Contemplative Bible Reading

Some thoughts about Bible verses

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Wandering for 40 Years

March 18th, 2012 · No Comments

Deuteronomy 1:1-3 (New Living Translation)

1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. They were camped in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other.

2 Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir. 3 But forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the LORD had commanded him to say

Focus on the first words of verse 2:

Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea

However, this trip took 40 years. I cannot imagine the emotional toll that this took on the people. An 11-day trip required 40years. Try to let that sink in. Being a modern or post-modern or whatever person, time is important and accomplishing things efficiently is more important.

But an 11-day trip required 40 years. I keep typing that phrase over and over. How did they endure that?

Tags: Deuteronomy · Old Testament

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