Could Moses Speak?
Moses was not a natural man of words. In fact, he had a speech impediment. At the very beginning of the Book of Exodus, Moses tries to extricate himself from God’s call by claiming “…but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10). This has often been interpreted to mean that Moses stuttered. However, in his distinctively quiet manner, Moses was a tremendously powerful speaker.
Moses – A Master of Words
In Moses' prayer for the healing of his sister Miriam, he says: אל נא רפא נא לה (el na refa na la) “Oh God, pray heal her” (Numbers 12:13). Now this prayer seems short and rather unexciting. However in Hebrew, Moses pulls a rhetoric trick. Due to his stutter, Moses needs to pause between his words. He chooses to use a powerful word twice: na. This short word means “if you please”. In his genius, Moses manages to insert the word na into his speech to allow his words to flow smoothly and to strengthen his prayer!
Discover the Power of Biblical Hebrew
The same word Moses used with such cleverness is found at the end of the expression uttered by the crowds on Palm Sunday – Hosanna – which means “Save us, if you please!”. If you seek to understand the true power of Moses’ words, you need to savor them in Hebrew. Enroll today in eTeacher’s online Biblical Hebrew course, and learn the power of the biblical word!
