Numbers 12:3

Numbers 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
• New International Version (NIV)(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Context of Numbers 12:3

1Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); 2and they said, “Is it a fact that the Lord has spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the Lord heard this. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth.) 4And the Lord suddenly said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “You three go out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out. 5Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent; and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward,

Numbers 12:3 word by word

וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣יו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

• Now the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• humbleעָנָו‛ânâv ‛ânâyv · poorH6035
• moreמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• anyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• personאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• was on the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: planetH127

Cross-references for Numbers 12:3

• Psalms 147:6The Lord supports the afflicted; He brings the wicked down to the ground.
• Psalms 149:4For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will glorify the lowly with salvation.
• Matthew 5:5“Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.
• Matthew 11:29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• Matthew 21:5“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
• 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
• 1 Thessalonians 2:7But we proved to be gentle among you. As a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children,
• James 3:13Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
• 1 Peter 3:4but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
• Numbers 11:10Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each one at the entrance of his tent; and the anger of the Lord became very hot, and Moses was displeased.
• Numbers 20:10and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
• Psalms 106:32They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, So that it went badly for Moses on their account.
• 2 Corinthians 11:5For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was in no respect inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.
• James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to rein in the whole body as well.

Commentaries on Numbers 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Now the man Moses was very meek - How could Moses, who certainly was as humble and modest as he was meek, write this encomium upon himself? I think the word is not rightly understood; ענו anav, which we translate meek, comes from ענה anah, to act upon, to humble, depress, afflict, and is translated so in many places in the Old Testament; and in this sense it should be understood here: "Now this man Moses was depressed or afflicted more than any man האדמה…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. 3The humility of Moses stands in sharp contrast to the jealousy of Miriam and Aaron. The text says that Moses was very humble. His character reflected a godly spirit (see also Proverbs 3:34; Matthew 5:5). The statement about the humility of Moses appears as a parenthetical comment (a brief note inserted into the story). It presents the truth from God’s point of view. Some think these words may have been written by Moses. Others believe they may have been…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. the man Moses was very meek--(Ex 14:13; 32:12, 13; Nu 14:13; 21:7; De 9:18). This observation might have been made to account for Moses taking no notice of their angry reproaches and for God's interposing so speedily for the vindication of His servant's cause. The circumstance of Moses recording an eulogium on a distinguishing excellence of his own character is not without a parallel among the sacred writers, when forced to it by the insolence and…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 12:3

• Ambition
• Citizens
• Envy
• Forgiveness
• Judgments
• Leprosy
• Meekness
• Minister, Christian
• Moses
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Aaron
• Dedicate
• Exodus
• Meek
• Meekness
• Agrapha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Dark Sayings
• Genealogy

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