Numbers 12:6

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He said, 'Listen to My words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal Myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם יְהוָ֗ה בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

Wayyōʾmer šimʿū-nāʾ dəḇārāy ʾim-yihyeh nəḇîʾăkem YHWH bammarʾāh ʾēlāyw ʾetwaddāʿ baḥălōm ʾădabbēr-bō

Grammar Details

• *Wayyōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'and he said'
• *šimʿū-nāʾ*: Qal imperative, 2nd person masculine plural + particle of entreaty - 'hear now'
• *dəḇārāy*: masculine plural noun + 1st person singular suffix - 'my words'
• *ʾim-yihyeh*: conditional particle + Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'if there is'
• *nəḇîʾăkem*: masculine singular noun + 2nd person masculine plural suffix - 'your prophet'
• *YHWH*: proper noun - 'the LORD'
• *bammarʾāh*: preposition + definite article + feminine singular noun - 'in the vision'
• *ʾēlāyw*: preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - 'to him'
• *ʾetwaddāʿ*: Hithpael imperfect, 1st person singular - 'I make myself known'
• *baḥălōm*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular noun - 'in the dream'
• *ʾădabbēr-bō*: Piel imperfect, 1st person singular + preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - 'I speak with him'

Word Meanings

• *nāʾ*: now/please/I pray
• *ʾetwaddāʿ*: make myself known/reveal myself
• *bammarʾāh*: in the vision/in the appearance
• *ʾădabbēr*: speak/communicate

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he said, 'Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream.'

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he sayed: heare my wordes. Yf there be a prophet of the Lordes amonge you I will shewe my selfe vnto him in a vision and will speake vnto him in a dreame:

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he sayde: Heare my wordes: Yf eny man be a prophet of the LORDE, vnto him wil I shewe my self in a vision, or wil speake vnto him in a dreame.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And hee saide, Heare nowe my wordes, If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you, I will be knowen to him by a vision, and will speake vnto him by dreame.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he sayde, Heare my wordes: If there be a prophete of the Lordes among you, I wyll be knowen of him in a vision, and wyll speake vnto hym in a dreame.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And He saith, `Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah -- in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said, Now give ear to my words: if there is a prophet among you I will give him knowledge of myself in a vision and will let my words come to him in a dream.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said, "Hear now my words. If there is a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The LORD said,“Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream.

Referenced Verses

• 1 Kgs 3:5 : 5 At Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream during the night, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
• Gen 46:2 : 2 God spoke to Israel in visions during the night, calling, 'Jacob, Jacob!' And he replied, 'Here I am.'
• Gen 31:10-11 : 10 During the mating season of the flock, I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 11 In the dream, the angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' And I replied, 'Here I am.'
• Acts 10:11 : 11 He saw heaven opened, and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
• Luke 1:11 : 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
• Luke 1:22 : 22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple because he kept making signs to them but remained speechless.
• Acts 22:17-18 : 17 After I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance. 18 I saw Him saying to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'
• Gen 15:1 : 1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, and your reward will be very great."
• Job 33:15 : 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber on their beds,
• Ezek 1:1 : 1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
• Dan 7:1 : 1 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions in his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and recorded the main points.
• Dan 8:2 : 2 In the vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. In the vision, I was beside the Ulai canal.
• Dan 10:8 : 8 So I was left alone, staring at this great vision. I had no strength left. My face turned deathly pale, and I could not retain my strength.
• Matt 1:20 : 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'
• Matt 2:12-13 : 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another route. 13 After they departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Get up, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to destroy Him.'
• Matt 2:19 : 19 After the death of Herod, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
• Matt 23:31 : 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
• Matt 23:34 : 34 Therefore, look, I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,
• Matt 23:37 : 37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
• Dan 10:16-17 : 16 Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, 'My lord, because of the vision my pains have overwhelmed me, and I have no strength left.' 17 How can I, your servant, speak with you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.
• Ps 89:19 : 19 Indeed, the LORD is our shield, and the Holy One of Israel is our King.
• Ps 105:15 : 15 'Do not touch My anointed ones, and do not harm My prophets.'
• Jer 23:28 : 28 Let the prophet who has a dream recount his dream, but let the one who has My word speak it faithfully. For what is straw compared to grain? declares the LORD.
• Gen 20:7 : 7 Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.'
• Exod 7:1 : 1 The Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet."
• Eph 4:11 : 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers,
• Rev 11:3 : 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.
• Rev 11:10 : 10 The inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth.
• Luke 20:6 : 6 But if we say, "From men," all the people will stone us, since they are convinced that John was a prophet.'
• Job 4:13 : 13 In disquieting dreams from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men,
• Acts 10:17 : 17 While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked for Simon’s house and stood at the gate.