(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on 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.
- KJV (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face 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.)
- 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 from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
- Jas 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- 2 Cor 11:5For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.
- 2 Cor 12:11I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.
- Matt 5:5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
- 1 Th 2:7But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
- Matt 21:5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
- 1 Pet 3:4but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.
- Ps 149:4For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation.
- Num 20:10–12Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?”
- Num 11:10–15Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and Yahweh’s anger burned greatly; and Moses was displeased.
- Ps 147:6Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
- Jas 3:2–3For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
- Ps 106:32–33They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
- 2 Cor 10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly 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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