King James Version

Numbers 12:8

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

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Hebrew

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פֶּ֣הpehedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “edge”, the ordinary formH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).פֶּ֞הpehedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “edge”, the ordinary formH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…אֲדַבֶּרadaberspeakדָבַרverb, piel, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “speak”, an unfinished actionH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.בּ֗וֹbvoinבּ֗וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in”inוּמַרְאֶה֙umarehand visionמַרְאֶהconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and vision”, the ordinary formH4758a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision[idiom] apparently, appearance(-reth), [idiom] as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to look (up) on (to), look(-eth), pattern, to see, seem, sight, visage, vision.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…בְחִידֹ֔תvechidotin dark sayingחִידָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “in dark saying”, the ordinary formH2420a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maximdark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, proverb, riddle.וּתְמֻנַ֥תutemunatand imageתְּמוּנָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “and image”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8544something portioned (i.e. fashioned) out, as ashape, i.e. (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor)image, likeness, similitude.יְהוָ֖הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).יַבִּ֑יטyabitlookנָבַטverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “look”, an unfinished actionH5027to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care(cause to) behold, consider, look (down), regard, have respect, see.וּמַדּ֨וּעַ֙umaduaand whyמַדּוּעַconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and why”H4069what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?how, wherefore, why.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יְרֵאתֶ֔םyeretemfearיָרֵאverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “fear”, a completed actionH3372to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frightenaffright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).לְדַבֵּ֖רledaberto speakדָבַרpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “to speak”, the to-form of the verbH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.בְּעַבְדִּ֥יbeavdiin servantעֶבֶדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.בְמֹשֶֽׁהvemoshehin Mosesמֹשֶׁהpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

Young’s Literal Translation

mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and [by] an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant — against Moses?'

World English Bible

With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

Darby Translation

Mouth to mouth do I speak to him openly, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah doth he behold. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

Douay-Rheims

For I speak to him mouth to mouth: and plainly, and not by riddles and figures doth he see the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak ill of my servant Moses?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I will speak to him mouth to mouth apparently, and not in dark speeches; and he has seen the glory of the Lord; and why were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Στόμα κατὰ στόμα λαλήσω αὐτῶ, ἐν εἴδει, καὶ οὐ διʼ αἰνιγμάτων, καὶ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου εἶδε· καὶ διατί οὐκ ἐφοβήθητε καταλαλῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου Μωυσῆ;