Numbers 11:12

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Complete Jewish Bible:

Did I conceive this people? Was I their father, so that you tell me, 'Carry them in your arms, like a nurse carrying a baby, to the land you swore to their ancestors?'

Berean Standard Bible:

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, so that You should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries an infant,’ to the land that You swore to give their fathers?

American Standard Version:

Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Have I conceived^{H2029} all this people^{H5971}? have I begotten^{H3205} them, that thou shouldest say^{H559} unto me, Carry^{H5375} them in thy bosom^{H2436}, as a nursing father^{H539} beareth^{H5375} the sucking child^{H3243}, unto the land^{H127} which thou swarest^{H7650} unto their fathers^{H1}?

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Numbers 11:12

1. **Themes:**
- **Leadership Burden:** The verse reflects the immense burden of leadership that Moses feels, emphasizing the weight of caring for a large and demanding community.
- **Divine Support:** It highlights the expectation that God will provide support and guidance to His chosen leader, Moses, in fulfilling the daunting task of leading the Israelites.
- **Parental Imagery:** The verse uses the metaphor of a nursing father to convey the nurturing and protective role that Moses is expected to play towards the Israelites.
- **Fulfillment of Promise:** The verse alludes to the promise made to the Israelites' ancestors about entering the Promised Land, indicating a covenantal obligation that Moses is tasked with helping to fulfill.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **Exodus and Wandering:** Numbers 11:12 is set during the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The book of Numbers recounts the census of the people, various laws, and the events that occur during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
- **Complaints of the People:** Prior to this verse, the Israelites have been complaining about their hardships, which adds to Moses' sense of being overwhelmed.
- **Moses' Plea:** Moses' statement is a response to the people's complaints and reflects his frustration with the immense responsibility of leading a people who are challenging to manage.
- **God's Response:** This moment leads to God's instruction to Moses to select elders to share the leadership burden, and it also precedes the incident where God provides quail to satisfy the people's desire for meat.

In summary, Numbers 11:12 captures the strain of leadership that Moses experiences, the parental care he is divinely expected to provide, and the historical context of the Israelites' journey towards the fulfillment of God's promise, all while dealing with the people's recurrent dissatisfaction.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H2029
   There are 42 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הָרָה
   Transliteration: hârâh
   Pronunciation: haw-raw'
   Description: a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive (literally or figuratively); been, be with child, conceive, progenitor.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5971
   There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַם
   Transliteration: ʻam
   Pronunciation: am
   Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3205
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַד
   Transliteration: yâlad
   Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
   Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
   
4. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
5. Strong's Number: H5375
   There are 611 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָשָׂא
   Transliteration: nâsâʼ
   Pronunciation: naw-saw'
   Description: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield.
   
6. Strong's Number: H2436
   There are 34 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֵיק
   Transliteration: chêyq
   Pronunciation: khake
   Description: or חֵק; and חוֹק; from an unused root, apparently meaning to inclose; the bosom (literally or figuratively); bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.
   
7. Strong's Number: H539
   There are 176 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַן
   Transliteration: ʼâman
   Pronunciation: aw-man'
   Description: a primitive root; (Isaiah 30:21; interchangeable with אָמַן, to go to the right hand); properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, [phrase] fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.
   
8. Strong's Number: H3243
   There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָנַק
   Transliteration: yânaq
   Pronunciation: yaw-nak'
   Description: a primitive root; to suck; causatively, to give milk; milch, nurse(-ing mother), (give, make to) suck(-ing child, -ling).
   
9. Strong's Number: H127
   There are 372 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֲדָמָה
   Transliteration: ʼădâmâh
   Pronunciation: ad-aw-maw'
   Description: from אָדַם; soil (from its general redness); country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land.
   
10. Strong's Number: H7650
    There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁבַע
    Transliteration: shâbaʻ
    Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
    Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
    
11. Strong's Number: H1
    There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָב
    Transliteration: ʼâb
    Pronunciation: awb
    Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.