序言　
　　本书是摩西的语录。当以色列人民在约旦河东岸的旷野，在巴兰城和陀弗、拉班、哈洗录、底撒哈诸城之间、疏弗附近的约旦谷，摩西向他们说了以下的话。（从何烈山经由以东山区到加低斯·巴尼亚需要十一天的旅程。）在以色列人出埃及后的第四十年十一月一日，摩西把上主命令他说的一切话转告他们。那时，以希实本为首都的亚摩利王西宏和以亚斯他录、以得来为首都的巴珊王噩都被击败了。[注解]　摩西在约旦河东岸的摩押地向以色列人解释上主的法律。
　　他说∶“我们还在何烈山的时候，上主──我们的上帝对我们说∶‘你们已经在这山上住得够久了。现在你们要拆营，向前移动。你们要进入亚摩利人的山区和附近各地区──就是约旦谷、低地、高原、南部区域，和地中海沿岸，也就是说，你们要进入迦南、黎巴嫩，和从那里延伸到幼发拉底河一带的土地。这一片土地就是我──上主应许要给你们祖先亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，和他们后代的土地。你们要进去，占有这一片土地。’”
　　摩西指派审判官（出18·13-27）　
　　摩西对人民说∶“我们还在何烈山的时候，我告诉过你们∶‘我不能够单独肩负领导你们的责任。上主──你们的上帝已经使你们人口增加，像天空的星星那样多。愿上主──你们祖先的上帝按照他自己的诺言使你们的人口再增加千倍，使你们兴盛。但是我一个人怎能承担你们的琐碎事务，负起替你们排难解纷的责任呢？你们要从各支族选出一些有智慧、有才干、有经验的人来，我要委派他们管理你们。’你们曾经同意该这样做。因此，我委派了各支族选出的那些有智慧、有经验的人来管理你们∶有的负责管一千人，有的管一百人，有的管五十人，有的管十人。我又为各支族指派其他官员。
　　“当时，我指示他们说∶‘你们要处理民间的诉讼。无论是同胞间的讼案，或牵涉到你们中间外侨的讼案，你们都要公正审判。你们要公正无私，无论地位高低，都不徇情面，以平等对待。不要怕任何人，因为你们是替上帝审判的。倘若你们有困难的案件，可以提到我这里来，由我处理。’当时，我也把其他该做的事都指示了你们。”
　　派人侦察迦南地（民13·1-33）　
　　“我们遵从上主──我们上帝的命令，离开了何烈山，经过那一片可怕的旷野，前往亚摩利人的山区。我们来到加低斯·巴尼亚的时候，我曾经对你们说∶‘现在，你们已经到了亚摩利人的山区，就是上主──我们的上帝，赐给我们的土地。看哪，这块土地就在眼前。你们要遵照上主──我们祖先的上帝所命令的上去占领，不要踌躇，不要害怕。’
　　“但是你们来见我，向我建议说∶‘我们要先派人去侦察那块土地，叫他们回来报告该走的路线和要攻取的城镇。’
　　“我认为这样做不错，就从每一支族各选一人，一共选出十二个人。他们进入山区，一直到以实各谷去侦察。他们带回当地的果子，报告说，上主──我们的上帝赐给我们的是非常肥沃的土地。
　　“但是，你们背叛上主──你们上帝的命令，不肯进入那土地。你们发牢骚说∶‘上主恨我们！他领我们出埃及是要把我们交给亚摩利人，让他们消灭我们。我们何必进去呢？探子的报告使我们非常害怕。他们说，当地的居民比我们高大强悍；居民住在坚固的城里，城墙高耸入云。他们还在那里看到亚衲族巨人。’
　　“但是我告诉你们∶‘不要怕他们。上主──你们的上帝要带领你们，为你们打仗，像从前一样。你们亲眼看见他在埃及和旷野为你们所做的一切。他带领你们一路平安到了这地方，好像父亲带领自己的儿子一样。’但是，不管我怎么说，你们总是不肯信靠上主──你们的上帝。虽然如此，这位上主始终走在你们前面，为你们寻找安营的地方。他夜间用火柱，白天用云柱，带领你们的旅程。”
　　上主惩罚以色列人（民14·20-45）　
　　“上主听见你们的埋怨，非常忿怒，发誓说∶‘你们这邪恶的一代，谁也不能进入我应许赐给你们祖先那肥沃的土地；只有耶孚尼的儿子迦勒可以进去。因为他一心一意跟随我；我要把他走过的土地赐给他和他的子孙。’由于你们的缘故，上主也向我发怒。他说∶‘摩西呀，连你也不能进入那块土地。但是你的助手，嫩的儿子约书亚，可以进去；你要帮助他坚强起来。他要率领以色列人占领那块土地。’
　　“接着，上主对我们说∶‘那些今天还不能分辨是非的小孩子，你们以为会被敌人抢去的，反而要进入那块土地。他们要占领那块土地；我要把它赐给他们。至于你们这些人，你们要转回头，要回到通往红海路上的旷野去。’
　　“你们回答∶‘摩西呀，我们得罪了上主！现在我们要遵从上主──我们上帝的命令，上去攻打。’于是你们每一个人都武装起来，准备作战，以为轻易可以占领那山区。
　　“但是，上主对我说∶‘你要警告他们，不要上去攻打，免得被敌人击败，因为我不与他们同在。’我把上主的话转告你们，你们却不理会。你们背叛他，心高气傲地向山区进军。住在那山区的亚摩利人像蜂群一样出来迎战。他们追击你们，追到以东山区的何珥玛，在那里击败了你们。那时候你们哭求上主，求他帮助；但是他不肯听你们的哀求，不理会你们。”
　　在旷野流浪的岁月　
　　“我们在加低斯住了一段漫长的时间。”

　　Introduction　
　　In this book are the words that Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They were in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between the town of Paran on one side and the towns of Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab on the other. (It takes eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh Barnea by way of the hill country of Edom.) On the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after they had left Egypt, Moses told the people everything the LORD had commanded him to tell them. This was after the LORD had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in the town of Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan, who ruled in the towns of Ashtaroth and Edrei. [注解]　It was while the people were east of the Jordan in the territory of Moab that Moses began to explain God's laws and teachings.
　　He said, "When we were at Mount Sinai, the LORD our God said to us, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and move on. Go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the surrounding regions-to the Jordan Valley, to the hill country and the lowlands, to the southern region, and to the Mediterranean coast. Go to the land of Canaan and on beyond the Lebanon Mountains as far as the great Euphrates River. All of this is the land which I, the LORD, promised to give to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants. Go and occupy it.'"
　　Moses Appoints Judges
(Exodus 18.13-27)　
　　Moses said to the people, "While we were still at Mount Sinai, I told you, 'The responsibility for leading you is too much for me. I can't do it alone. The LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky. May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, make you increase a thousand times more and make you prosperous, as he promised! But how can I alone bear the heavy responsibility for settling your disputes? Choose some wise, understanding, and experienced men from each tribe, and I will put them in charge of you.' And you agreed that this was a good thing to do. So I took the wise and experienced leaders you chose from your tribes, and I placed them in charge of you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten. I also appointed other officials throughout the tribes.
　　"At that time I instructed them, 'Listen to the disputes that come up among your people. Judge every dispute fairly, whether it concerns only your own people or involves foreigners who live among you. Show no partiality in your decisions; judge everyone on the same basis, no matter who they are. Do not be afraid of anyone, for the decisions you make come from God. If any case is too difficult for you, bring it to me, and I will decide it.' At the same time I gave you instructions for everything else you were to do.
　　The Spies Are Sent Out from Kadesh Barnea
(Numbers 13.1-33)　
　　"We did what the LORD our God commanded us. We left Mount Sinai and went through that vast and fearful desert on the way to the hill country of the Amorites. When we reached Kadesh Barnea, I told you, 'You have now come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God, the God of our ancestors, is giving us. Look, there it is. Go and occupy it as he commanded. Do not hesitate or be afraid.'
　　"But you came to me and said, 'Let's send men ahead of us to spy out the land, so that they can tell us the best route to take and what kind of cities are there.'
　　"That seemed like a good thing to do, so I selected twelve men, one from each tribe. They went into the hill country as far as Eshcol Valley and explored it. They brought us back some fruit they found there, and reported that the land which the LORD our God was giving us was very fertile.
　　"But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God, and you would not enter the land. [注解]　You grumbled to one another: 'The LORD hates us. He brought us out of Egypt just to hand us over to these Amorites, so that they could kill us. Why should we go there? We are afraid. The men we sent tell us that the people there are stronger and taller than we are, and that they live in cities with walls that reach the sky. They saw giants there!'
　　"But I told you, 'Don't be afraid of those people. The LORD your God will lead you, and he will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely all the way to this place, just as a father would carry his son.' [注解]　But in spite of what I said, you still would not trust the LORD, [注解]　even though he always went ahead of you to find a place for you to camp. To show you the way, he went in front of you in a pillar of fire by night and in a pillar of cloud by day.
　　The LORD Punishes Israel
(Numbers 14.20-45)　
　　"The LORD heard your complaints and became angry, and so he solemnly declared, [注解]　'Not one of you from this evil generation will enter the fertile land that I promised to give your ancestors. Only Caleb son of Jephunneh will enter it. He has remained faithful to me, and I will give him and his descendants the land that he has explored.' Because of you the LORD also became angry with me and said, 'Not even you, Moses, will enter the land. But strengthen the determination of your helper, Joshua son of Nun. He will lead Israel to occupy the land.'
　　"Then the LORD said to all of us, 'Your children, who are still too young to know right from wrong, will enter the land-the children you said would be seized by your enemies. I will give the land to them, and they will occupy it. But as for you people, turn around and go back into the desert on the road to the Gulf of Aqaba.'
　　"You replied, 'Moses, we have sinned against the LORD. But now we will attack, just as the LORD our God commanded us.' Then each one of you got ready to fight, thinking it would be easy to invade the hill country.
　　"But the LORD said to me, 'Warn them not to attack, for I will not be with them, and their enemies will defeat them.' I told you what the LORD had said, but you paid no attention. You rebelled against him, and in your pride you marched into the hill country. Then the Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you like a swarm of bees. They chased you as far as Hormah and defeated you there in the hill country of Edom. So you cried out to the LORD for help, but he would not listen to you or pay any attention to you.
　　The Years in the Desert　
　　"So then, after we had stayed at Kadesh for a long time,