半个支派， 约书亚在约旦河西他们的兄弟中间， 也把产业分给了他们。约书亚打发他们回家去的时候， 给他们祝福，
8 对他们说： "你们带着许多财物， 许多牲畜和金、银、铜、铁， 以及许多衣服， 回自己的家去吧； 也要把你们从仇敌夺得的战利品与你们的兄弟同分。"
9 于是流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人， 从迦南地的示罗起程， 离开以色列人， 回到他们所得的产业基列地去， 就是照着耶和华借着摩西所吩咐， 赐给他们的产业。
10 流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人， 来到迦南地靠近约旦河的地区， 就在约旦河边那里筑了一座祭坛， 那坛十分壮观。
11 以色列人听见了这事， 就说： "看哪， 流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人， 在迦南地边境， 靠近约旦河的地区， 以色列人境内， 筑了一座坛。"
12 以色列人听见了这事， 以色列全体会众就聚集在示罗， 要上去讨伐他们。
13 以色列人派以利亚撒祭司的儿子非尼哈， 到基列地去见流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人；
14 又派十个首领与非尼哈同去， 每一个都代表以色列的支派家族； 他们是全体以色列各家族的领袖。
15 他们去到基列地， 流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人那里， 对他们说：
16 "耶和华的全体会众这样说： ‘你们作的是什么事？竟对以色列的 神不忠， 今日转离不跟从耶和华， 为自己筑了一座坛， 背叛了耶和华。
17 从前拜毗珥的罪孽， 我们还以为是小事吗？虽然有灾疫临到耶和华的会众， 直到今日我们还没有洗净这罪呢。
18 你们今日竟转离不跟从耶和华吗？今日你们既然背叛耶和华， 明日他必向以色列全体会众发怒了。
19 如果你们认为所得的地业不洁净， 你们可以过到耶和华的地业， 就是耶和华的帐幕居住的地方， 在我们中间得地业； 只是不可背叛耶和华， 也不可背叛我们， 在耶和华我们的 神的坛以外， 为自己筑另一座坛。
20 从前谢拉的曾孙亚干， 不是在当毁灭的物上犯了不忠的罪， 以致 神的忿怒临到以色列全体会众吗？因他的罪孽而死的， 还不只他一人呢！ ’"
21 于是流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人回答以色列的统领说：
22 "大能者 神耶和华！ 大能者 神耶和华， 他是知道的， 愿以色列也知道； 如果我们存心背叛， 或是对耶和华不忠， 今日就不要放过我们。
23 我们若是为自己筑坛， 转离不跟从耶和华， 或是把燔祭、素祭和平安祭献在坛上， 愿耶和华亲自追究我们。
24 我们作这事， 实在是有理由的， 因为顾虑将来你们的子孙对我们的子孙说： ‘你们与耶和华以色列的 神有什么关系呢？
25 流本人和迦得人啊， 耶和华定了约旦河作我们和你们中间的疆界； 你们与耶和华无分了。’这样， 你们的子孙就使我们的子孙不再敬畏耶和华了。
26 "因此我们说： ‘我们筑一座坛吧， 不是为了献燔祭， 也不是为了献别的祭，
27 而是为了在你们和我们中间， 也在我们的后代中间作证据， 使我们也可以在耶和华面前用燔祭、别的祭和平安祭事奉耶和华， 免得你们的子孙将来对我们的子孙说： 你们与耶和华无分了。’
28 因此我们说： ‘将来有人对我们， 或是对我们的后代这样说， 我们就可以回答： 你们看我们列祖所筑的坛， 是耶和华的祭坛的模式， 这并不是用来献燔祭， 也不是用来献别的祭， 而是在我们和你们中间作证据。’
29 我们决没有背叛耶和华的意思， 今日要转离不跟从耶和华， 在耶和华我们的 神的帐幕前的祭坛以外， 另筑一座坛， 为了献燔祭、素祭和别的祭。"
30 非尼哈祭司和会众的领袖， 以及与祭司同来的以色列的统领， 听了流本人、迦得人和玛拿西人说的话， 都很满意。
31 以利亚撒祭司的儿子非尼哈对流本人、迦得人和玛拿西人说： "今天我们知道耶和华是在我们中间的， 因为你们并没有对耶和华不忠； 现在你们已经救了以色列人脱离耶和华的手。"
32 以利亚撒祭司的儿子非尼哈和众领袖离开了流本人和迦得人， 从基列地回到迦南地以色列人那里， 把这事向他们报告。
33 以色列人对这事都很满意， 就称颂 神， 不再说要上去讨伐流本人和迦得人， 毁灭他们所住的地方了。
34 流本人和迦得人给那坛起名叫证坛， 因为他们说： "这坛在我们中间证明耶和华是 神。"