And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

NUMBERS 12:13KJV
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Numbers 12:13 (KJV)

What does Numbers 12:13 mean?

Numbers 12:13 shows Moses urgently praying to the LORD to heal his sister Miriam, who has just been struck with a skin disease. Moses pleads directly and simply, asking God to heal her right away.

In this moment, Moses is speaking to the LORD (the personal name for God, often written as יהוה / YHWH / Yahweh) after Miriam is punished for speaking against Moses. The verse captures Moses’ compassion and his role as an intercessor, showing a short, heartfelt prayer in a crisis. The request is immediate and personal, highlighting Moses’ concern for his sister despite her actions.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 12:13

  • "cried" (צָעַק / tsa'aq): This word means to call out or cry for help, often in distress. It shows that Moses is not making a formal request but is urgently pleading with God.
  • "Heal" (רָפָא / rapha): This verb means to restore to health or cure. Moses is not asking for a gradual recovery but for God’s direct intervention to make Miriam well.
  • "God" (אֵל / El): Here, Moses addresses God with a title that emphasizes God’s power and might, underlining Moses’ belief that only God can heal Miriam in this situation.

Why Numbers 12:13 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that Moses was indifferent to Miriam’s punishment; instead, he responds with compassion and urgency.
  • The verse highlights the simplicity and directness of Moses’ prayer, showing that effective prayer does not require elaborate words.
  • Numbers 12:13 connects to the wider passage by showing Moses’ character as a humble leader who intercedes for others, even those who have wronged him.

Where else these words appear

“cried” Hebrew H6817 · used in 53 verses

  • Genesis 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
  • Joshua 24:7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
  • 2 Kings 8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

“Heal” Hebrew H7495 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
  • 2 Chronicles 16:12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
  • Jeremiah 6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.