God’s Word Translation
Numbers 12:2
2They asked, “Did the Lord speak only through Moses? Didn’t he also speak through us?” The Lord heard their complaint.
Numbers 12:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
- New International Version (NIV)“Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.
Context of Numbers 12:2
1Miriam and Aaron began to criticize Moses because he was married to a woman from Sudan. They asked, “Did the Lord speak only through Moses? Didn’t he also speak through us?” The Lord heard their complaint. 3(Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.) 4Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “All three of you come to the tent of meeting.” So all three of them came.
Read all of Numbers 12Numbers 12:2 word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 12:2
- Numbers 16:3They came together to confront Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You’ve gone far enough! Everyone in the whole community is holy, and the Lord is among them. Why do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”
- Exodus 4:30Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also did the miraculous signs for the people,
- Exodus 5:1Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Let my people go into the desert to celebrate a festival in my honor.”
- Exodus 7:10Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a large snake.
- Exodus 15:20Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, dancing with tambourines, followed her.
- Micah 6:4I brought you out of Egypt and freed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
- Numbers 11:29But Moses asked him, “Do you think you need to stand up for me? I wish all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them.”
- Proverbs 13:10Arrogance produces only quarreling, but those who take advice gain wisdom.
- Romans 12:3Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.
- Philippians 2:3Don’t act out of selfish ambition or be conceited. Instead, humbly think of others as being better than yourselves.
- 1 Peter 5:5Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.
- Numbers 11:1The people began complaining out loud to the Lord about their troubles. When the Lord heard them, he became angry, and fire from the Lord began to burn among them. It destroyed some people on the outskirts of the camp.
- Genesis 29:33She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Certainly, the Lord has heard that I’m unloved, and he also has given me this son.” So she named him Simeon [Hearing].
- 2 Samuel 11:27When her mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his home, and she became his wife. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord considered David’s actions evil.
- 2 Kings 19:4The Lord your God may have heard all the words of the field commander. His master, the king of Assyria, sent him to defy the living God. The Lord your God may punish him because of the message that the Lord your God heard. Pray for the few people who are left.”
- Psalms 94:7They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t even pay attention to it.”
Commentaries on Numbers 12:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? - It is certain that both Aaron and Miriam had received a portion of the prophetic spirit, (see Exodus 4:15, and Exodus 15:20;), and therefore they thought they might have a share in the government; for though there was no kind of gain attached to this government, and no honor but such as came from God, yet the love of power is natural to the human mind; and in many instances men will sacrifice even honor…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Challenging the authority of Moses meant rejecting the Lord's choice of him as Israel's leader. the LORD heard this: The same phrase in 11:1 hints at the Lord's response.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not also spoken by us?--The prophetical name and character was bestowed upon Aaron (Ex 4:15, 16) and Miriam (Ex 15:20); and, therefore, they considered the conduct of Moses, in exercising an exclusive authority in this matter, as an encroachment on their rights (Mi 6:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 12:2
In the dictionaries
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
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