(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
Parallel translations
- WEB Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth.
- BSB Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.
- NKJV (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)
- NASB (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth.)
- NLT (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses is described as the humblest man on earth. His meekness, not self-defense, sets up God's vindication of him.
Overview
The narrative notes Moses' extraordinary humility, contrasting his silence with his siblings' pride. Because Moses does not defend himself, God rises to defend him. His meekness foreshadows Christ, the gentle and lowly servant who entrusted himself to the Father who judges justly (Matt. 11:29; 1 Pet. 2:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Matt 11:29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
- Jas 3:13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
- 2 Cor 11:5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
- 2 Cor 12:11I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
- Matt 5:5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
- 1 Th 2:7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
- Matt 21:5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
- 1 Pet 3:4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- Ps 149:4For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
- Num 20:10–12And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
- Num 11:10–15Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
- Ps 147:6The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
- Jas 3:2–3For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
- Ps 106:32–33They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
- 2 Cor 10:1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 12:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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