I brought this verse up because my Old Testament professor mentioned it. He loved to bring up parts of Scripture that were confusing and had the potential to challenge our idea that it was a perfect text, verses that contradicted other verses or that contradicted whole ideas about the Bible.
He gave us an explanation that I love, and that I wish more people knew. This verse is so often used by people to assert that we must be more humble as Christians. In actuality, it likely means that Moses was greatly oppressed. You find that he writes this after he's been under a great deal of stress. in Chapter 11, the people were complaining so much that Moses asked God to kill him because he couldn't take the pressure and stress and frustration (there are other words to describe this, but I can't seem to think of good ones. If you read Numbers 11:11-15 you'll get the gist of it.). In the subsequent verses, God set up a system of leadership beneath Moses to support him (70 elders, to be exact). Then, in the very next chapter, Moses was getting grief from Miriam and Aaron about his African wife.
An archaic meaning of the word 'humble' was 'oppressed.' I can't find this definition in any of my regular dictionaries, so you'll have to trust that I remember it correctly. ;) I will leave room for the possibility that the Hebrew word could mean either 'humble' or 'oppressed,' and that the translators simply chose the wrong meaning.
Given what Moses was going through, and some of the other parts of Scripture in which he cries out to God with frustration and despair, I feel that this best explains the verse. It could be argued that the Spirit told him to write this, but... speaking from my own experience, if Moses reall was humble (and he did seem that he was), it would have been possible that he would have not written it. I'm not sure exactly how the transmission went, if God dictated every single word or just gave him ideas or concepts to write down. That's another aspect of Scripture that's up for debate, or at least consideration. God definitely transmitted the Word to Moses, but we don't know how he did all of it.
Your analysis of Moses' tendency to take credit for things that weren't his doing is definitely an interesting one. I hadn't heard of those instances, but I definitely remember his mistake at Kadesh (Numbers 20). This was the 'snafu' that prevented him from going into the Promised Land... when he took credit for God's bringing forth water from a rock, and disobeyed God's orders. This instance (and the ones that you mentioned) lead me to a conclusion: Moses, especially in his angriest moments, didn't seem to be exceptionally humble. This could mean one of two things regarding Numbers 12:3... either he did write that he was 'humble' in the current sense of the word, or that he wrote about being oppressed and miserable as the leader of a grumbling nation.
Of course, we have his response to God at the burning bush... when he continually spoke of his inadequacy for the task that God was calling him to. Does this mean that Moses was really humble? Does this fit with his behavior when he's angry or frustrated? Or was he just unwilling to trust God at the burning bush, until God gave him several signs and concessions?
Most of the final questions are rhetorical... you don't have to answer them. ;) But what a great way to worship God, to consider His words and search for the right interpretation. Happy Sunday.
I would say, based on the Lord's responses to him, that at the bush Moses was just being chicken and didn't have enough faith. It might, since later on in the narrative we know he's very emotional, lacks self control, and doesn't like dealing with the people.
I can't say I blame him, but he still is the same guy, even though all that time with the Lord had to have a powerful affect on him.
If you're interested in verses that seem to conradict, read Samuel's discourse about God being a God that doesn't change his mind, then read the part where Abraham bargains with God and changes his mind about the terms and conditions regarding the desctruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
I agree with you that we need to examine for ourselves, but at the same token there's a very interesting discussion going on in christianity about the authority of genesis, and this argument is one being used by them.
My OT professor touched on those Samuel verses. I've got to look at my notes again. Somehow he made it all make sense. I think it had something to do with the fact that they were on different planes... like, Samuel was talking about the unchangable aspects of God's character, like His love and mercy and justice. So, in that context, Abraham's bargaining with God was a different type of change, and it did not conflict with His characteristics.
Besides, if God's mind was really unchangable, our prayer would be kind of pointless, wouldn't it? At least, the kind of prayers where we ask Him to intercede or work in our lives.
I'll consider reformatting this for christianity. I'd like to have their input. Maybe I need to stop by the church and prop open some Hebrew / English dictionaries. I get the feeling that they're not used regularly by the rest of the congregation.
I brought this verse up because my Old Testament professor mentioned it. He loved to bring up parts of Scripture that were confusing and had the potential to challenge our idea that it was a perfect text, verses that contradicted other verses or that contradicted whole ideas about the Bible.
He gave us an explanation that I love, and that I wish more people knew. This verse is so often used by people to assert that we must be more humble as Christians. In actuality, it likely means that Moses was greatly oppressed. You find that he writes this after he's been under a great deal of stress. in Chapter 11, the people were complaining so much that Moses asked God to kill him because he couldn't take the pressure and stress and frustration (there are other words to describe this, but I can't seem to think of good ones. If you read Numbers 11:11-15 you'll get the gist of it.). In the subsequent verses, God set up a system of leadership beneath Moses to support him (70 elders, to be exact). Then, in the very next chapter, Moses was getting grief from Miriam and Aaron about his African wife.
An archaic meaning of the word 'humble' was 'oppressed.' I can't find this definition in any of my regular dictionaries, so you'll have to trust that I remember it correctly. ;) I will leave room for the possibility that the Hebrew word could mean either 'humble' or 'oppressed,' and that the translators simply chose the wrong meaning.
Given what Moses was going through, and some of the other parts of Scripture in which he cries out to God with frustration and despair, I feel that this best explains the verse. It could be argued that the Spirit told him to write this, but... speaking from my own experience, if Moses reall was humble (and he did seem that he was), it would have been possible that he would have not written it. I'm not sure exactly how the transmission went, if God dictated every single word or just gave him ideas or concepts to write down. That's another aspect of Scripture that's up for debate, or at least consideration. God definitely transmitted the Word to Moses, but we don't know how he did all of it.
Your analysis of Moses' tendency to take credit for things that weren't his doing is definitely an interesting one. I hadn't heard of those instances, but I definitely remember his mistake at Kadesh (Numbers 20). This was the 'snafu' that prevented him from going into the Promised Land... when he took credit for God's bringing forth water from a rock, and disobeyed God's orders. This instance (and the ones that you mentioned) lead me to a conclusion: Moses, especially in his angriest moments, didn't seem to be exceptionally humble. This could mean one of two things regarding Numbers 12:3... either he did write that he was 'humble' in the current sense of the word, or that he wrote about being oppressed and miserable as the leader of a grumbling nation.
Of course, we have his response to God at the burning bush... when he continually spoke of his inadequacy for the task that God was calling him to. Does this mean that Moses was really humble? Does this fit with his behavior when he's angry or frustrated? Or was he just unwilling to trust God at the burning bush, until God gave him several signs and concessions?
Most of the final questions are rhetorical... you don't have to answer them. ;) But what a great way to worship God, to consider His words and search for the right interpretation. Happy Sunday.
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It might, since later on in the narrative we know he's very emotional, lacks self control, and doesn't like dealing with the people.
I can't say I blame him, but he still is the same guy, even though all that time with the Lord had to have a powerful affect on him.
If you're interested in verses that seem to conradict, read Samuel's discourse about God being a God that doesn't change his mind, then read the part where Abraham bargains with God and changes his mind about the terms and conditions regarding the desctruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Happy Sunday to you also, friend. :)
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But, now it's become my quest to find that proof. I want to make sure I wasn't being taken for a ride by this "professor" of "theology." ;)
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I agree with you that we need to examine for ourselves, but at the same token there's a very interesting discussion going on in christianity about the authority of genesis, and this argument is one being used by them.
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Besides, if God's mind was really unchangable, our prayer would be kind of pointless, wouldn't it? At least, the kind of prayers where we ask Him to intercede or work in our lives.
I'll consider reformatting this for christianity. I'd like to have their input. Maybe I need to stop by the church and prop open some Hebrew / English dictionaries. I get the feeling that they're not used regularly by the rest of the congregation.
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Ha, good point. As for the books, you might be right.
Characteristics sounds right. You should post it, I'd be interested in reading it.
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