Numbers 17 · Verse 12

Numbers 17:12

And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
Numbers 17:12, King James Version

Numbers 17:12 in other translations

BSBThen the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost!
WEBThe children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!
ASVAnd the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone.
YLTAnd the sons of Israel speak unto Moses, saying, ‘Lo, we have expired; we have perished; we have all of us perished;
DARBYAnd the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Lo, we expire, we perish, we all perish.
BBEAnd the children of Israel said to Moses, Truly, destruction has come on us; an evil fate has overtaken us all.
WebsterAnd the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

What does Numbers 17:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 17:12-13
12-13. Behold, we die, we perish--an exclamation of fear, both from the remembrance of former judgments, and the apprehension of future relapses into murmuring.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish - גוענו gavaenu signifies not so much to die simply, as to feel an extreme difficulty of breathing, which, producing suffocation, ends at last in death. See the folly and extravagance of this sinful people. At first, every person might come near to God, for all, they thought, were sufficiently holy, and every way qualified to minister in holy things. Now, no one, in their apprehension, can come near to the tabernacle without being consumed, Num 17:13. In both cases they were wrong; some there were who might approach, others there were who might not. God had put the difference. His decision should have been final with them; but sinners are ever running into extremes.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 17:8-13

While all the other rods remained as they were. Aaron's rod became a living branch. In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others fruit, at the same time; all this was miraculous. Thus Aaron was manifested to be under the special blessing of Heaven. Fruitfulness is the best evidence of a Divine call; and the plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off them, will flourish. This rod was preserved…

Read the full comment on Numbers 17:8-13 →

Numbers 17:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙vai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מֹשֶׁ֖הmo.ShehMosesH4872
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הֵ֥ןhenhere!H2005
גָּוַ֛עְנוּga.Va'.nuwe will dieH1478
אָבַ֖דְנוּ'a.Vad.nuwe will perishH6
כֻּלָּ֥נוּku.La.nuall of usH3605
אָבָֽדְנוּ\׃'a.Vad.nuwe will perishH6

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 17:12

  • Numbers 26:11

    Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.

  • Proverbs 19:3

    The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.

  • Psalms 90:7

    For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

  • Hebrews 12:5

    And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

  • Isaiah 6:5

    Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

  • Isaiah 57:16

    For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Behold.
26:11; Ps 90:7; Pr 19:3; Isa 57:16; Heb 12:5
we die.{Gawanoo,} "we expire:" it signifies not so much to die simply, as to feel an extreme difficulty in breathing, which producing suffocation, ends at last in death. See the folly and extravagance of this sinful people, in thus rebelling against the authority of those whom Jehovah had appointed to be their rulers.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 17:11

    And Moses did so: as the Lord commanded him, so did he.

  • Numbers 17:12

    And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

  • Numbers 17:13

    Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

Read all of Numbers 17

Numbers 17:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces los hijos de Israel hablaron á Moisés, diciendo: He aquí nosotros somos muertos, perdidos somos, todos nosotros somos perdidos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Aaron le prit, comme Moïse lui avait dit, et il courut au milieu de la congrégation; et voici, la plaie avait commencé au milieu du peuple. Et il mit l’encens, et fit propitiation pour le peuple.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Kinder Israel sprachen zu Mose und sagten: Siehe, wir vergehen, wir kommen um, wir alle kommen um!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixerunt autem filii Israël ad Moysen: Ecce consumpti sumus, omnes perivimus.