Numbers 12:2
in Numbers 12“Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” they said. “Does He not also speak through us?” And the LORD heard this.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said, Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us? And Jehovah heard it.
KJV
And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
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This verse in Numbers 12
Commentary
8 notes on this verseSo then in the book of Numbers we find Moses taking an Ethiopian wife—that is to say, one who is dark or black. Because of her Mary and Aaron speak ill of him and say with indignation, "Has the Lord spoken to Moses only? Has he not also spoken to us?" Now on careful consideration the narrative here seems to lack coherence. What has their saying "Has the Lord spoken to Moses only? Has he not also spoken to us?" to do with their indignation about the Ethiopian woman?
This site's exposition
Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses
on Numbers 12:1-2
The stated grievance is a marriage and the question in verse 2 is authority, hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses. Who the woman was is disputed, John Gill setting out the reading that Cush stands for Arabia and the wife is Zipporah the Midianite, while Keil and Delitzsch take her as a Cushite distinct from Zipporah. Miriam is named before Aaron and the Hebrew verb behind spake is singular and feminine, which is why Albert Barnes reads her as the mover and points to verse 10, where the stroke falls on her alone. The closing clause, and the Lord heard it, is the clause that opened the complaining at 11:1.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
For, as the quarrel seems to be about his marrying a stranger, it is probable it was a fresh occasion about which they contended. And it was lawful for him as well as any other to marry an Ethiopian or Arabian woman, provided she were, a sincere proselyte.
By us - Are not we prophets as well as he? so Aaron was made, Exod. iv, 15, 16, and so Miriam is called, Exod. xv, 20. And Moses hath debased and mixed the holy seed, which we have not done.
And they said, hath the Lord, indeed spoken only by Moses?....
Note, Striving to be greatest is a sin which easily besets disciples themselves, and it is exceedingly sinful. Even those that are well preferred are seldom pleased if others be better preferred.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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 (Mic 6:4).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? - It is certain that both Aaron and Miriam had received a portion of the prophetic spirit, (see Exo 4:15, and Exo 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, pleasure, and profit to the lust of power.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הֲרַ֤ק | harak | ¿ only | H7535 → | |
| אַךְ־ | ʾakh- | only | H389 → | 161 times |
| בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ | bemosheh | by Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| דִּבֶּ֣ר | diber | has he spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הֲלֹ֖א | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| בָּ֣נוּ | banu | by <the> us | ||
| דִבֵּ֑ר | diber | has he spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע | vaiyishma' | and he heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
הֲרַ֤ק¿ only
harakH7535 →
אַךְ־only
ʾakh-H389 →161 times
בְּמֹשֶׁה֙by Moses
bemoshehH4872 →765 times
דִּבֶּ֣רhas he spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הֲלֹ֖א¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
בָּ֣נוּby <the> us
banu
דִבֵּ֑רhas he spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
וַיִּשְׁמַ֖עand he heard
vaiyishma'H8085 →1159 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 2:14Do everything without complaining or arguing,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:9
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
- 1 Corinthians 10:10
And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.
- James 5:9
Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!
- Ephesians 4:31–32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- 1 Peter 4:9
Through
Numbers 16:3They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then…
it leads to
- Psalms 106:16
In the camp they envied Moses, as well as Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.
- Psalms 106:16
Through
Micah 6:4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam.
it leads to
- Exodus 12:51
And on that very day the LORD brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.
- Deuteronomy 7:8
But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand…
- Exodus 12:51
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 2:1.