Numbers 12:8

NETBible

With him I will speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles; and he will see the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

NIV ©

With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"

NASB ©

With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?"

NLT ©

I speak to him face to face, directly and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is. Should you not be afraid to criticize him?"

MSG ©

I speak to him intimately, in person, in plain talk without riddles: He ponders the very form of GOD. So why did you show no reverence or respect in speaking against my servant, against Moses?

BBE ©

With him I will have talk mouth to mouth, openly and not in dark sayings; and with his eyes he will see the form of the Lord: why then had you no fear of saying evil against my servant Moses?

NRSV ©

With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles; and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"

NKJV ©

I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?"


KJV
With him will I speak
<01696> (8762)
mouth
<06310>
to mouth
<06310>_,
even apparently
<04758>_,
and not in dark speeches
<02420>_;
and the similitude
<08544>
of the LORD
<03068>
shall he behold
<05027> (8686)_:
wherefore then were ye not afraid
<03372> (8804)
to speak
<01696> (8763)
against my servant
<05650>
Moses
<04872>_?
NASB ©

With him I speak
<1696>
mouth
<6310>
to mouth
<6310>
, Even openly
<4758>
, and not in dark
<2420>
sayings
<2420>
, And he beholds
<5027>
the form
<8544>
of the LORD
<3068>
. Why
<4069>
then were you not afraid
<3372>
To speak
<1696>
against My servant
<5650>
, against Moses
<4872>
?"
LXXM
stoma
<4750> 
N-ASN
kata
<2596> 
PREP
stoma
<4750> 
N-ASN
lalhsw
<2980> 
V-FAI-1S
autw
<846> 
D-DSM
en
<1722> 
PREP
eidei
<1491> 
N-DSN
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
ou
<3364> 
ADV
di
<1223> 
PREP
ainigmatwn
<135> 
N-GPN
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
thn
<3588> 
T-ASF
doxan
<1391> 
N-ASF
kuriou
<2962> 
N-GSM
eiden
<3708> 
V-AAI-3S
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
dia
<1223> 
PREP
ti
<5100> 
I-ASN
ouk
<3364> 
ADV
efobhyhte
<5399> 
V-API-2P
katalalhsai
<2635> 
V-AAN
kata
<2596> 
PREP
tou
<3588> 
T-GSM
yerapontov
<2324> 
N-GSM
mou
<1473> 
P-GS
mwush {N-GSM}
NET [draft] ITL
With
<0413>
him I will speak
<01696>
face
<06310>
to face
<06310>
, openly
<04758>
, and not
<03808>
in riddles
<02420>
; and he will see
<05027>
the form
<08544>
of the Lord
<03068>
. Why
<04069>
then were you not
<03808>
afraid
<03372>
to speak
<01696>
against my servant
<05650>
Moses
<04872>
?”
HEBREW
hsmb
<04872>
ydbeb
<05650>
rbdl
<01696>
Mtary
<03372>
al
<03808>
ewdmw
<04069>
jyby
<05027>
hwhy
<03068>
tnmtw
<08544>
tdyxb
<02420>
alw
<03808>
harmw
<04758>
wb
<0>
rbda
<01696>
hp
<06310>
la
<0413>
hp (12:8)
<06310>

NETBible

With him I will speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles; and he will see the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

NET Notes

tn The emphasis of the line is clear enough – it begins literally “mouth to mouth” I will speak with him. In human communication this would mean equality of rank, but Moses is certainly not equal in rank with the Lord. And yet God is here stating that Moses has an immediacy and directness with communication with God. It goes beyond the idea of friendship, almost to that of a king’s confidant.

tn The word מַרְאֶה (mareh) refers to what is seen, a vision, an appearance. Here it would have the idea of that which is clearly visible, open, obvious.

tn The word “form” (תְּמוּנָה, tÿmunah) means “shape, image, form.” The Greek text took it metaphorically and rendered it “the glory of the Lord.” This line expresses even more the uniqueness of Moses. The elders saw God on one special occasion (Exod 24:10), and the people never (Deut 4:12, 15), but Moses has direct and familiar contact with God.