參考版本 AFV  A  Faithful Version 的希臘文 2009版本   

耶和華的事，不謀利沒有版權

1. Then the children of Israel set out and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of the Jordan by Jericho.

2. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3. And Moab was much afraid of the people because they were many. And Moab was worried because of the children of Israel.

4. And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company is licking up all around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time.

5. Therefore he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling across from me.

6. Therefore, I pray you, come now and curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail so that we may strike them, and so that I may drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out with the rewards of divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

8. And he said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me.” And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9. And God came to Balaam and said, “What men are these with you?”

10. And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent them to me, saying,

11. ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt which covers the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me. Perhaps, I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out.’ ”

12. And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

13. And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the leaders of Balak, “Go into your land, for the LORD refuses to let me go with you.”

14. And the leaders of Moab rose up. And they went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

 (A Faithful Version)

1. 以色列人起行，來到摩押領土這塊平原之地安營、位於耶利哥挨近約旦河這邊。

2. 西撥的兒子巴勒看到這情境，也知道以色列人如何對待亞摩利人所行的一切作為。

3. 摩押人見以色列人數眾多，真的有點擔心。

4. 摩押人對米甸的長老，心有同感：如今這群人把我們包圍像要吞噬，就像牛要吃草一樣。摩押人的王，當時是西撥的兒子巴勒執政。

5. 巴勒見此形勢，便差人去見比珥的兒子巴蘭，他就在毗奪，是在河的對岸，屬巴蘭的封地，對他說：有一族從埃及到來，人多得佔據全個平原，現安營在我對面。

6. 想請你去咒詛這些人，他們看來很強。相信我有可能打敗他們，只要有你的祝福。因為你為誰祝福，誰就得福；你咒詛誰，誰就受咒詛。

7. 摩押的長老和米甸的長老等人，奉命起行到了巴蘭那裡，將巴勒的話轉告。

8. 巴蘭對他們說：你們今夜暫住這裡，我會照耶和華所曉諭我的，回覆你們。摩押和米甸的使者就在巴蘭安頓下來。

9. 耶和華有話問巴蘭：到你這裡來的，他們是誰？

10. 巴蘭回應：是摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒派來的。

11. 他們說有一族人，是從埃及出來，如今遍怖整個平原。請你去詛咒他們，我就能戰勝，把他們趕走。

12. 巴蘭所信的那位，對他說：不可去，也不可咒詛，因為他們是蒙福的一群。

13. 巴蘭在天亮時分，便對巴勒的使者說：回自己的地去吧，耶和華不許。

14. 摩押的使就者便起行，回見巴勒，說：巴蘭不願意。

這段描述的二位主角，摩押和米甸之間的關係，都是亞伯拉罕之後，意思是這三者，以色列、摩押、米甸都是一脈相承的兄弟。地大了，人多了，成了大族就產生了利益和存在的需要。當時地大人少，談妥平分均佔，為何有問題？問題是出於多方面的緣因，因為確實有分別。更重要的是，人想獨佔最好的。

The Moabites and the Midianites maintained a close political, economic, and military alliance in ancient times, particularly when confronting the Israelites during the Exodus.

Ancestry and Origins

• Moabites: Descended from Moab, the son of Lot (Abraham’s nephew). They lived east of the Dead Sea in a well-defined, monarchical territory ruled by kings like Balak.
• Midianites: Descended from Midian, a son of Abraham and his concubine Keturah. They functioned primarily as a nomadic or semi-nomadic confederation of tribes spanning regions from the Sinai Peninsula to the territory east of the Jordan River.
• Distinct Groups: Despite frequent biblical intermingling in narratives, they were separate ethnic and social groups with different family lines.

Political and Military Alliance

• Hiring Balaam: When the Israelites traveled through the wilderness near their lands, King Balak of Moab joined forces with the elders of Midian to hire the prophet Balaam to curse Israel.
• The Incident at Peor: According to the Book of Numbers, women from both Moab and Midian enticed Israelite men into sexual immorality and the worship of Baal of Peor.
• Differing Motivations in Tradition: Rabbinic and classical commentaries (such as Rashi) note that the Moabites acted out of genuine fear for their land and survival, whereas the Midianites intervened out of a more malicious desire to involve themselves in a foreign conflict.

Differing Fates with Israel

• Moab’s Relative Leniency: Because of Moab’s shared ancestral ties to Lot (who was related to Abraham/Israel) and their defensive motive, the Israelites were initially instructed not to harass or conquer Moab.
• War Against Midian: Because the Midianites actively plotted against Israel and continued their hostility (exemplified by figures like the Midianite chief’s daughter Cozbi), God commanded Moses to treat the Midianites as direct enemies, resulting in a major military campaign against them in Numbers 31.
• Historical Ties to Moses: Ironically, prior to these conflicts, Moses had deep personal ties to Midian—he fled Egypt to Midian, married Zipporah (the daughter of the Midianite priest Jethro/Reuel), and received counsel from his father-in-law.

以下是這二者之間的關係和背景：

https://www.waynestiles.com/blog/plains-of-moab-remember-what-god-has-done-in-your-life/ : The Plains of Moab—Remember What God has Done in Your Life.

https://thekotel.org/en/143403/?srsltid=AU7gw4V7lY8ImKJPD8Axf2ZfDvALpBXgVuHX89lBW3-jbSe6B032LX_f  : Moab and Midian – The Difference between Fear and Evil

https://www.philipharland.com/Blog/2023/06/midianites-and-moabites-josephos-on-intermixing-and-the-dangers-of-acculturation-first-century-ce/ :

Midianites and Moabites / Arabians: Josephos and Philo on intermixing and the dangers of acculturation (first century CE)

v.12 . And God said to Balaam. 這處的 god H430 意思是他相信的耶位神。舊約對耶和華稱號有二種：第一類是H3068 (v.13 以耶和華代之)是指那位獨一的存在，用的是Lord。第二類是自有永有者的專稱H136 (出4:13)同樣用Lord 是以色列人自己真心誠意下對耶和華的專稱。中文是沒有從翻譯中分別出來，一概稱之為神。註：之前有許多是用H430 意思是他們相信的那位。

此段是一位不認識耶和華的，一位是認識的，同是亞伯拉罕之後，不相信那位的要求是：請耶和華去免得骨肉相殘。認識耶和華那位，在求告的過程當中，自己就明確，以色列是耶和福祝福的一群，於是斷然的拒絕要求。

今日相信的都屬於H430類，有幾多是屬於H3068或是H136這類？相信只有自己才清楚。