DAILY WORD TUESDAY 31ST JANUARY 2017 MORNING
Genesis 33:1-17 New International Version (NIV)
Jacob Meets Esau
1 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.
Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”
6 Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. 7 Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.
8 Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”
“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.
9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.[a]
Footnotes:
- Genesis 33:17 Sukkoth means shelters.
Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau especially when Jacob heard that Esau was coming towards him with 400 men. Jacob had a guilty conscience because he had previously cheated his brother. But God had worked in the hearts of both brothers and brought a change of heart and reconciliation between the brothers.
Ask God to work in your life to bring peace and harmony in places where there was conflict. Ask God to heal broken relationships in your life.
JUMANNE TAREHE 31 JANUARI 2017 ASUBUHI
MWANZO 33:1-17
1 Yakobo akainua macho yake, akaona, na tazama, Esau anakuja na watu mia nne pamoja naye. Akawagawanyia Lea, na Raheli, na wale vijakazi wawili, wana wao.
2 Akawaweka hao vijakazi na wana wao mbele, na Lea na wanawe nyuma yao, na Raheli na Yusufu mwisho.
3 Akapita mwenyewe mbele yao, akainama mpaka nchi mara saba, hata alipomkaribia ndugu yake.
4 Esau akaja mbio kumlaki, akamkumbatia, na kumwangukia shingoni, akambusu; nao wakalia.
5 Akainua macho yake, akawaona wale wanawake na watoto, akauliza, Ni nani hawa walio pamoja nawe? Akasema, Ni watoto Mungu aliompa mtumwa wako kwa neema yake.
6 Ndipo wale vijakazi, na wana wao, wakakaribia wakainama.
7 Lea naye, na wanawe, wakakaribia wakainama. Baadaye Yusufu na Raheli wakakaribia, wakainama.
8 Akasema, Kundi hili lote nililolikuta, maana yake ni nini? Akasema, Kunipatia kibali machoni pa bwana wangu.
9 Esau akasema, Ninayo tele, ndugu yangu, uliyo nayo na yawe yako.
10 Yakobo akasema, Sivyo; kama nimekubalika machoni pako tafadhali upokee zawadi yangu mkononi mwangu, iwapo nimeona uso wako kama kuona uso wa Mungu, ukapendezwa nami.
11 Pokea, tafadhali, mbaraka wangu, ulioletewa, kwa sababu Mungu amenineemesha, na kwa sababu ninavyo hivi vyote Akamshurutisha, naye akapokea.
12 Kisha Esau akamwambia, Twende zetu, tusafiri, nami nitakutangulia.
13 Akamjibu, Bwana wangu anajua ya kuwa watoto ni wachanga, tena kondoo na ng'ombe nilio nao wanyonyesha. Hao wanyama wakiharakishwa siku moja, watakufa wote.
14 Tafadhali bwana wangu na apite mbele ya mtumwa wake; nami nitawaongoza polepole kwa kadiri ya mwendo wa wanyama walio mbele yangu, na kwa kadiri ya mwendo wa watoto, hata nitakapofika kwa bwana wangu huko Seiri.
15 Esau akasema, Nikuachie, basi, baadhi ya watu walio pamoja nami. Akasema, Pana haja gani? Na nione kibali tu machoni pa bwana wangu.
16 Basi Esau akarudi siku ile ile akishika njia yake mpaka Seiri.
17 Yakobo akaendelea mpaka Sukothi. Akajijengea nyumba, akawafanyia makundi yake vibanda. Kwa hiyo jina la mahali pale pakaitwa Sukothi.
Yakobo aliogopa kaka yake Esau hasa wakati alimwona anakuja na watu mia nne. Yakobo aliogopa kwa sababu aliwahi kumtendea vibaya kaka yake Esau. Lakini Mungu alishafanya kazi ya kundoa tatizo hilo. Mungu alibadilisha mioyo ya kaka hawa wawili. Mungu alileta upendo na upatanisho katika hawa ndugu wawili.
Mwombe Mungu alete amani na upatanisho katika maisha yako. Kama una mahusiano yaliyoharibika katika maisha yako mwombe Mungu ayaponye.
