Hesabu 17
1 BWANA akanena na Musa, akasema,
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 “Waambie wana wa Israeli wakuletee fimbo za kutembelea moja kwa kila jamaa, fimbo kumi na mbili. Uandika jina la kila mmoja kwenye hizo fimbo.
“Tell the Israeli people to bring to you twelve walking sticks. They should bring one from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes. You should carve each leader’s name on his stick.
3 Utaandika jina la Haruni kwenye jina la Lawi. Kutakuwa na fimbo moja kwa kila kiongozi kutoka kwenye kabila la mababu zake.
There must be one stick for the leader of each tribe, so you must carve Aaron’s name on the stick for the tribe of Levi.
4 Utaziweka hizo fimbo kwenye hema ya kukutania mbele ya amri za agano, ambapo Mimi hukutana na wewe. Itakuwa hivi,
Put those sticks inside the Sacred Tent, in front of the sacred chest that has in it the tablets on which the Ten Commandments are written. That is the place where I always talk with you.
5 fimbo ya mtu yule ninayemchagua itachipua. Nitazuia watu wa Israeli walalamikao, ambao wanaongea kinyume na wewe.”
Buds will sprout on the stick of the man whom I have chosen [to be the priest]. [When the people see that], they will stop their constantly complaining about you [because they will realize that you are the one whom I have chosen].”
6 Kwa hiyo Musa akawaambia wana wa Israeli. Viongozi wote wa kabila wakampatia fimbo, fimbo moja kutoka kwa kila kiongozi, aliyechaguliwa kutoka kwenye kila kabila ya babu zao, jumla yake fimbo kumi na mbili. Fimbo ya Haruni ilikuwa miongoni mwa fimbo hizo.
So Moses/I told the people what Yahweh had said. Then each of the twelve Israeli leaders, including Aaron, brought his walking stick to Moses/me.
7 Ndipo Musa alipoziweka zile fimbo mbele ya BWANA katika hema ya amri ya agano.
Moses/I placed the sticks inside the Sacred Tent in front of the sacred chest.
8 Siku iliyofuata Musa aliingia kwenye hema ya amri ya agano, na tazama, fimbo ya Haruni kwa ajili ya Kabila la Lawi ilikuwa imetoa machipukizi. Machipukizi yalikuwa hadi kuchanua maua na kuzaa malozi mabivu!
The following morning, when he/I went into the tent, he/I saw that Aaron’s stick, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, it had produced leaves and blossoms, and it had also produced almonds that were ripe!
9 Musa akazitoa fimbo zote kutoka kwa BWANA kwa watu wote wa Israeli, na kila mtu akachukua fimbo yake.
Moses/I brought all the sticks out of the Sacred Tent and showed them to the people. Each of the twelve leaders took back his own stick.
10 BWANA akamwambua Musa, “Iweke fimbo ya Haruni mbele ya amri za agano. Iweke iwe ishara ya hatia mbele ya watu waliopinga ili ukomeshe malalamiko dhidi yangu, vinginevyo watakufa.”
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Put Aaron’s stick in front of the sacred chest, and let it stay there permanently. That will be a warning to people who want to rebel [against me]. Then no more people will die [because of complaining against me].”
11 Musa akafanya kama BWANA alivyoagiza.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh had commanded.
12 Wana wa Israeli wakanena na Musa wakisema, “tutakufa hapa! Wote tutaangamia!
Then the Israeli people said to Moses/me, “We are going to die! All of us are surely going to die!
13 Kila mmoja anayekuja hapa, anayekaribia masikani ya BWANA, atakufa. Je, ni lazima wote tuangamie?”
Everyone who comes close to Yahweh’s Sacred Tent dies. Are the rest of us going to die, also?” [RHQ]
