Numbers 11:12

Numbers 11:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
• New International Version (NIV)Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers?

Context of Numbers 11:12

10Now Moses heard the people weeping [in self-pity] throughout their families, every man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses regarded their behavior as evil. 11So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have placed the burden of all these people on me? Was it I who conceived all these people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms as a nurse carries the nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, so that we may eat.’ 14I am not able to carry all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:12 word by word

הֶאָנֹכִ֣י הָרִ֗יתִי אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־אָנֹכִ֖י יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֵלַ֜י שָׂאֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשָּׂ֤א הָאֹמֵן֙ אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Have I conceivedהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
• all this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• have I begottenיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• them, that thou shouldest sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto me, Carryנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• them in thy bosomחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
• as a nursing fatherאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
• the sucking childיָנַקyânaq · to suckleH3243
• unto the landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• which thou swarestשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• unto their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1

Cross-references for Numbers 11:12

• Isaiah 40:11He will protect His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom; He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.
• Ezekiel 34:23“Then I will appoint over them one shepherd and he will feed them, [a ruler like] My servant David; he will feed them and be their shepherd.
• John 10:11I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep.
• Isaiah 49:15[The Lord answered] “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
• Galatians 4:19My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labor until Christ is [completely and permanently] formed within you—
• 1 Thessalonians 2:7But we behaved gently when we were among you, like a devoted mother tenderly caring for her own children.
• Genesis 13:15for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever.
• Genesis 22:16and said, “By Myself (on the basis of Who I Am) I have sworn [an oath], declares the Lord, that since you have done this thing and have not withheld [from Me] your son, your only son [of promise],
• Genesis 26:3Live temporarily [as a resident] in this land and I will be with you and will bless and favor you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will establish and carry out the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
• Genesis 50:24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up out of this land to the land which He promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob [to give you].”
• Exodus 13:5And it shall be when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land [of abundance] flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep and observe this rite (service) in this month.

Commentaries on Numbers 11:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-35Verses 4-35 Occurrences at Kibroth-hattavah. Numbers 11:4 The mixt multitude - The word in the original resembles our “riff-raff,” and denotes a mob of people scraped together. It refers here to the multitude of strangers (see Exodus 12:38) who had followed the Israelites from Egypt. Numbers 11:5 The natural dainties of Egypt are set forth in this passage with the fullness and relish which bespeak personal experience. Numbers 11:6-7 There is nothing at…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 10-15 The provocation was very great; yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him. He undervalued the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the Divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the Divine grace. Had the work been much less he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15The Israelites' constant complaining frustrated Moses, leading him to express his own complaints to God. With extreme sarcasm, Moses reminded God that he had not wanted this responsibility (compare Exodus 4:10). Israel became such a burden that Moses wished God would do him the favor of ending his life (compare Job 6:9). Moses' complaint was acceptable, unlike the people's complaints, because he sought the Lord instead of longing for Egypt's pleasures.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1510-15. Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant, &c.--It is impossible not to sympathize with his feelings although the tone and language of his remonstrances to God cannot be justified. He was in a most distressing situation--having a mighty multitude under his care, with no means of satisfying their clamorous demands. Their conduct shows how deeply they had been debased and demoralized by long oppression: while his reveals a…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 11:12

• Moses
• Murmuring
• Prayer
• Presumption
• Trouble

In the dictionaries

• Complain
• Cry
• Exodus
• Fall
• Murmuring
• Sinai
• Talk
• Weep
• Agrapha
• Apocrypha

Commentaries on Numbers 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings