New Living Translation
Numbers 12:2
2They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them.
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
1While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them. 3(Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.) 4So immediately the Lord called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle, all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle.
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 united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?”
- Exodus 4:30Aaron told them everything the Lord had told Moses, and Moses performed the miraculous signs as they watched.
- Exodus 5:1After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.”
- Exodus 7:10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent!
- Exodus 15:20Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced.
- Micah 6:4For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
- Numbers 11:29But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!”
- Proverbs 13:10Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
- Romans 12:3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
- Philippians 2:3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
- 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
- Numbers 11:1Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp.
- Genesis 29:33She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”
- 2 Samuel 11:27When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
- 2 Kings 19:4But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian chief of staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!”
- Psalms 94:7“The Lord isn’t looking,” they say, “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
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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