Numbers 12:9 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּֽחַר אַ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃
BSASo the angerʼaph [burning wrath, fierce indignation] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the covenant God] burnedchârâh▸ [was kindled, ignited]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּֽחַר | and it burned | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אַ֧ף | [the] anger of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| יְהוָ֛ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| בָּ֖ם | on them | Preposition, suffix |
| וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ | and he went | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed. |
| KJV | And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. |
| ASV | And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them; and he departed. |
| YLT | And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on, |
| WEB | Yahweh’s anger burned against them; and he departed. |
| BBE | And burning with wrath against them, the Lord went away. |
Where they part company is וַיִּֽחַר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, indicating the cause and effect of the LORD's anger.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 12:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Judgment on Miriam and Aarongenerated
Numbers 12:9 describes a moment of divine judgment where the LORD expresses His anger towards Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moses. This follows a direct communication from God, emphasizing the seriousness of their actions. The narrative illustrates the consequences of their rebellion against God's chosen servant, highlighting the importance of respect for divine authority.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 11:1 | Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. |
| 2 | Hosea 5:15 | Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיִּֽחַר, vai.Yi.chargenerated
The verb חָרָה (charah) means to burn or be incensed, particularly in the context of anger. It conveys a strong emotional response, indicating that the LORD was not just mildly displeased but was filled with intense wrath.
In this verse, the parsing indicates that it is in the sequential imperfect tense, showing that the anger was actively burning at that moment. This verb choice emphasizes the immediacy and intensity of God's feelings towards Miriam and Aaron's actions.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses burned for the Hebrew word וַיִּֽחַר.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs in the verse are וַיִּֽחַר (and it burned) and וַיֵּלַֽךְ (and he went), which govern the main actions. The structure is straightforward, with the subject being the anger of the LORD and the actions following in sequence.
The word order places emphasis on the anger of the LORD as the driving force of the narrative, leading directly to His departure. This highlights the seriousness of His response to Miriam and Aaron's actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word for anger, אַף (aph), is rendered as θυμοῦ (thymou), which also means anger but carries a connotation of passionate or fierce anger. This choice reflects the intensity of the LORD's feelings.
The verb וַיֵּלַךְ is translated as ἀπῆλθεν (apēlthen), meaning 'departed', indicating a clear and direct action taken by God in response to His anger.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 12:9 shows that the LORD was very angry with Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moses. Because of this anger, He left their presence. This moment emphasizes the seriousness of their actions and the consequences of disrespecting God's chosen leader.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God was intensely angry with Miriam and Aaron for their actions, indicating a strong emotional response that led to His departure.
The LORD departed as a response to His anger, signifying that He could not remain in the presence of those who were disrespectful to His chosen servant, Moses.
This verse teaches that God takes rebellion against His authority seriously and that His anger can lead to significant actions, such as departing from those who disrespect Him.
It illustrates that God's judgment can be immediate and personal, as He responds directly to the actions of individuals, reinforcing the importance of obedience and respect for His chosen leaders.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when I see someone disrespecting authority figures in my life?
- What does this verse teach me about the seriousness of my words and actions towards others?
- In what ways can I ensure that I honor those whom God has placed in leadership over me?
- How can I cultivate a deeper understanding of God's feelings towards disobedience and rebellion?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 12:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the anger of the Lord was kindled against them,.... Which might be visible by some outward token, as by lightning from the cloud, or, however, what follows was sufficient to show it: and he
Read John Gill on Numbers 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 12 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFrom the door of the tabernacle, in token of his great displeasure, not waiting for their answer, and judging them unworthy of any further discourse.
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 12 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.Ver. 9. And he departed.] Yea, woe also to them when I depart from them; then all evils come in as by a sluice. The final absence of God is hell itself.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 12 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleMIRIAM , Numbers 12:9-15. 9. He departed — Phraseology importing that the Lord withdrew all manifestation of his presence when the cloud departed from the tabernacle.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed.
Yahweh’s anger burned against them; and he departed.
So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed.
The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he departed.
Tyndale line
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them; and he departed.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
Thus the Lord was very angrie with them, and departed.
Strictly literal
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he went away;
And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on,
And the anger of YHWH burns against them, and He goes on,
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he went away.
Yahweh's anger burned against them, and then he left them.
From the Latin
And being angry with them he went away:
Simplified
The Lord was angry with them, and he left.
And burning with wrath against them, the Lord went away.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, 'So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed,' which is also reflected in the Samaritan Pentateuch, where it agrees word for word. The Septuagint matches the Masoretic Text in terms of the words used, although it presents them in a different order. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q23 and 4Q27) contain some words that are partially preserved, with several words restored by an editor, but they also align with the overall meaning of the Masoretic Text. Therefore, the primary witnesses, including the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Septuagint, agree on the essence of the verse, while the Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial support with editorial restorations.
וַיִּֽחַר אַ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ויחר אף יהוה בם וילך
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
ויחר [אף] [יהוה] [ב׳ם] [וילך]
1 word on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
ויחר אף [יהוה] [ב׳ם] [וילך]
2 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 12:9
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָרָה (charah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to burn or be kindled, particularly in the context of anger or zeal. It encompasses various forms, including to glow, grow warm, or become incensed. The entries indicate its use in different stems, such as Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be angry), and Hiphil (to kindle). The lexicons do not present significant disagreement.
חָרָה vb. burn, be kindled, of anger
Qal
of man
of God
Niph. be angry with
Hiph. burned with zeal (?) in repairing; and kindled his anger against me
Hithp. heat oneself in vexation.—The foll. forms are somewhat dub.: how canst thou hotly contend (in a race) with the horses?; because thou strivest eagerly (to excel) in cedar
base
H2734 חָרָה burn, be kindled, of anger
2734 charah khaw-raw'
a primitive root (compare 2787); to glow or grow warm;
figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal,
jealousy:--be angry, burn, be displeased, X earnestly, fret
self, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, X very, be
wroth. See 8474.
see HEBREW for 02787
see HEBREW for 08474
חָרָה (cha.rah) — to be incensed.
1) to be hot, furious, burn, becomeangry, be kindled
1a) (Qal) to burn, kindle (anger)
1b) (Niphal) to be angry with, be incensed
1c) (Hiphil) to burn, kindle
1d) (Hithpael) to heat oneself in vexation
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
DirObjM — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3mp
הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.
הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk
Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך
lit.
of persons
Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
in like manner of inanimate things
The inf. abs. is often used
as in other vbs., quite independently
to intensify meaning of finite form
most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.
with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance
twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
quite by itself
13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
In combination with other verbal forms
Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
pass away, die
H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons
. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
. in like manner of inanimate things
. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently
. to intensify meaning of finite form
. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance
. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
. quite by itself
. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
. In combination with other verbal forms
1980 halak haw-lak'
akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety
of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,
apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,
depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,
forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,
out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,
march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),
be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,
still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,
on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,
(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.
see HEBREW for 03212
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.
: went/go[away]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.
: come[nearer]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.
: walk/move
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms