THURSDAY 9TH MARCH 2017 MORNING
Numbers 20:1-13 New International Version (NIV)
Water From the Rock
1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a] where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.
Footnotes:
- Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.
Moses had a hard job in leading the people through the dessert because they kept complaining. Moses became angry at their complaints and acted in a proud way. God was not pleased with Moses and refused to allow Moses to enter the promised land.
Let us pray that God would help us to be humble even under provocation. God can help us to be patient with difficult people.
ALHAMISI TAREHE 9 MACHI 2017 ASUBUHI
HESABU 20:1-13
1 Kisha wana wa Israeli, mkutano wote, wakaingia bara ya Sini, katika mwezi wa kwanza, watu wakakaa Kadeshi; Miriamu akafa huko, akazikwa huko.
2 Na hapo hapakuwa na maji kwa ule mkutano; wakajikusanya juu ya Musa na juu ya Haruni.
3 Watu wakashindana na Musa, wakanena, wakisema, Ingalikuwa heri kama tungalikufa wakati ule ndugu zetu walipokufa mbele za Bwana!
4 Mbona mmewaleta kusanyiko la Bwana hata jangwa hili ili tufe huku, sisi na wanyama wetu?
5 Na mbona mmetupandisha kutoka Misri ili kutuleta hata mahali hapa pabaya? Si mahali pa mbegu, wala tini, wala mizabibu, wala makomamanga; wala hapana maji ya kunywa.
6 Musa na Haruni wakatoka pale palipokuwa mkutano, wakaenda hata mlangoni pa hema ya kukutania, wakaanguka kifudifudi; utukufu wa Bwana ukawatokea.
7 Bwana akasema na Musa, akinena,
8 Twaa ile fimbo, ukawakusanye mkutano, wewe na Haruni ndugu yako, ukauambie mwamba mbele ya macho yao utoe maji yake, nawe utawatokezea maji katika mwamba, na hivyo utawanywesha maji mkutano na wanyama wao.
9 Musa akaitwaa hiyo fimbo kutoka mbele za Bwana kama alivyomwamuru.
10 Musa na Haruni wakawakusanya kusanyiko mbele ya mwamba, akawaambia, Sikieni sasa, enyi waasi; je! Tuwatokezee maji katika mwamba huu?
11 Musa akainua mkono wake akaupiga ule mwamba kwa fimbo yake mara mbili; maji yakatoka mengi, mkutano wakanywa na wanyama wao pia.
12 Bwana akamwambia Musa na Haruni, Kwa kuwa hamkuniamini mimi, ili kunistahi mbele ya macho ya wana wa Israeli, basi kwa sababu hiyo, hamtawaingiza kusanyiko hili katika ile nchi niliyowapa.
13 Maji haya ni maji ya Meriba; kwa sababu wana wa Israeli waliteta na Bwana, naye alijionyesha kuwa mtakatifu kati yao.
Musa alikuwa na kazi ngumu kuongoza Waisraeli kupita jangwani. Waisraeli walilalamika sana. Musa alikasirika kwa sababu ya kulalamika kwao. Musa alionyesha kiburi.
Mungu hakufurahia tendo hili la Musa, na Mungu alimnyima Musa nafasi ya kuingia katika Nchi ya Ahadi.
Tumwombe Mungu atupe kuwa na uvumilivu tukikutana na watu wagumu, na tuwe wanyenyekevu.
