全新四年樂活讀經
W2 2011-10-04 (民23)
經文: 民數記 23:11 巴勒對巴蘭說：你向我做的是什麼事呢？我領你來咒詛我的仇敵，不料，你竟為他們祝福。
默想: 巴勒處心積慮的用重金聘請先知巴蘭前來咒詛以色列人。但是，由於耶和華的介入，所有的咒詛都被轉化而成為祝福。感謝主，你是將咒詛化為祝福的上帝。
題目: 巴蘭兩次以詩說預言(v.7-10、18-24)的內容為何？你有何看法與學習？
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。」
And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
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。
Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram.
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。
And Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a bare height.
23:4 神迎見巴蘭；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。」
And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, "I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram."
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。」
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
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。
And he returned to him, and lo, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.
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。
And Balaam took up his discourse, and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: `Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
23:8 神沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？
How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
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。
For from the top of the mountains I see him, from the hills I behold him; lo, a people dwelling alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations!
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。
Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!"
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。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."
23:12 他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
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。」
And Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place, from which you may see them; you shall see only the nearest of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there."
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。
And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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。」
Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder."
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。」
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak."
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？」
And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"
23:18 巴蘭就題詩歌說：巴勒，你起來聽；西撥的兒子，你聽我言。
And Balaam took up his discourse, and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; hearken to me, O son of Zippor:
23:19 神非人，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？
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?
23:20 我奉命祝福； 神也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
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 神和他同在；有歡呼王的聲音在他們中間。
He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob; nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
23:22 神領他們出埃及；他們似乎有野牛之力。
God brings them out of Egypt; they have as it were the horns of the wild ox.
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： 神為他行了何等的大事！
For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, `What has God wrought!'
23:24 這民起來，彷彿母獅，挺身，好像公獅，未曾喫野食，未曾喝被傷者之血，決不躺臥。
Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down till it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain."
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。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all."
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？」
But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, `All that the LORD says, that I must do'?"
23:27 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者 神喜歡你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there."
23:28 巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Pe'or, that overlooks the desert.
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。」
And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
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。
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
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。
Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram.
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。
And Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a bare height.
23:4 神迎見巴蘭；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。」
And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, "I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram."
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。」
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
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。
And he returned to him, and lo, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.
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。
And Balaam took up his discourse, and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: `Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
23:8 神沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？
How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
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。
For from the top of the mountains I see him, from the hills I behold him; lo, a people dwelling alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations!
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。
Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!"
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。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."
23:12 他回答說：「耶和華傳給我的話，我能不謹慎傳說嗎？」
And he answered, "Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"
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。」
And Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place, from which you may see them; you shall see only the nearest of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there."
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。
And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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。」
Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder."
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。」
And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak."
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？」
And he came to him, and, lo, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"
23:18 巴蘭就題詩歌說：巴勒，你起來聽；西撥的兒子，你聽我言。
And Balaam took up his discourse, and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; hearken to me, O son of Zippor:
23:19 神非人，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？
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?
23:20 我奉命祝福； 神也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。
Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
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 神和他同在；有歡呼王的聲音在他們中間。
He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob; nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
23:22 神領他們出埃及；他們似乎有野牛之力。
God brings them out of Egypt; they have as it were the horns of the wild ox.
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： 神為他行了何等的大事！
For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, `What has God wrought!'
23:24 這民起來，彷彿母獅，挺身，好像公獅，未曾喫野食，未曾喝被傷者之血，決不躺臥。
Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down till it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain."
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。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all."
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？」
But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, `All that the LORD says, that I must do'?"
23:27 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者 神喜歡你在那裡為我咒詛他們。」
And Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there."
23:28 巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Pe'or, that overlooks the desert.
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。」
And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
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。
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
今日心得上傳及閱讀請到
1. 蔡茂堂牧師blog: http://hopingtsaidevotion.blogspot.com/
2. 李晶晶牧師blog: http://taipeihoping-chin.blogspot.com/
蔡茂堂牧師創世記查經班歷年錄音檔案:
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巴蘭的第一次預言。我們不要理會那些行占卜和法術的儀式。從巴蘭的詩歌預言中，我們看得出上帝是怎樣的愛他的子民，巴蘭幾乎巴不得也成為以色列人！巴勒非常失望，但並不死心。巴蘭的第二次預言。他不但沒有咒詛以色列，反而是祝福他們。巴勒真的很生氣！巴蘭雖是「心術不正」的人，但在聖靈的引領下，從第20節起，他的預言集中在以色列人身上。這預言一方面表白了神是信實不變的（19節），另一方面亦顯示出了以色列民一幀蒙恩的寫照。
回覆刪除法術只可以困擾沒有神的人，從巴蘭的口中說出來，“斷沒有法術可以害雅各，也沒有占卜可以害以色列。”（民數記 23:. 23節）他接連的作了兩次，都給上帝擋住了。就是說預言的人雖是邪惡，並帶著不甘心情願的態度來說，但他仍不能阻礙上帝所要宣告的話（民數記 23:. 5節、16節，民數記 24: 2節），聖靈仍然要透過巴蘭的口說出上帝的話來。
在此我們看見一個真理，上帝有時使用我們，並不是表示我們是配被上帝使用；相反，我們可能極其軟弱，且屬血氣行事，但上帝仍要使用我們作祂的出口。這正也是保羅的經驗：上帝的恩典和能力臨到軟弱者的身上，使上帝的能力顯得完全（林後12：9～10節），這給我們何等大的安慰啊！
另一方面，我們看見巴蘭是如何忠於上帝的託付，他只照神上帝告訴他的話直說。由於他只祝福以色列，而不說咒詛話，因而有違巴勒的意願，但他這次卻做對了；顯然為此他一定失掉了一筆可觀的報酬，可是他並沒有屈服在勢力之下。今天在這墮落的世代中，何等需要有真正屬上帝的人挺身而出，不顧人的贊成或反對，勇敢和忠實地傳講上帝責備審判的信息；正如昔日的以色列先知和施洗約翰一樣，不向任何勢力屈服，忠實地宣講聖經真理，叫人知罪悔改而歸向上帝！求主幫助我們，賜下勇氣，使我們在今天的崗位上勇敢地見證的救恩，使罪人歸向上帝。