Numbers 27:12 kjv
And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
Numbers 27:12 nkjv
Now the LORD said to Moses: "Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.
Numbers 27:12 niv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites.
Numbers 27:12 esv
The LORD said to Moses, "Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel.
Numbers 27:12 nlt
One day the LORD said to Moses, "Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel.
Numbers 27 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land."... | Covenant Promise: God's original promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 13:14-15 | The LORD said to Abram... "Lift up your eyes and look... For all the land that you see I will give to you..." | Covenant Assurance: God shows Abram the land he and his descendants will inherit. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land..." | Covenant Establishment: Formalizing the land promise with specific boundaries. |
| Ex 3:8 | So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey... | Divine Intent: God's purpose to deliver Israel to the promised land. |
| Deut 3:27 | "Go up to the top of Pisgah and look out to the west, north, south and east. Look at what you can see with your own eyes, for you will not cross the Jordan." | Parallel Account: God reiterates Moses' command to view the land but not enter. |
| Deut 32:48-52 | On the same day the LORD told Moses, "Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo... There you will die on the mountain..." | Command to Die: Direct instruction for Moses' ascent and death, confirming Num 27:12's implication. |
| Deut 34:1-4 | Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. The LORD showed him the whole land... | Fulfillment for Moses: Moses fulfills the command to see the land before his death. |
| Num 20:12 | But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land..." | Reason for Exclusion: Moses' punishment for disobedience at Meribah. |
| Deut 1:37 | Even with me the LORD was angry on your account, and he said, "You also shall not go in there." | Moses' Sin: Another reference to Moses' inability to enter due to his sin. |
| Josh 1:2 | "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, the children of Israel." | Transition of Leadership: Joshua takes over after Moses' death, affirming God's continued plan. |
| Heb 11:13 | All these people died in faith, without having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar... | Faith in Promise: Illustrates the principle of viewing the promise without full possession, relating to Moses. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it... For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. | Spiritual Rest: Connects the earthly land inheritance to the greater spiritual rest offered by God, accessible by faith. |
| Rom 4:13 | For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. | Promise by Faith: Land promise is rooted in God's faithfulness and received by faith, not human merit or works. |
| Gal 3:18 | For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in His grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. | Inheritance and Promise: Reaffirms that the promised inheritance (land) is a gift of God's grace, not earned. |
| Acts 7:5 | But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised that He would give it to him as a possession... | Partial Fulfillment, Future Hope: Stephen's discourse, reminding of the initial state of the land promise. |
| Isa 60:21 | Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever. | Future Land Promise: Prophecy of Israel's ultimate secure possession of the land in the messianic age. |
| Matt 5:5 | Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. | Spiritual Inheritance: Broadens the concept of 'inheriting the land' to a spiritual reality, kingdom of God. |
| Rev 21:1-2 | Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God... | New Creation: Ultimate fulfillment of a promised dwelling place, a heavenly Jerusalem, superseding the earthly land. |
| Eph 1:11 | In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His will... | Spiritual Inheritance: Believers receive an inheritance in Christ, pre-ordained by God's purpose. |
| Phil 3:20 | But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. | Heavenly Citizenship: Points to believers' ultimate hope and inheritance not tied to an earthly plot of land. |
Numbers 27 verses
Numbers 27 12 Meaning
Numbers 27:12 marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, wherein the Eternal God commands Moses to ascend Mount Abarim to view the Promised Land—a land the Almighty declares He has already given to the children of Israel. This command is a somber pronouncement of Moses' impending death and serves as a fulfillment of divine judgment due to his past disobedience, while simultaneously reaffirming God's unwavering covenant fidelity to His chosen people regarding their inheritance. It highlights the divine initiation of the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua, emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty over His plans and promises.
Numbers 27 12 Context
Numbers 27:12 is situated after the second census of Israel (Num 26), which recorded the generation prepared to enter the Promised Land, replacing the wilderness generation that had perished. It also directly follows the groundbreaking ruling regarding the daughters of Zelophehad (Num 27:1-11), who successfully petitioned for inheritance rights in the absence of male heirs, establishing a crucial legal precedent for the distribution of the land. This legal development underscores the immediate context of land distribution and inheritance. The verse itself sets the stage for the transition of leadership from Moses, who had faithfully led Israel for forty years, to Joshua. It is a direct divine communication to Moses, reconfirming the consequence of his disobedience at Meribah (Num 20:12) where he struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it, thus failing to properly honor God as holy before the people. Historically and culturally, the viewing of a land before possession was symbolic of assured promise. For the original audience, it signified the Lord's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant, even as He dispensed just judgment on His servant Moses, affirming His ultimate sovereignty over His word and plans, regardless of human actions. The mention of "the children of Israel" receiving the land contrasts with Moses' personal exclusion, emphasizing the collective fulfillment of the covenant over any individual.
Numbers 27 12 Word analysis
- And the LORD said: Hebrew: `וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה` (vayyo'mer Yahweh). This opening highlights divine initiative and authoritative command. `YHWH` (Yahweh or LORD) signifies God's personal, covenantal name, underscoring His authority and faithfulness to the promises tied to His name. It demonstrates God directly communicating His will.
- unto Moses: Hebrew: `אֶל־מֹשֶׁה` (ʾel-Mosheh). Points to the direct and personal address to Moses, God's chosen leader and servant. Despite the coming judgment, Moses remains the direct recipient of God's word until his last moments.
- Get thee up: Hebrew: `עֲלֵה` (ʿaleh), an imperative verb meaning "go up" or "ascend." It implies a vertical movement, signifying ascent to a high vantage point but also prophetically to his heavenly reward (death). The command is direct and unavoidable.
- into this mount: Hebrew: `הַזֶּה הַהַר` (hahar hazzeh), literally "the mountain, this." The demonstrative "this" implies it was a specific, known mountain, a notable geographical marker, indicating the immediate setting of his final view.
- Abarim: Hebrew: `עֲבָרִים` (ʿAbarim), meaning "regions beyond" or "crossings over." This name is significant; it is a mountain range on the eastern side of the Jordan, facing Canaan. It is a boundary place, symbolic of transition, of reaching the threshold but not entering. It encapsulates Moses' fate—seeing beyond but not crossing over.
- and see: Hebrew: `וּרְאֵה` (u-reʾeh), an imperative verb meaning "and look" or "and perceive." This is a command to observe the land visually, yet it carries spiritual weight—to truly apprehend what God is giving, despite not stepping into it physically. It is a divine gesture that honors Moses, allowing him this final, privileged glimpse of the covenant promise.
- the land: Hebrew: `הָאָרֶץ` (ha'aretz). Refers specifically to the Promised Land, Canaan, which is the physical manifestation of God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's the central focus of the forty years of wandering and the destination of the Exodus.
- which I have given: Hebrew: `אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי` (asher nātattī), perfect tense verb `נָתַתִּי` meaning "I have given." The perfect tense implies a completed action from God's perspective. It signifies that the land is already Israel's by divine decree, irrespective of their future conquest or present position. It's a statement of God's irreversible will and covenant faithfulness.
- unto the children of Israel: Hebrew: `לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל` (li-ḇnê Yiśrāʾēl), "to the sons of Israel." Specifies the beneficiaries of the covenant promise and land—the collective nation, Abraham's descendants. This phrase constantly reinforces the identity and destiny of the people as God's chosen nation.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim,": This phrase encapsulates God's sovereign command and Moses' unique final journey. "Abarim" ("regions beyond") itself becomes a powerful symbol of boundaries—of Moses seeing "beyond" the Jordan to the land he cannot physically enter. It emphasizes God's precise control over the stages of His redemptive plan and over human lifespans and callings.
- "and see the land": This signifies a profound theological paradox. Moses is permitted to see the realization of God's promise to Israel, a land of blessing and rest, but he is barred from personally entering it. It is an act of divine grace to allow him this final vision, a view from faith. It foreshadows the difference between faith that beholds and works that might lead to disqualification.
- "which I have given unto the children of Israel.": This clause emphatically affirms God's covenant fidelity. The use of the past tense ("I have given") underscores the divine certainty and irreversible nature of God's promise. The land is an inheritance, not something Israel earns through conquest. It belongs to them by divine declaration, showcasing God's unconditional faithfulness to His covenant with their forefathers, a promise extending across generations to the entire nation. This divine gift supersedes human merit or failure.
Numbers 27 12 Bonus section
The Abarim range includes Mount Nebo (Deut 34:1), specifically Pisgah (Deut 3:27), which is the exact peak from which Moses later views the land and dies. This detail adds layers of meaning to God's initial command here in Numbers 27:12. The divine "see" is more than a mere visual act; it’s an opportunity for Moses to fully comprehend the magnitude of God’s faithfulness, witnessing the fruition of centuries of promise, even in his own personal exclusion. The context of Moses' sin at Meribah, referenced as the reason for his exclusion (Num 20:12; Deut 32:51), subtly emphasizes the boundaries of divine grace and human accountability within the covenant. Moses’ final ascent thus becomes a powerful prophetic foreshadowing: seeing the promise but not entering physically can be likened to the patriarchs (Heb 11:13) who died in faith without receiving the promises in full. Ultimately, this passage sets the stage for the transition from the law (represented by Moses) to a new form of leadership, pointing forward to the eventual need for a "better Moses," which in Christian theology, points to Christ, who brings true rest and grants access to God's ultimate spiritual promises.
Numbers 27 12 Commentary
Numbers 27:12 is a moment of both solemnity and assurance. For Moses, it is the divine confirmation of his impending end, a consequence of his earlier failure to honor God's holiness. This passage is a stark reminder that even God's most devoted servants face accountability for disobedience. However, the verse also highlights God's unyielding faithfulness to His covenant with Israel. The phrase "which I have given" is crucial; it reiterates that the land is a divinely decreed inheritance, assured long before any conquest. Moses is granted the profound privilege of viewing this land, not as an earned right, but as a grace-filled confirmation of God's unwavering promise. This perspective is poignant, for Moses, through whose leadership God revealed Himself so powerfully, embodies the principle that while divine plans will be fulfilled, individual participation can be affected by personal obedience. This moment further transitions the narrative from wilderness wanderings to imminent possession, laying the groundwork for Joshua's leadership and the future entry into the promised rest. It is a powerful illustration of divine justice intersecting with covenantal grace, demonstrating God's sovereign hand over both individual destiny and national promise.