第12章 以撒
§1
第12章 以撒Chap. 12—Isaac
§2
迦南人是拜偶像的，所以主吩咐祂的子民不可和他们通婚，免得他们被引诱去拜偶像。亚伯拉罕已经年纪老迈，行将就木。以撒还没有结婚。亚伯拉罕害怕那环绕着以撒的腐败影响，所以很希望给他拣选一个不致于导致他远离上帝的妻子。他把这事交托给那管理他一切所有的忠心老练的仆人。亚伯拉罕要他这个仆人在主面前郑重起誓，决不从迦南人中为以撒娶妻，却要到亚伯拉罕那信仰真神的亲族当中去为以撒拣选一个妻子。他嘱咐他万不可把以撒带回到他所已经离开的故乡，因为那里的人几乎都受了拜偶像的影响。如果他不能为以撒找一个愿意离开她本族到他这里来的妻子，则他所起的誓就与他无干了。{3SG 108.3}[1]
§3
The Canaanites were idolaters, and the Lord had commanded that his people should not intermarry with them, lest they should be led into idolatry. Abraham was old, and?he expected soon to die. Isaac was yet unmarried. Abraham was afraid of the corrupting influence surrounding Isaac, and was anxious to have a wife selected for him who would not lead him from God. He committed this matter to his faithful, experienced servant who ruled over all that he had. Abraham required his servant to make a solemn oath to him before the Lord, that he would not take a wife for Isaac of the Canaanites, but that he would go unto Abraham’s kindred, who believed in the true God, and select a wife for Isaac. He charged him to beware, and not take Isaac to the country from whence he came, for they were nearly all affected with idolatry. If he could not find a wife for Isaac who would leave her kindred, and come where he was, then he should be clear of the oath which he had made.?{3SG 108.3}[1]
§4
这件大事并没有留给以撒去自作选择，而不接受他父亲的意见。亚伯拉罕告诉他的仆人，上帝必差遣使者在他面前，指示他如何选择。于是那受了这一委托的仆人就启程前往了。他进了亚伯拉罕亲族所住的城。就恳切地祈求上帝指示他如何为以撒拣选一个妻子。他要求赐予他一定的凭据，使他不至在这事上作错。他在一口井旁休息，那是最多人聚集的地方。在这里他特别注意到利百加的动人姿态和有礼行为，而他所求于上帝的凭据他全都得到了，证明利百加就是上帝所乐于拣选作为以撒妻子的一位。她邀请那仆人到她父亲的家里。于是他向利百加的父亲和哥哥述说他如何从主得到凭据，知道利百加要成为他主人儿子以撒的妻子。亚伯拉罕的仆人对他们说：“现在你们若愿以慈爱诚实待我主人，就告诉我；若不然，也告诉我；使我可以或向左，或向右。”女子的父亲和哥哥回答说：“这事乃出于耶和华，我们不能向你说好说歹。看哪，利百加在你面前；可以将她带去，照着耶和华所说，给你主人的儿子为妻。亚伯拉罕的仆人听见他们这话，就向耶和华俯伏在地”（创24:49-52）。{3SG 109.1}[2]
§5
This important matter was not left with Isaac, for him to select for himself, independent of his father. Abraham tells his servant that God will send his angel before him to direct him in his choice. The servant, to whom this mission was entrusted, started on his long journey. As he entered the city, where Abraham’s kindred dwelt, he prayed earnestly to God to direct him in his choice of a wife for Isaac. He asked that certain evidence might be given him, that he should not err in the matter. He rested by a well which was a place of the greatest gathering. Here he particularly noticed the engaging?manners, and courteous conduct of Rebekah, and all the evidence he has asked of God he receives that Rebekah is the one whom God has been pleased to select to become Isaac’s wife. She invites the servant to her father’s house. He then relates to Rebekah’s father, and her brother, the evidences he has received from the Lord, that Rebekah should become the wife of his master’s son, Isaac. Abraham’s servant then said to them, “And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.” The father and son answered, “The thing proceedeth from the Lord. We cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken. And it came to pass, that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.”?{3SG 109.1}[2]
§6
在一切都安排妥当，父亲和哥哥都已同意之后，他们又问利百加是否愿意和亚伯拉罕的仆人远离父家，去作以撒的妻子。利百加从一切情形的发生，深信上帝亲手选择她作以撒的妻子，所以“利百加说，我去”（创24:58）。{3SG 110.1}[3]
§7
After all had been arranged, the consent of the father and brother had been obtained, then Rebekah was consulted whether she would go with the servant of Abraham a great distance from her father’s family, to become the wife of Isaac. She believed from the circumstances that had taken place, that God’s hand had selected her to be Isaac’s wife, “and she said, I will go.”?{3SG 110.1}[3]
§8
那时婚约大都是由父母订立的；然而父母也不勉强儿女和他们所不能爱的人结合。但儿女们信任父母的判断，听从他们的忠告，并对他们那敬畏上帝而富有经验的父母所为他们选择的配偶倾心相爱。儿女若采取与此相背的行径，就被视为是一种罪行。{3SG 110.2}[4]
§9
Marriage contracts were then generally made by the parents, yet no compulsion was used to make them marry those they could?not love. But the children had confidence in the judgment of their parents, and followed their counsel, and bestowed their affections upon those whom their God-fearing, experienced parents chose for them. It was considered a crime to follow a course contrary to this.?{3SG 110.2}[4]
§10
这与如今许多儿女所追求的行径有何等大的反差啊！他们非但不对自己的父母表现出应有的尊重和孝敬，请教他们，善用他们有经验的判断为他们择偶，反而在这方面仓促行事，受冲动支配，而不是受自己父母的判断和敬畏上帝的心所支配。情况往往是父母还不知道他们就结了婚。而在许多情况下，他们的生活因闪婚而痛苦，因为女婿或儿媳一点不觉得有义务使父母幸福快乐。{3SG 111.1}[5]
§11
What a contrast to the course now pursued by many children! Instead of showing reverence, and due honor for their parents, by consulting them, and having the advantages of their experienced judgment in choosing for them, they move hastily in the matter, and are controlled by impulse rather than by the judgment of their parents, and the fear of God. It is often the case that they contract marriage without even the knowledge of their parents. And in many instances their lives are imbittered by hasty marriages, because the son-in-law, or the daughter-in-law, feel under no obligation to make their parents happy.?{3SG 111.1}[5]
§12
青年男女在婚姻问题上有时表现出很大的独立性，好像在那个问题上主与他们无关，或他们与主无关似的，以为那纯粹是他们自己的事，上帝和父母无论如何都不该管。他们似乎以为把感情投在谁身上是一件只应请教自己的事。这种人犯了严重的错误，通常只消几年的结婚经验就会教他们明白，这是一个可悲的错误。这就是为何有那么多不幸婚姻的大原因，他们的婚姻中对彼此没有多少真正的、慷慨的爱，彼此也不怎么以高尚的自制忍耐相待。他们在自己家里往往表现得象坏脾气的孩子，而不是高贵亲爱的丈夫和妻子。{3SG 111.2}[6]
§13
Young men and women sometimes manifest great independence upon the subject of marriage, as though the Lord had nothing to do with them, or they with the Lord, in that matter, and that it was purely a matter of their own, which neither God, nor their parents should in any wise control. They seem to think that the bestowal of their affections is a matter in which self alone should be consulted. Such make a serious mistake, and a few years of marriage experience generally teaches them that it is a miserable mistake. This is the?great reason of so many unhappy marriages, in which there is so little true, generous love toward each other, and so little exercise of noble forbearance toward each other. These often behave in their own homes more like pettish children, than the dignified, affectionate husband and wife.?{3SG 111.2}[6]
§14
以撒曾受敬畏上帝的训练，要度顺命的生活。他虽然已经四十岁了，却仍顺从他父亲的那位敬畏上帝而富有经验的仆人为他所作的选择。他相信上帝一定会对他的婚事有所指导。{3SG 112.1}[7]
§15
Isaac had been trained in the fear of God to a life of obedience. And when he was forty years old, he submitted to have his God-fearing, experienced father’s servant choose for him. He believed that God would direct in regard to his obtaining a wife.?{3SG 112.1}[7]
§16
如今十五到二十岁的孩子，通常认为自己有能力自己择偶而无需父母同意。要是提议让他们本着敬畏上帝的心行事，并且以此事为祷告的主题，他们就会惊讶得目瞪口呆！以撒的事例记在经上，乃供以后各代——特别是那些自称敬畏上帝的儿女，作为效法的榜样。{3SG 112.2}[8]
§17
Children now from fifteen to twenty, generally consider themselves competent to make their own choice, without the consent of their parents. And they would look with astonishment, if it should be proposed to them to move in the fear of God and make the matter a subject of prayer! Isaac’s case is left on record, as an example for children to imitate in after generations, especially those who profess to fear God.?{3SG 112.2}[8]
§18
亚伯拉罕在教育以撒，使他喜爱度高尚顺命的生活这件事上所采取的方针，记在经上作为父母们的借镜，理应导使他们吩咐自己的家属效法他们。应当教导自己的儿女服从并尊重他们的权威。他们应感到自己负有责任要指导他们儿女的感情，使之得以父母的判断所认为适合作自己儿女伴侣之人为相爱的对象。一个可悲的事实是，撒但在很大程度上控制着年轻人的感情。而有些父母竟认为感情不应该受到指导或约束。亚伯拉罕所采取的做法对这种人是一种谴责。{3SG 112.3}[9]
§19
The course which Abraham pursued in the education of Isaac, which caused him to love a life of noble obedience, is recorded for the benefit of parents, and should lead them to command their households after them. They should instruct their children to yield to, and respect their authority. And they should feel that a responsibility rests upon them to guide the affections of their children, that they may be placed upon persons whom their judgment?would teach them would be suitable companions for their sons and their daughters. It is a sad fact that Satan controls the affections of the young to a great extent. And some parents feel that the affections should not be guided or restrained. The course pursued by Abraham, is a rebuke to all such.?{3SG 112.3}[9]