With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
I speak with him face to face, clearly and directly, not in riddles or mysterious ways. He even sees my form. So why weren't you afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
God is defending Moses by explaining that He speaks with Moses more directly and intimately than with anyone else, making criticism of Moses essentially criticism of God himself.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from God's rebuke to Miriam and Aaron, Moses' siblings, who had criticized Moses' leadership and claimed they could speak for God just as well as he could. God is explaining that Moses has a unique, privileged relationship with Him that sets him apart from other prophets. This happened during Israel's wilderness journey when tensions were rising about Moses' authority.
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