New International Version
Numbers 12:8
8With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
Numbers 12:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
- English Standard Version (ESV)With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?”
Context of Numbers 12:8
6he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. 7But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. 10When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,
Read all of Numbers 12Numbers 12:8 word by word
פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמֹשֶֽׁה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- With him will I speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- even apparentlyמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
- and not in dark speechesחִידָהchîydâh · riddleH2420
- and the similitudeתְּמוּנָהtemûnâh temûnâh · likenessH8544
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall he beholdנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
- wherefore then were ye not afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- against my servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
Cross-references for Numbers 12:8
- Numbers 14:14And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, Lord, are with these people and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
- Exodus 33:11The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
- Deuteronomy 34:10Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
- 1 Timothy 6:16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
- Psalms 49:4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
- Ezekiel 17:2“Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.
- Ezekiel 20:49Then I said, “Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?’ ”
- Matthew 13:34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
- John 15:15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
- Exodus 24:10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.
- Exodus 33:19And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
- Exodus 34:5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 4:15You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,
- Isaiah 40:18With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?
- Isaiah 46:5“With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
Commentaries on Numbers 12:8
- 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. 6-8The Lord trusted Moses, leading to a close relationship. God communicated with prophets through visions and dreams, but he spoke to Moses face to face (literally mouth to mouth; see Exodus 33:8–11, 18–23; Deuteronomy 34:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. with him will I speak mouth to mouth--immediately, not by an interpreter, nor by visionary symbols presented to his fancy. apparently--plainly and surely. not in dark speeches--parables or similitudes. the similitude of the Lord shall he behold--not the face or essence of God, who is invisible (Ex 33:20; Col 1:15; Joh 1:18); but some unmistakable evidence of His glorious presence (Ex 33:2; 34:5). The latter clause should have been conjoined with the…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 12:8
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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