Numbers 11 12

Numbers 11:12 kjv

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?

Numbers 11:12 nkjv

Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,' to the land which You swore to their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 niv

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?

Numbers 11:12 esv

Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,' to the land that you swore to give their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 nlt

Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors?

Numbers 11 verses

Numbers 11 12 Meaning

Numbers 11:12 expresses Moses' profound anguish and despair to God, stemming from the Israelites' constant complaining and ungratefulness. He questions his responsibility for the multitude, metaphorically asking if he conceived or gave birth to them like a parent, suggesting that the immense burden of carrying and nurturing them to the promised land—as a nurse carries a suckling infant—is not naturally his. Moses essentially challenges God, asserting that the people are God's offspring, not his, and thus the responsibility for their well-being and safe passage to the covenant land should ultimately rest with the Divine, not with him, a mere human leader. This plea highlights Moses' feeling of being overwhelmed and abandoned in his immense task.

Numbers 11 12 Context

Numbers chapter 11 opens with the Israelites complaining, first vaguely, and then more specifically about their monotonous diet of manna. They recall with longing the varied foods they had in Egypt (fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic), despite having been slaves there. Their craving for meat, fueled by foreign rabble among them, turned into a loud wailing that ignited the Lord's anger. Moses, bearing the weight of this unceasing murmuring and God's displeasure, is completely overwhelmed. He has led this difficult people for over a year through the wilderness, witnessing their repeated rebellion and God's judgments. Verse 12 is a raw expression of his profound burnout and inability to continue managing the entire nation's burdens on his own. He sees himself as inadequate for a task that feels akin to birthing and nursing a massive, ungrateful baby, directly linking his complaint to the divine promise of a homeland, which now seems an impossibly distant goal due to the people's obstinacy. Historically, this occurs early in their journey after Sinai, revealing the deep-seated spiritual issues within the generation rescued from Egypt, who are constantly yearning for their past bondage rather than embracing their divinely appointed future.

Numbers 11 12 Word analysis

• Did I conceive: (Hebrew: הֲרִיתִי - hariti, from the root הָרָה - harah, meaning to be pregnant, conceive).
  • Significance: Moses is using intensely maternal language. He's asking if he bore the genetic or spiritual origin of this nation. It implies a source of responsibility that he feels is purely divine, not human. This word points to the foundational act of bringing life into being.
• all this people: (Hebrew: כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה - kol-ha'am hazzeh).
  • Significance: Emphasizes the immense size and collective nature of the burden. It's not a few individuals, but an entire vast population with their constant demands and unspiritual attitudes.
• Did I give them birth: (Hebrew: יְלִדְתִּיו - yelidtiv, from the root יָלַד - yalad, meaning to bear, give birth, beget).
  • Significance: Reinforces the maternal imagery begun with "conceive." Moses is disclaiming the role of their natural parent, suggesting that the ultimate "parent" who brought them forth should bear the primary responsibility for their upbringing and sustenance. This is a challenge to God, implying the people are God's children.
• that you should say to me, ‘Carry them’: (Hebrew: כִּי־תֹאמַר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ - ki tomár eláy sa'ehu, where שָׂאֵהוּ from the root נָשָׂא - nasa, meaning to lift, carry, bear, endure).
  • Significance: "Carry" indicates a physical and emotional burden, implying a prolonged, heavy, and exhausting task. Moses feels he's been given an unbearable load that properly belongs to their progenitor.
• in your bosom: (Hebrew: בְּחֵיקֶךָ - b'ḥeqeka, from ḥêq, meaning lap, bosom, chest, pouch).
  • Significance: This term implies an intimate, nurturing, and protective carrying, typically done by a parent. It speaks to the emotional closeness and responsibility. Moses protests against this intimate, perpetual dependence being placed upon him. It is a tender image made bitter by the ungratefulness of the people.
• as a nurse carries: (Hebrew: כָּאֹמֵן - ka'omen, from אֹמֵן - omen, meaning one who fosters, guardian, tutor, often in a parental or supervisory role; though here, with the following phrase, it leans towards a 'wet nurse' type of care, which would usually be אֹמֶנֶת - omenet, feminine. The use of the masculine here might broaden it to a foster-father or guardian. However, the context with "nursing child" ensures the meaning of tender care-taking).
  • Significance: This specific imagery underscores the intense, daily, and demanding nature of the care. It's not just "carry," but a continuous, watchful nurture required by a vulnerable, dependent infant. It suggests total reliance on the caregiver.
• a nursing child: (Hebrew: אֶת־הַיּוֹנֵק - et-hayyônēq, from יָנַק - yanaq, meaning to suckle, nurse).
  • Significance: A suckling infant is completely helpless, dependent, and constantly demands attention and nourishment. This amplifies Moses' frustration; he views the Israelites as emotionally and spiritually immature, needing constant feeding and demanding satisfaction. This phrase completes the analogy of burdensome parental care.
• to the land that you swore to their fathers: (Hebrew: אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָיו - el-ha'aretz asher nishba'tā la'avotav).
  • Significance: Moses anchors his protest in God's covenantal promise to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). He points out that the goal—the Promised Land—is a divine commitment, implying that God, who initiated the covenant and destined them for this land, should be the ultimate bearer of responsibility for their journey, especially since their unfaithfulness hinders that very journey. It highlights the divine nature of the entire enterprise and Moses' role as merely an agent, not the originator.

Words-group analysis:

• "Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth": This rhetorical question employs a powerful maternal metaphor. Moses is asserting that the Israelites are God's progeny, not his. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a child belonged primarily to its father (God here). For Moses to feel expected to "carry" them like a biological parent or nurse highlights the unnaturalness and enormity of the burden from his perspective. It is a challenge to God's providence, disguised as a plea. This imagery contrasts Moses' human limitation with God's ultimate creative and nurturing power, which is the source of Israel's existence.
• "that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing child'": This vivid simile captures the intensity of Moses' despair. The image of a nurse (or foster-father) carrying a vulnerable, dependent infant in their bosom denotes constant, intimate, and physically exhausting care. The people's demands are ceaseless, and Moses feels drained. The "nursing child" underscores their immaturity, lack of self-sufficiency, and persistent neediness, reflecting Israel's spiritual state in the wilderness. Moses sees them not as a mature nation ready for conquest, but as infantile.
• "to the land that you swore to their fathers": This phrase ties Moses' personal burden to the divine covenant. The ultimate destination and its promise belong to God. By emphasizing that God "swore to their fathers," Moses implies that God, who made the original promise, is responsible for fulfilling it and seeing the people safely there. It underlines the weight of God's purpose being jeopardized by the people's disobedience and Moses' overwhelming sense of personal responsibility for something that is, at its root, a divine enterprise. It serves as an implicit accusation against God for burdening him with a divine responsibility without providing the corresponding divine capacity.

Numbers 11 12 Bonus section

This verse offers a poignant insight into the immense pressure of spiritual leadership and the potential for burnout even in those closest to God. Moses' question is less an actual doubt about who conceived Israel, and more a rhetorical plea for divine empathy and intervention. It sets the stage for God's provision in the subsequent verses through the institution of the seventy elders, demonstrating that while the core burden remains with God and His appointed leader, He also enables human delegation and shared responsibility. The lament serves as a human mirror reflecting the very burden God Himself continually bears for His stubborn people throughout biblical history. It subtly reminds us that while we serve, God is the ultimate sustainer and carer for His children.

Numbers 11 12 Commentary

Numbers 11:12 is Moses' heart-cry, a moment of raw, unvarnished despair reflecting the crushing weight of leadership. He metaphorically disclaims parenthood over Israel, asserting that their constant demands for physical satisfaction and their grumbling have pushed him beyond human endurance. The maternal imagery of "conceiving," "giving birth," and "nursing" a massive people underscores the intimate, perpetual, and exhausting nature of his caretaking role, a role he believes is naturally God's. Moses, as a leader, has poured his life into the people, only to be met with ingratitude and rebellion, making the journey to the Promised Land seem an impossible task. This lament highlights the limits of human strength, even for a divinely appointed leader, emphasizing the need for God's enabling power when facing seemingly insurmountable burdens. It also reveals God's patient yet firm dealings with His servant.