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

10People in every family were crying at the doors of their tents. And Moses heard them. The Lord became very angry with the people. Moses too was not happy. 11So Moses said to the Lord, ‘I am your servant. But you have given this problem to me! It seems that you are not pleased with me. You have given to me the hard job to be leader of all these people. They are not my children! But you have said to me, “Take care of them like parents take care of their babies. Carry them to the land that I have promised to their ancestors.” 13They are complaining to me. They are saying, “Give us meat that we can eat!” But I cannot get meat to feed all these people! 14I cannot be the leader of all these people unless I receive help. This job is too difficult 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 takes care of his people, like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He picks up the young lambs and he carries them near to his heart. He carefully leads the mother sheep that have lambs.
• Ezekiel 34:23Then I will choose one shepherd to lead them. He is my servant, David. He will take care of them as their shepherd.
• John 10:11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd would die so that he can save his sheep.
• Isaiah 49:15The Lord replies, ‘Can a mother forget the baby who drinks milk at her breast? Can she refuse to be kind to the child that she has given birth to? Perhaps those mothers might forget their children. But I would not ever forget you, Zion.
• Galatians 4:19My children, I feel like a mother who is giving birth to you again. I will continue to feel that kind of pain until you become more completely like Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:7We could have used our authority over you, because we are Christ's apostles. But instead, we chose to be kind to you and to help you. We took care of you, like a mother takes care of her little children.
• Genesis 13:15I will give you all the land that you can see. I will give it to you and your descendants. It will belong to them for ever.
• Genesis 22:16The angel said, ‘This is what the Lord says: I promise that this is what I will do for you. You did not try to keep your son safe, but you offered him to me. And he was your only son.
• Genesis 26:3Stay in this land, and I will be with you. I will bless you. I will give these lands to you and your descendants. I made a strong promise to your father Abraham. I will make that promise become true.
• Genesis 50:24Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I will soon die. But God will come to you and he will help you. He will take you out of Egypt. He will take you back to the land that he promised to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’
• Exodus 13:5The Lord will bring you to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. God promised your ancestors that he would give that land to you. The land will give you plenty of good food and drink, enough for everyone. When the Lord brings you into that place, you must eat the Passover meal to worship God in this month every year.

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