智慧篇 19 —— 红海逆转与自然的新秩序

智慧篇 19 将红海事件叙述为一场逆转:以色列的仇敌追击的正是他们先前驱逐之民,而受造之物也重新塑造自己,以护卫以色列、惩罚不敬虔之人。

智慧篇

第19章

  1. 1.红海 但是不虔诚的人被无情的愤怒困扰到底,因为神事先就知道他们将来的行为,The Red Sea But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger, for God knew in advance even their future actions,
  2. 2.他们自己虽然允许你的人民离开,并且赶快打发他们走,但他们会改变主意,去追赶他们。that, though they themselves had permitted thy people to depart and hastily sent them forth, they would change their minds and pursue them.
  3. 3.他们还在忙着哀悼,在死者的坟墓前哀哭的时候,又做出了另一个愚蠢的决定,追赶那些他们曾请求和强迫离开的人。For while they were still busy at mourning, and were lamenting at the graves of their dead, they reached another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart.
  4. 4.因为他们应得的命运将他们引向了这个结局,并使他们忘记了已经发生的事情,这样他们就可以补充他们的折磨中仍然缺乏的惩罚For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end, and made them forget what had happened, in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked,
  5. 5.并且你的子民可能会经历一段不可思议的旅程,但他们自己却可能遭遇一个奇怪的死亡。and that thy people might experience an incredible journey, but they themselves might meet a strange death.
  6. 6.上帝引导和保护祂的子民 因为整个受造界按照它的性质被更新,以遵守你的命令,这样你的子民就可以保持安全不受伤害。God Guides and Protects His People For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew, complying with thy commands, that thy children might be kept unharmed.
  7. 7.云彩覆盖在营中,水面变为旱地,红海中出现了一条无阻碍的出路,波涛汹涌的海洋变成了一片青草繁茂的平原The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,
  8. 8.在那里,受你手保护的人作为一个民族通过,之后凝视着奇妙的奇观。where those protected by thy hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvelous wonders.
  9. 9.因为他们像马一样排列,像小羊一样跳跃,赞美你,主啊,你曾救赎他们。For they ranged like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who didst deliver them.
  10. 10.他们仍然记得他们寄居期间发生的事情,地不是长出牲畜,而是生出了成群的蚊子,河不是长出鱼,而是喷出大量的青蛙。For they still recalled the events of their sojourn, how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats, and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.
  11. 11.此后,他们又看见一种新鸟,当他们渴望奢华的食物时;Afterward they saw also a new kind of birds, when desire led them to ask for luxurious food;
  12. 12.为了使他们得到解救,海中的鹌鹑飞起来了。for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.
  13. 13.埃及人的惩罚 罪人在遭受惩罚之前,先经历了雷暴的警告,这是他们公正地因为自己的邪恶行为而受苦的结果,因为他们对外人怀有更深的仇恨。The Punishment of the Egyptians The punishments did not come upon the sinners without prior signs in the violence of thunder, for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts; for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.
  14. 14.其他人拒绝接待来到他们身边的陌生人,但这些人却将对他们有恩惠的客人变成了奴隶。Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them, but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
  15. 15.不仅如此,对于以前那些敌视外人的行为,也必然会有某种形式的惩罚降临在他们身上;And not only so, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former for their hostile reception of the aliens;
  16. 16.但后者在隆重庆祝接纳他们之后,却用可怕的苦难折磨那些已经与他们享有同等权利的人。but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations, afflicted with terrible sufferings those who had already shared the same rights.
  17. 17.他们也遭受了失明的惩罚——就像那些站在义人门口的人一样——当他们被巨大的黑暗所包围时,每个人都试图找到通过自己门的路。They were stricken also with loss of sight— just as were those at the door of the righteous man— when, surrounded by yawning darkness, each tried to find the way through his own door.
  18. 18.自然界的新和谐 元素之间互相更换位置,就像竖琴上的音符改变了节奏的性质,而每个音符本身仍保持不变。这可以从所看到的事情中清楚地推断出来。A New Harmony in Nature For the elements changed places with one another, as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm, while each note remains the same. This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.
  19. 19.陆地上的动物变成了水中的生物,而会游泳的生物也搬到了陆地上。For land animals were transformed into water creatures, and creatures that swim moved over to the land.
  20. 20.即使在水中,火也保持着它正常的力量,水也忘记了它熄灭火的本性。Fire even in water retained its normal power, and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.
  21. 21.然而火焰却没有烧伤在火中行走的那些会腐朽的生物的身体,也没有熔化那种晶莹易熔的天食。Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, nor did they melt the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food.
  22. 22.结语 因为在一切事上,主啊,你都叫你的子民得高升和荣耀,你也没有忽略随时随地帮助他们。Conclusion For in everything, O Lord, thou hast exalted and glorified thy people; and thou hast not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.

这段经文的意思

第 1–5 节以神的预知来框定全章:埃及人曾催促以色列离开,随后又去追袭他们,这种逆转被描述为将他们引向他们所应得的命运。作者指出,这一结局使埃及人忘却了先前所发生的事,并"补足了他们所受的刑罚尚未够的份",将追击本身呈现为神审判的一部分,而非出于策略的选择。

第 6–12 节以同样的逆转模式来叙述过红海与先前旷野中的供应。受造之物被描述为"按你的命令重被塑造,使你的儿女得以免受伤害",于是云柱、干地与青草的平原出现在原本有水之处。旷野中的记忆——蚊蚋代替牲畜、青蛙代替鱼群、后来又有海中的鹌鹑——被视为一种事物让位于另一种事物以回应以色列需要的进一步例证。

第 13–22 节将这一逆转扩展至道德与宇宙的层面。埃及人被比作先前那些拒绝接待外邦人的民族,但被说成所犯之过更轻,因为他们未曾奴役曾施恩于他们的客旅。本章以受造之物自身位置的互换作结——陆生动物变成水中生物,火在水中失去燃烧之力,火焰不能焚毁易腐的肉体,也无法熔化"天上的食物"——并以如下宣告收束:"你已经高举并荣耀了你的百姓;你在任何时候、任何地方都没有不顾念去帮助他们。"

背景

本章在所提供的资料中独立成篇,前后并无相邻章节文本;编辑注释显示这些智慧篇章是在先前优先范围之外后补录入的。其内部结构在第 6 节与第 13 节处分段,并附有编辑性标题——"神引导并保护祂的百姓"、"埃及人所受的惩罚"、"自然中的新和谐"——可见作者是围绕逆转、审判与受造之物的重新秩序来组织材料的。

智慧篇 19 从受造之物回应神命令的视角来解读过红海:遮蔽营地的云柱、海中的干路、以及鹌鹑,被安置在与蚊蚋和青蛙相同的序列中,使旷野之灾与出埃及的过海被一并记念,作为一种事物让位于另一种事物的实例。

常见问题

智慧篇 19 的主要对比是什么?

本章将以色列受保护的过红海与埃及人失败的追击相对照,并将二者都框定为一场逆转:那些驱逐以色列的人反将他们追入海中,而受造之物也重新塑造自己——水处变为干地、由水中生出鹌鹑、最终诸元素彼此交换属性——以护卫以色列、惩罚不敬虔之人。

智慧篇 19 为何重提蚊蚋、青蛙与鹌鹑?

本章将这些旷野中的记忆归并在一起,使蚊蚋代替牲畜出现、青蛙代替鱼群、以及后来海中生出鹌鹑,呈现为同一模式:一种生物让位于另一种生物,以回应以色列的需要。它们构成了红海与末段诸元素转化之更大逆转的先例。

智慧篇 19 如何收束?

本章以一段宣告作结:神已经高举并荣耀了祂的百姓,且在任何时候、任何地方都没有不顾念去帮助他们,概括了这场逆转:以色列的仇敌受到审判,自然顺服神的命令,百姓的旅程自始至终被描述为受到保护。

继续研读

首页探索圣经AI 互动我的