Numbers 12:13 kjv
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
Numbers 12:13 nkjv
So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!"
Numbers 12:13 niv
So Moses cried out to the LORD, "Please, God, heal her!"
Numbers 12:13 esv
And Moses cried to the LORD, "O God, please heal her ? please."
Numbers 12:13 nlt
So Moses cried out to the LORD, "O God, I beg you, please heal her!"
Numbers 12 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Intercession & Prayer | ||
| Ex 32:11 | But Moses implored the LORD his God... | Moses pleads for Israel after the golden calf |
| Deut 9:18-19 | Then I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days... | Moses intercedes for rebellious Israel |
| Ex 17:11-12 | Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed... | Moses' prayer in battle against Amalek |
| Ps 18:6 | In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. | God answers desperate cries |
| Jas 5:16 | Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. | Effective fervent prayer |
| Rom 8:34 | Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. | Christ as the ultimate Intercessor |
| Heb 7:25 | Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God... | Jesus lives to make intercession |
| 1 Jn 2:1 | My little children, I am writing these things to you... we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. | Jesus as our Advocate |
| Jer 29:7 | Seek the welfare of the city... and pray to the LORD for it... | Pray even for those who oppose you |
| God as Healer & Judgment | ||
| Ex 15:26 | For I am the LORD, your healer. | God's identity as Healer |
| Ps 103:3 | who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, | God heals physically and spiritually |
| Jer 30:17 | For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD... | God promises restoration |
| Mk 1:40-41 | A leper came to him, imploring him... And Jesus, moved with pity... stretched out his hand... "I will; be clean." | Jesus heals leprosy |
| 2 Ki 5:27 | Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you... | Leprosy as judgment (Gehazi's example) |
| 2 Chr 26:19-21 | And immediately leprosy broke out on his forehead... | Leprosy as judgment (King Uzziah's example) |
| Ps 6:2 | Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. | A direct plea for healing from God |
| Humility & Forgiveness | ||
| Num 12:3 | Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all people... | Direct context of Moses' humility |
| Matt 5:44 | But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, | Command to pray for persecutors |
| Col 3:13 | bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other... | Exhortation to mutual forgiveness |
| Prov 25:21 | If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat... | Overcoming evil with good |
| 1 Pet 2:23 | When he was reviled, he did not revile in return... | Christ's example of humble suffering |
| Phil 2:3-4 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. | Call to humility in Christian life |
Numbers 12 verses
Numbers 12 13 Meaning
Numbers 12:13 reveals Moses' immediate and fervent plea to the LORD for the healing of his sister Miriam, who had been struck with leprosy as a divine judgment for her challenging of Moses' authority. Despite being the object of her criticism, Moses, driven by profound humility and compassion, instantly intercedes on her behalf. This brief, powerful prayer demonstrates his unique spiritual character, his unwavering reliance on God's power, and his selfless heart that seeks reconciliation and restoration rather than retribution.
Numbers 12 13 Context
Numbers chapter 12 details the rebellion of Miriam and Aaron against their brother Moses. Their grievances stem from two issues: Moses' Cushite wife and their challenge to his unique prophetic authority, suggesting that God spoke through them just as He spoke through Moses. The LORD's immediate and severe response demonstrates His strong defense of Moses, His chosen and uniquely privileged servant (Num 12:6-8). As a consequence of her direct insubordination and the severity of her words, Miriam is instantly struck with leprosy, turning white as snow. Aaron acknowledges their sin and pleads with Moses. It is in this precise moment, witnessing his sister's affliction, that Moses utters this short, yet incredibly profound, intercessory prayer. The context thus underscores Moses' exceptional humility and intercessory character in the face of direct personal affront and divine judgment.
Numbers 12 13 Word analysis
- So: This word serves as a connecting particle, indicating an immediate consequence or response to the preceding events—Miriam's judgment and Aaron's confession. It shows Moses' swift action.
- Moses: The human author of this book and God's chosen leader. His identity here highlights the extraordinary humility (as noted in Num 12:3) that allows him to pray for those who wronged him, demonstrating genuine leadership.
- cried: From the Hebrew verb צָעַק (tsa'aq). This word implies an urgent, fervent, or even desperate outcry. It is not a casual request but a profound, heartfelt plea that arises from deep compassion or anguish, indicating Moses' personal distress over Miriam's condition.
- to the LORD: Referring to יְהוָה (YHWH), the covenant God, the personal and holy name of God. This indicates that Moses directs his plea to the ultimate sovereign, the one who both afflicted Miriam and possesses the sole power to heal her, emphasizing His omnipotence and personal relationship with His people.
- saying: Introduces the direct, unedited speech of Moses, giving a powerful immediacy to his prayer.
- Heal her now: The verb "Heal" is רָפָא (rapa') in Hebrew, meaning to cure, restore, or make whole. In this context, it is an imperative, not as a command to God, but as a fervent, urgent entreaty. The word "now" (נָא, na') adds immense urgency and immediacy to the request, conveying Moses' desperate desire for Miriam's immediate restoration.
- O God: From the Hebrew אֱלֹהִים (Elohim), a general, majestic term for God, signifying His supreme power and universal dominion. Paired with YHWH (LORD), it reinforces God's sovereignty over creation and all forms of sickness and health.
- I pray!: Also using נָא (na'), similar to "now." This second na' reinforces the desperate and earnest nature of Moses' plea, intensifying the humility and urgency. It could be understood as "Please, I beg of You!" or "I humbly entreat you!" emphasizing Moses' personal, humble, and deeply sincere appeal.
Words-group analysis
- "So Moses cried to the LORD": This phrase vividly depicts Moses' immediate and instinctive turn to God in the face of crisis, prioritizing divine intervention over any personal vindication. It sets the stage for an extraordinary demonstration of faith and compassion.
- "Heal her now, O God, I pray!": This remarkably concise prayer, only five words in the original Hebrew, showcases profound humility, desperate urgency, and absolute trust in God's restorative power. The double emphasis on "now" and "I pray" (both na') powerfully conveys Moses' fervent plea and sincere desire for Miriam's immediate healing.
Numbers 12 13 Bonus section
- The brevity of Moses' prayer (five Hebrew words) is striking; it underscores his profound spiritual connection with the LORD, where few words are needed to convey immense need and trust.
- Moses' action contrasts sharply with common human reactions to personal attacks, demonstrating a leadership defined by grace rather than vindictiveness. His prayer aligns with the principles of forgiveness and love taught later in the Scriptures.
- The nature of "leprosy" (tsara'at) in the Bible often carried implications of divine judgment for sin or impurity, going beyond a mere skin disease. Thus, God's healing was not just physical but also a cleansing of ritual impurity and a restoration from divine rebuke.
- While Moses prayed for immediate healing, God's response (Num 12:14-15) shows that Miriam still had to undergo a period of isolation outside the camp, signifying that even with mercy and forgiveness, consequences for sin may still partially manifest, upholding the righteousness of God's judgment.
Numbers 12 13 Commentary
Numbers 12:13 offers a profound glimpse into Moses' exemplary character and the power of intercessory prayer. Despite being directly challenged and slandered by his siblings, Moses displays an immediate, selfless act of compassion. His prayer is remarkably brief, yet incredibly fervent, concise, and direct, highlighting an intimate relationship with the LORD. The speed of his plea for Miriam's healing, coupled with its urgency, showcases his humility (Num 12:3), his deep empathy for others, and his unwavering faith in God's absolute power to deliver from affliction. This passage ultimately serves as a powerful model of loving one's enemies, forgiving those who trespass against you, and trusting in God's mercy even amidst divine judgment, demonstrating Moses as a prototype of the greater Intercessor, Christ Jesus.