圣经以斯拉记第8章讲解|原文_以斯拉记全文阅读

旧约 - 以斯拉记（Ezra）第8章

These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.

Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.

Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.

Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.

And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.

And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.

And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.

And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents;

Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.

Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.

So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.

And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

以斯拉记第八章　　第 8 章　

　　拉 8:15> 没有利未人！但──他们不是神特别拣选的吗？我们呢？怎样回应神的呼召为祂作工？　

　　8:15　由于等候利未人回应呼召，加入归回的行伍，以斯拉回国的进度被耽延。神曾号召利未人作特别事奉，可惜愿意付代价的人很少。神赐人各种才能，使我们为祂的国度尽忠（参罗 12:4-8 ），所以不要坐着等被招募，要主动找寻事奉的机会。不要踌躇畏缩，阻碍神的工作。“各人要照所得的恩赐彼此服事，作神百般恩赐的好管家。”（参彼前 4:10 ）　

　　以斯拉和百姓回国的路线图　

　　拉 8:21> 敬虔祷告，全然呈交──当前路受阻时，他们这样行了！我们行了没有？　

　　8:21　以斯拉和百姓步行约一千四百多公里路，在历时四个月的旅程中，经历了重重险阻。他们祈求神看顾，保守一路上的平安。我们的人生旅程也可能经历以斯拉遇到的困难和危险，我们也需要求神引领、求祂保护。　

　　拉 8:21-23> “兵马未动，粮草先行”，但以斯拉却是先禁食祷告，我是否凡事先求告神？　

　　8:21-23 准备行装之前，以斯拉先做好灵性上的准备。百姓祈祷、禁食，表示倚靠神的保护、相信祂掌管一切并承认人自己的软弱，没有祂就不能成行。我们当凡事先求告神，不管前路如何，都要作好准备迎接未来。　

　　拉 8:23> 禁食祷告──为什么这么重要？以斯拉他们不相信神会保守吗？　

　　8:23 以斯拉知道神会保护祂的子民，但并没有视之为理所当然的。他知道祷告是蒙神赐福的途径，所以他和众人谦卑禁食祈祷，而神也应允了他们的祈求。禁食使他们谦卑，因为饥饿提醒人要倚靠神；禁食也使他们有更多时间祈祷和默想。　

　　我们的祈祷常常会流于表面化，太过注重言词的修饰，但郑重的祷告需要人专心致志，它能彻底改变我们，使我们明白神的旨意。没有认真的祈祷，只会把神当作我们临渴掘井的工具。　

　　拉 8:26> 啊！那些金子、银子多得很呢！　

　　8:26 六百五十他连得的银子大约重 22 吨，不论是否有官兵护送，均是一批数目庞大的财宝。　

　　拉 8:28-29> 交托和信任紧密相关，对神尚且不容易，对人啊，这……　

　　8:28-29 圣殿里每件器物都是奉献给神的圣物，要小心看管、分别为圣，留作特别用途。管家的职分就是要好好保护神交托的一切，要视一切由祂而来和为祂所用。神把什么交给了你，要你好好看守呢？　

　　拉 8:36> 8:36 总督的官阶相当于省长。──《灵修版圣经注释》　

以斯拉记第八章　　集腋成裘（八 1 ～ 23 ）　

　　以斯拉是一位面对艰巨工作而不低首的领袖，就如但以理在巴比伦的见证一样，是大有信心依靠神的仆人，值得我们效法。　

　　．数点人数（ 1 ～ 14 ）：革顺和但以理（ 2 ）皆为亚伦的子孙，是祭司（参出六 25 ；民三 2 ），哈突则是王室子孙。从第 3 节开始～ 14 节止记录十二平民家族及其男丁数目：有祭司、大卫的后裔，更有十二家族，这是合乎神心意的完整数目。　

　　．利未人（ 15 ～ 20 ）：这次回归主要的目的乃恢复圣殿的敬拜，故以斯拉再召集利未人同行，回国后立即可以在圣殿中供职。现今在教会事奉，除传道人是不可缺之外，义工也是十分重要的。　

　　．宣告禁食（ 21 ～ 23 ）：以斯拉的信心代表全民众的信心，正如摩西在山上祷告，手发沉时，有亚伦和户珥扶他（出十七 12 ）。现在以斯拉宣告禁食，克苦己心（ 21 ），除希望上下一心外，更深信神施恩的手，必帮助一切寻求祂的人。这种用信心与行动来呼求神的帮助是我们应该学习的，想想以斯拉将会面对的艰巨工作，就知道这种呼求民众同心的行动是不容易的，会众的信赖是一位领袖成功的钥匙，求主恩待教会有这样充满魄力的领袖，也有这样顺服的会众。　

　　祷告　为今天教会领袖的信心与魄力祷告，并为他的羊群求顺服之心。　

　　踏上征途（八 24 ～ 36 ）　

　　以斯拉是一位懂得分配人手，善用资源的领袖，靠那无伪的信心，他分派（ 24 ）、指示（ 29 ），并且常常亲力亲为，不愧为神所重用的仆人。我们各人都是神的器皿，只求那器皿是圣洁的、能蒙神所喜悦的，其他的事就交托予主，主必会成就祂在地上的旨意如同在天上。　

　　．运送金银（ 24 ～ 30 ）：这批数量庞大的金银和器皿是由以色列民（ 25 ）、王和谋士、军长献出来的，是他们奉献给神的甘心祭（ 28 ），所以这些奉献都是属于神的。以斯拉也就十分慎重的来处理，他分派祭司长先秤（ 25 ），然后他自己再秤一次（ 26 ），好提醒他们警醒看守。　

　　．平安到达（ 31 ～ 34 ）：路途虽然危险，但神是听祷告的神，保守他们脱离危险和仇敌，经过四个月的时间（七 9 ）到达耶路撒冷，他们只休息整顿三日，第四日就来到神殿的位置，将金器数点交妥，完成使命；在此所表现出来祭司的圣洁公正行为是值得我们效法的。　

　　．献上燔祭（ 35 ～ 36 ）：这情况类似摩西时的以色列众首领所行的献坛礼（民七 84 ～ 88 ），或是希西家的献坛礼（代下二十九 1 ～ 35 ）。先是燔祭（ 35 ），后是赎罪祭，正如耶和华晓谕所罗门：“这称为我名下的子民，若是自卑、祷告、寻求我的面，转离他们的恶行，我必从天上垂听，赦免他们的罪，医治他们的地。”（代下七 14 ）以色列民从巴比伦回到耶路撒冷，亲身经历神所说的话。　

　　默想　昔日以斯拉带战兢的心情完成神所交付的事，神所交付你的，你有忠心完成吗？──《新旧约辅读》　

以斯拉记　　注释　

　　八 1-36 以斯拉返回耶路撒冷的旅程　

　　本章多半是较直接的叙述，主要关乎以斯拉对王诏命的顺从和履行。然而，其中 3 个重点的达成，却不单在乎他的能力，也由于「神施恩的手帮助我们」（ 18 节；比较 22 与 31 节）。　

　　首先，以斯拉渴望那些与他一同回国的人中（ 1-14 节），有一些利未人（ 15-20 节）。他们在圣殿敬拜中的从属角色，可显出这次回归对他们来说并不吸引，但他们在旅途中同行是有需要的，这样才可配合出埃及后在旷野行走的象征（比较民十 11-28 ）。在那情况下，他们也在运送圣殿器皿上有特别的责任。　

　　第二，旅程本身的安全是在于神恩手的带领，因以斯拉拒绝了兵马的护送（ 21-23 节）。这似是卤莽的自恃迫使众民切切祷告，而他们的信心也得着了回报。然而，尼希米那不同的态度（比较尼二 9 ），提醒读者，神可以藉不寻常的方法，也可藉「正常」的方法，来为其子民作事，这原则后来在道成肉身一事中表达得淋漓尽致。　

　　有些基督徒会陷入一种想法，以为神只会行神迹奇事，因而把一些世俗化的程序，如会议等，视为「不属灵」的。然而，神既选择降生为人，借着基督成就救恩，我们便可预期祂会使用人类的方法，也会回避这些方法去作工。祂是我们整体生活的神，我们应小心，不要把祂的作为分门别类。这样做最终只会把祂排拒于我们大部分的生活以外，换句话说，我们会变成伪善者。　

　　第三，运送贵重的金银和祭物（参第七章）而不受盗贼滋扰，也是由于神施恩手的帮助。然而，这里详尽地记述以斯拉所遵从的步骤；人若辩说经文所着重的是「属灵」方面，而不是「实际」方面，便是误解了作者的意思。　

　　难怪被掳归回者一抵达耶路撒冷，安顿下来，便献上感恩祭（ 35 节）。他们在第一次归回后这么久才回国，发现第二次出埃及，并不是一件孤立的事件，而是一个经验，是其后各个世代都可以享受的。其中的应许和盼望，并不是第一次回归的人已享用尽致，而那些选择稍后才起程的人，也不会受到谴责。相反地，得拯救和新生命的前景，向每一个新的世代发出挑战，要作出抉择。　