The Meaning of Numbers 17:12 Explained

Numbers 17:12

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

YLT: And the sons of Israel speak unto Moses, saying, 'Lo, we have expired; we have perished; we have all of us perished;

Darby: And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Lo, we expire, we perish, we all perish.

ASV: And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Numbers 17:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 17:1-13 - The Budding Of Aaron's Rod
The controversy about the priesthood needed authoritative settlement, and to remove all grounds of dissension a notable sign was wrought on Aaron's rod. "The man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud." This is an eternal principle. There is an indissoluble connection between God's choice and our fruitfulness. "I have chosen you and ordained you," said our Lord, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit."
In the Epistle to the Hebrews we learn that Aaron's budding rod symbolized our Lord's unwithering priesthood. See Hebrews 7:24. He seemed as a root out of the dry ground; but in the grave the rod of Jesse began to bud and blossom and bear fruit. We may seem to be mere bare rods, but if we become united to Christ by a living faith we shall partake of His strength and beauty. "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." "From me is thy fruit found," Hosea 14:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 17

1  Aaron's rod, among all the rods of the tribes, only flourishes
10  It is left for a monument against the rebels

What do the individual words in Numbers 17:12 mean?

So spoke the sons of Israel to Moses surely saying behold we die we perish all we perish
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֥ן גָּוַ֛עְנוּ אָבַ֖דְנוּ כֻּלָּ֥נוּ אָבָֽדְנוּ

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙  So  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  surely  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֵ֥ן  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
גָּוַ֛עְנוּ  we  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: גָּוַע  
Sense: to expire, die, perish, give up the ghost, yield up the ghost, be dead, be ready to die.
אָבַ֖דְנוּ  we  perish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
אָבָֽדְנוּ  we  perish 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.