提要
十八章記載了一項重要的事件：以色列人將他們的宗教和政治基地從吉甲（以色列人過約旦河後的安營處）遷到位於以法蓮支派境內的中心城市，示羅。會幕在這裡停駐約三個世紀之久。示羅被選為政教中心不只因為以色列人的領袖是以法蓮人就自然定居在此，也因為示羅正位居應許之地的中心位置（在耶路撒冷和示劍之間，約在示劍之南十七公里處）。上帝一定也清楚的指示約書亞，示羅是祂所選擇要立為祂名的居所（申12：11；耶7：12）。
雖然以色列人可能正忙於搬遷帳幕和會幕，但他們仍應繼續進行上帝的工作，逐出迦南地上的異教居民。然而，他們似乎缺少這份熱心。尚未分地的七個支派甚至疏於敦促約書亞分派地業給他們，一點也不像迦勒和熱衷的猶大支派。約書亞還必須激發他們的意願、鼓勵他們。約書亞所用的方法之一是從這七個支派當中，每一支派差遣三個人去繪份地圖，詳細報告環繞猶大、以法蓮、瑪拿西之地業的土地。照着摩西的吩咐，他們要「在上帝面前」（6、8節）拈鬮分地。雖然地業的大小是依照支派人數的多寡，但他們不能選擇要座落在哪個地區，拈鬮的結果會顯示出上帝的決定（參民26：54~55）。
第一籤抽中便雅憫。上帝的手很明顯的在安排他們的地界。便雅憫的土地雖小（因為他們是一個小支派），但地點十分重要，耶路撒冷（後來成為以色列的王都和聖殿所在地）也在其境域之內，應驗了摩西的預言（申33：12）。強大的猶大支派和以法蓮支派一在南，一在北，容易發生對抗，便雅憫居間正可發揮緩衝作用。
在士師記中，我們讀到便雅憫支派因犯罪被其他支派審判，幾乎絕種（士20：12~14、35）。不過，出於上帝的保守，他們剩下的餘民人數漸漸增多，使這個支派不致消滅。便雅憫支派再也沒有恢復原來的勢力，而密切的與猶大支派聯合，特別是在分裂王國時期。儘管如此，這個支派畢竟出了以色列的第一位國王──便雅憫人掃羅。更特出的是，她還蘊育了初代教會偉大的外邦宣教士，和新約聖經的偉大作者，使徒保羅。
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Overview
An important event is recorded in Joshua 18: the moving of Israel’s religious and political base from Gilgal (where they had first set up camp after crossing the Jordan River) to Shiloh, a city in the center of the land within Ephraimite territory. There it was to remain for almost three centuries. Shiloh may have been chosen because it was not only in the area where their leader Joshua, an Ephraimite, would naturally dwell, but also because of its central location in the Promised Land (between Jerusalem and Shechem, about 17 kilometers south of Shechem). Also, God must have made it clear to Joshua that it was there He chose to set up His Name (Deut.12:11; Jer.7:12).
Although Israel was likely very busy with the moving of the camp and the tabernacle, they were still expected to carry on the work of the Lord by driving out the heathen inhabitants, yet it appears they lacked the necessary zeal. The seven remaining tribes were even slack in pressing Joshua to give them their land of inheritance, unlike Caleb and the tribe of Judah who were the fist to enthusiastically come before Joshua; he had to motivate and encourage them. One way he did this was by sending out the three delegates from each of the seven tribes to bring back a detailed report about the land around the inheritance of Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh. As Moses had ordered, the division was done by casting lots “before the Lord’ (vv.6, 8). Although the size of the land allotted would depend upon the size of the tribe, they could not choose their specific area, for this was up to God, as the outcome of the lot would indicate (cf.Num.26:54-55).
The first lot fell to Benjamin. The hand of the Lord was evident in the placement of their inheritance. Although it was a small portion of land (because Benjamin was a small tribe), it was very important because of its location and the fact that Jerusalem, which later came to be the royal city and the temple site, was within their boundaries, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Moses (Deut.33:12). Benjamin was between the territories of Judah to the south and Ephraim to the north. It served as a buffer state because those two tribes were the strongest and therefore most inclined to rivalry.
In the book of Judges, we read how the Benjamites became almost extinct by the other tribes executing judgment upon them for sin (Judges 20:12-14, 34). However, in the plan of God, the remnant that remained multiplied so that the tribe carried on their identity. They never regained their original strength, but became closely associated with the tribe of Judah, especially during the period of the divided kingdom. Even so, they had the distinction of giving Israel their first king – Saul, a Benjamite. An ever-greater distinction was that the tribe of Benjamin gave us the Apostle Paul, the great early church missionary to the Gentiles and the inspired writer of much of the New Testament.
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Prayer
Lord, our key verse speaks of neglect. You spoke through the apostle Paul and said, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). Please help us, Lord, not to neglect any of the many promises You’ve made to us in Your Word. |
