Bilangan 13:18

13:18 and see ¹  what the land is like, ²  and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, few or many,

Bilangan 12:3

12:3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, ³  more so than any man on the face of the earth.)

Bilangan 11:23

11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? ⁴  Now you will see whether my word to you will come true ⁵  or not!”

[13:18]  ¹ tn The form is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; the word therefore carries the volitional mood of the preceding imperatives. It may be either another imperative, or it may be subordinated as a purpose clause.

[13:18]  ² tn Heb “see the land, what it is.”

[12:3]  ³ tc The spelling of the word is a Kethib-Qere reading with only a slight difference between the two.

[12:3]  tn The word עָנָו (’anav) means “humble.” The word may reflect a trustful attitude (as in Pss 25:9, 37:11), but perhaps here the idea of “more tolerant” or “long-suffering.” The point is that Moses is not self-assertive. God singled out Moses and used him in such a way as to show that he was a unique leader. For a suggestion that the word means “miserable,” see C. Rogers, “Moses: Meek or Miserable?” JETS 29 (1986): 257-63.

[12:3]  sn Humility is a quality missing today in many leaders. Far too many are self-promoting, or competitive, or even pompous. The statement in this passage would have been difficult for Moses to write – and indeed, it is not impossible that an editor might have added it. One might think that for someone to claim to be humble is an arrogant act. But the statement is one of fact – he was not self-assertive (until Num 20 when he strikes the rock).

[11:23]  ⁴ sn This anthropomorphic expression concerns the power of God. The “hand of the Lord” is idiomatic for his power, what he is able to do. The question is rhetorical; it is affirming that his hand is not shortened, i.e., that his power is not limited. Moses should have known this, and so this is a rebuke for him at this point. God had provided the manna, among all the other powerful acts they had witnessed. Meat would be no problem. But the lack of faith by the people was infectious.

[11:23]  ⁵ tn Or “will happen” (TEV); KJV “shall come to pass unto thee.”