Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, so that You should tell me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries an infant,' to the land that You swore to give their fathers? Did I conceive all these people?Moses speaks under the crushing weight of Israel’s complaints in the wilderness. He had led them from Egypt at God’s command, but he had not created them or assumed ultimate responsibility for their every need. Israel belonged to the Lord, who had redeemed them from slavery and formed them into a covenant people. Deu 32:6 Is this how you repay the LORD, O foolish and senseless…
Mal 2:10 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us?…
Exo 4:22-23 Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says:…
Did I give them birth, Moses employs the imagery of a parent to show that Israel’s dependence had exceeded his human strength. Their repeated unbelief, demands, and grief had made leadership feel like the care of helpless children. God alone had brought forth the nation through His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deu 32:18 You ignored the Rock who brought you forth;…
Isa 66:9 Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth…
Isa 66:7-8 Before she was in labor, she gave birth;…
so that You should tell me, Moses brings his anguish directly before God rather than abandoning his calling or turning against the people. His honesty reveals the closeness of his relationship with the Lord. Scripture records other servants of God who confessed their weakness before Him, including Jeremiah, Gideon, Elijah, and Paul. Deu 1:9-12 At that time I said to you, “I cannot carry the burden…
Exo 18:18 Surely you and these people will wear yourselves out…
Num 27:17 who will go out and come in before them,…
‘Carry them in your bosom, God had called Moses to lead Israel with the protective devotion of one who holds a vulnerable child close. Moses could not bear such responsibility alone, yet he was to reflect God’s patient care toward a people who continually tested Him. The Lord Himself is the Shepherd who gathers His lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. Isa 40:11 He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs…
Deu 1:31 and in the wilderness, where the LORD your God carried you…
Isa 46:4 Even to your old age, I will be the same,…
as a nurse carries an infant,’ Israel required constant provision, guidance, correction, and reassurance as they traveled from Sinai toward Canaan. Moses recognized that no merely human leader could sustain such a burden without God’s help. The Lord answered by appointing seventy elders to share Moses’ responsibility, showing that God supplies strength and help for the work He commands. Isa 66:12 For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her…
Isa 49:23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens…
1Th 2:7 On the contrary, we were gentle among you…
to the land that You swore to give their fathers? The destination remained secure because God had sworn to give Canaan to the descendants of Abraham. Israel’s rebellion delayed the entrance of that generation, but it did not cancel the Lord’s covenant promise. God later brought their children into the land under Joshua, demonstrating that His faithfulness does not depend on human adequacy. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess…
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give…
Gen 26:3 Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you…
Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. In this verse, Moses is expressing his frustration and feeling of inadequacy in bearing the burden of leading the Israelites. 2. The IsraelitesThe people of God, who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and are now journeying through the wilderness to the Promised Land. They are often depicted as grumbling and complaining, which adds to Moses' burden. 3. The WildernessThe setting for this event, representing a place of testing and reliance on God. It is a physical and spiritual journey for the Israelites. 4. The Promised LandThe land God swore to give to the forefathers of the Israelites. It symbolizes God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises. 5. GodThe sovereign Lord who called Moses to lead His people. He is the one who provides guidance, strength, and sustenance for the journey. Teaching Points The Burden of LeadershipLeadership often comes with heavy burdens and responsibilities. Like Moses, leaders may feel overwhelmed and inadequate. It is important to seek God's guidance and strength in these times. Dependence on GodMoses' cry to God reflects a deep dependence on divine help. Believers are encouraged to rely on God for strength and wisdom, especially when facing overwhelming tasks. Shared ResponsibilityJust as Moses needed to share the burden of leadership, we are reminded of the importance of community and delegation. In the body of Christ, we are called to support one another. God's FaithfulnessDespite the challenges, God remains faithful to His promises. The journey to the Promised Land is a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His people. Prayer and Honest Communication with GodMoses' honest prayer shows that we can bring our frustrations and concerns to God. He invites us to communicate openly with Him, trusting in His understanding and provision. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Moses' expression of frustration in Numbers 11:12 reflect the challenges of leadership, and what can we learn from his response? 2. In what ways can we apply the principle of shared responsibility in our own communities or churches, as seen in Moses' leadership? 3. How does the concept of God's faithfulness in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land encourage us in our personal journeys of faith? 4. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by a task or responsibility. How can Moses' example guide you in seeking God's help and relying on His strength? 5. How do the additional scriptures (Exodus 18, Deuteronomy 1, Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Peter 5:7) enhance our understanding of God's provision and care for those who are burdened? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 18Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, advises him to delegate responsibilities, highlighting the burden of leadership and the need for support. Deuteronomy 1Moses recounts the burden of leadership and the appointment of leaders to help him, emphasizing the need for shared responsibility. Matthew 11:28-30Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest, offering a parallel to Moses' need for divine assistance. 1 Peter 5:7Encourages believers to cast their anxieties on God, reflecting Moses' need to rely on God's strength rather than his own. People Eldad, Israelites, Joshua, Medad, Moses, NunPlaces Egypt, Hazeroth, Kibroth-hattaavah, Paran, TaberahTopics Arms, Beareth, Begotten, Birth, Bosom, Breast, Bring, Carries, Carrieth, Carry, Child, Conceive, Conceived, Fathers, Forefathers, Forth, Ground, Hast, Infant, Nurse, Nursing, Nursing-father, Oath, Promised, Sayest, Shouldest, Shouldst, Sucking, Suckling, Swarest, Swear, Swore, Sworest, SwornDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 11:12 1215 God, feminine descriptions
5126 arm
5428 nurse
5655 birth
7258 promised land, early history
8205 childlikeness Numbers 11:4-34 4438 eating Numbers 11:10-12 4207 land, divine gift Numbers 11:10-15 8726 doubters Numbers 11:10-17 8614 prayer, answers Numbers 11:11-15 5265 complaints Library April 12. "They were as it Were, Complainers" (Num. xi. 1).
"They were as it were, complainers" (Num. xi. 1). There is a very remarkable phrase in the book of Numbers, in the account of the murmuring of the children of Israel in the wilderness. It reads like this: "When the people, as it were, murmured." Like most marginal readings it is better than the text, and a great world of suggestive truth lies back of that little sentence. In the distance we may see many a vivid picture rise before our imagination of people who do not dare to sin openly and unequivocally, …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Deaf Stammerer Healed and Four Thousand Fed.
^A Matt. XV. 30-39; ^B Mark VII. 32-VIII. 9. ^b 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech [The man had evidently learned to speak before he lost his hearing. Some think that defective hearing had caused the impediment in his speech, but verse 35 suggests that he was tongue-tied]; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue [He separated …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Baptist's Testimony.
"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. …
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I Third Sunday after Epiphany
Text: Romans 12, 16-21. 16 Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. 19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. 20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II False Ambition Versus Childlikeness.
(Capernaum, Autumn, a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XVIII. 1-14; ^B Mark IX. 33-50; ^C Luke IX. 46-50. ^c 46 And there arose a reasoning among them, which of them was the greatest. ^b 33 And he came to Capernaum: ^c 47 But when Jesus saw the reasoning of their heart, ^b and when he was in the house [probably Simon Peter's house] he asked them, What were ye reasoning on the way? 34 But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another on the way, who was the greatest. [The Lord with his disciples was …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
"The Holy Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified."--John vii. 39. We have come to the most difficult part in the discussion of the work of the Holy Spirit, viz., the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the tenth day after the ascension. In the treatment of this subject it is not our aim to create a new interest in the celebration of Pentecost. We consider this almost impossible. Man's nature is too unspiritual for this. But we shall reverently endeavor to give a clearer insight …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Third Sunday Before Lent
Text: First Corinthians 9, 24-27; 10, 1-5. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II Eastern Wise-Men, or Magi, visit Jesus, the New-Born King.
(Jerusalem and Bethlehem, b.c. 4.) ^A Matt. II. 1-12. ^a 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem [It lies five miles south by west of Jerusalem, a little to the east of the road to Hebron. It occupies part of the summit and sides of a narrow limestone ridge which shoots out eastward from the central chains of the Judæan mountains, and breaks down abruptly into deep valleys on the north, south, and east. Its old name, Ephrath, meant "the fruitful." Bethlehem means "house of bread." Its modern …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Messiah's Easy Yoke
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. T hough the influence of education and example, may dispose us to acknowledge the Gospel to be a revelation from God; it can only be rightly understood, or duly prized, by those persons who feel themselves in the circumstances of distress, which it is designed to relieve. No Israelite would think of fleeing to a city of refuge (Joshua 20:2. …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 Of Immediate Revelation.
Of Immediate Revelation. [29] Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed; who as, by the moving of his own Spirit, he disposed the chaos of this world into that wonderful order in which it was in the beginning, and created man a living soul, to rule and govern it, so by …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 22-37; ^B Mark III. 19-30; ^C Luke XI. 14-23. ^b 19 And he cometh into a house. [Whose house is not stated.] 20 And the multitude cometh together again [as on a previous occasion--Mark ii. 1], so that they could not so much as eat bread. [They could not sit down to a regular meal. A wonderful picture of the intense importunity of people and the corresponding eagerness of Jesus, who was as willing to do as they were to have done.] 21 And when his friends heard it, they went …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 11:12 NIVNumbers 11:12 NLTNumbers 11:12 ESVNumbers 11:12 NASBNumbers 11:12 KJV
Numbers 11:12 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
