Numbers 12:1

Numbers 12:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
• New International Version (NIV)Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

Context of Numbers 12:1

Moses had married a woman who was a descendant of Cush. Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he had married that woman. 2They said, ‘We do not believe that the Lord has really spoken only by Moses. We believe that he has spoken by us too.’ The Lord heard what they said. 3Moses was a very humble man. He was the most humble person in the whole world.

Numbers 12:1 word by word

וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Miriamמִרְיָםmiryâm · MiriamH4813
• and Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• against Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• because ofאוֹדָה'ôdôth 'ôdôth · causeH182
• the Ethiopianכּוּשִׁיתkûshîyth · CushitessH3571
• womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• whom he had marriedלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947

Cross-references for Numbers 12:1

• Matthew 10:36A man's own family will fight against him.
• Matthew 12:48Jesus replied, ‘I will tell you who my mother and my brothers really are.’
• John 7:5Even his own brothers did not believe in him.
• John 15:20Remember what I told you: “No servant is more important than his master is.” If they have caused trouble for me, they will also cause trouble for you. But if they have obeyed my message, they will also obey your message.
• Galatians 4:16But now I seem to have become your enemy! Is that because I am telling you God's true message?
• Exodus 2:16There was a priest in Midian who had seven daughters. Those seven young women came to get water out of the well. They used the water to fill the places where the animals drink. Then their father's sheep and goats could drink there.
• Genesis 24:3You must make a serious promise to me in front of the Lord. He is the God who rules both heaven and earth. I am living among the Canaanite people, but you must promise this to me: Do not get a Canaanite woman to be a wife for my son.
• Genesis 26:34When Esau was 40 years old, he got married. He married Judith. She was the daughter of Beer the Hittite. He also married Basemath. She was the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
• Genesis 27:46Then Rebekah said to Isaac, ‘I do not like living in the same place as Esau's wives. It makes me very upset, because they are Hittites. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women who live in this land, I will be very sad. I would rather die!’
• Genesis 28:6Esau heard that Isaac had blessed Jacob and then sent him away to Paddan Aram. Isaac had told Jacob to find a woman from Paddan Aram that he would marry. Isaac had said to Jacob, ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman.’
• Genesis 34:14They said, ‘We cannot give our sister to a man who has not been circumcised. We would be ashamed to do this.
• Genesis 41:45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah. He also gave Asenath to Joseph to be his wife. She was the daughter of Potiphera, who was a priest in Heliopolis. Everyone knew that Joseph had authority in all the land of Egypt.
• Exodus 34:16Perhaps you may choose some of their daughters for your sons to marry. Their daughters will continue to worship their gods. Then they will teach your sons to turn away from me and worship their gods.
• Leviticus 21:14The woman must not have had a husband who died. She must not have a husband that she has left. Men must not have paid to have sex with her. She must be a woman from Israel's people,

Commentaries on Numbers 12:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses - It appears that jealousy of the power and influence of Moses was the real cause of their complaint though his having married an Ethiopian woman-הכשית האשה haishshah haccushith - That Woman, the Cushite, probably meaning Zipporah, who was an Arab born in the land of Midian - was the ostensible cause.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-15Verses 1-15 Miriam, as a prophetess (compare Exodus 15:20-21) no less than as the sister of Moses and Aaron, took the first rank among the women of Israel; and Aaron may be regarded as the ecclesiastical head of the whole nation. But instead of being grateful for these high dignities they challenged the special vocation of Moses and the exclusive authority which God had assigned to him. Miriam was the instigator, from the fact that her name stands…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1God rebukes the murmuring of Aaron and Miriam. (1-9) Miriam struck with leprosy, and healed at the prayer of Moses. (10-16) Verses 1-9 The patience of Moses was tried in his own family, as well as by the people. The pretence was, that he had married a foreign wife; but probably their pride was hurt, and their envy stirred up, by his superior authority. Opposition from our near relations, and from religious friends, is most painful. But this is to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Most interpreters believe the Cushite woman is Zipporah, the wife of Moses. She was from Midian (Exodus 2:16–22). They see Cush as referring to Cushan, a region and people near Midian (Habakkuk 3:7). Other interpreters think Cushite refers to Kusi in northern Arabia, Ethiopia, or Sudan. This would suggest she was a different wife. In either case, it is possible that Miriam and Aaron disapproved of his having married a non-Israelite or that they were…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91. an Ethiopian woman--Hebrew, "a Cushite woman"--Arabia was usually called in Scripture the land of Cush, its inhabitants being descendants of that son of Ham (see on Ex 2:15) and being accounted generally a vile and contemptible race (see on Am 9:7). The occasion of this seditious outbreak on the part of Miriam and Aaron against Moses was the great change made in the government by the adoption of the seventy rulers [Nu 11:16]. Their irritating…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 12:1

• Aaron
• Citizens
• Envy
• Ethiopia
• Forgiveness
• Judgments
• Leprosy
• Minister, Christian
• Miscegenation
• Treason
• Zipporah

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Miriam
• Moses
• Ethiopian
• Ethiopia, Ethiopian
• Ethiopian woman
• Cushite
• Dedicate
• Exodus
• Hazeroth

Commentaries on Numbers 12

• 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