What is the meaning of the Hebrew words “temunah” and “adameh” as translated in the KJV, particularly in Numbers 12:8?

Question

I have an assignment on the meaning behind the King James Version translation of Numbers 12:8:

With him [Moses] will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold;

I suspect that Psalm 106:20 and Hosea 12:10 as translated in the King James Version are also relevant with regard to understanding the Hebrew words “temunah” and “adameh”. So far, this is what my research has uncovered:

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia – Similitude: In the King James Version means either "an exact facsimile" (Psalms 106:20 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "likeness"; Romans 5:14, etc.), or else "the form itself" (Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 4:12,15,16 for temunah, "form" (so the Revised Version (British and American))); compare LIKENESS. the English Revised Version has retained the word in 2 Chronicles 4:3; Daniel 10:16 (the American Standard Revised Version "likeness"), while the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version have used "similitudes" in Hosea 12:10 (damah, "be like"). The meaning is "I have inspired the prophets to speak parables."

Similitude (King James Dictionary): A likeness; image; representation: “They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the SIMILITUDE of an ox that eateth grass. They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt” (Psalm 106:19-21).

Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/similitude/

Having compared Numbers 12:8 in the King James Version with the New Living Translation, the NLT appears to infer that Moses actually saw the face of God. The English Standard Version suggests that Moses saw only a likeness of God. Perhaps the specific language of the KJV is key to understanding the theological meaning behind the original Hebrew?

I would like to know what “dark speeches” means, as well as the significance of the English word “similitude” as it applies within the context of Numbers 12:8.

Answer 1

I believe the phrase you are representing as "adameh" is dark speeches. I'm not sure where you are getting this transliteration. In the lexicons I have access to, the Masoretic Text חִידָה is represented as something like chîydâh (Genesius), ḥîdâ (Holiaday and Köhler), and ḥî·ḏā or ḥî·ḏāh, with meanings like "riddle", "enigma", and "perplexing saying". The Jewish Publication Society Tanakh translates the word as riddle; the Judaica Press translation of Rabbi A. J. Rosenberg also translates the word as riddle. The Greek translation of the word in the Septuagint is αἴνιγμα (ainigma; i.e. "enigma").

The rabbinic commentary on the phrase by Rashi (1040-1105) reads:

in a vision but not in riddles: “A vision” refers to the vision of speech, for I express My communication to Him with absolute clarity, and I do not obscure it with riddles in the way it was said to Ezekiel, “Present a riddle” (Ezek. 17:2). I might think that it refers to the vision of the Divine Presence [itself]! Scripture therefore teaches, “You are not able to see My face” (Exod. 33:23). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13]

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The word represented by "temunah" (similitude) is תְּמוּנָה, meaning "form" or "manifestation" (see, e.g., Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semitic Domains: Hebrew). In the King James Version it also translated as likeness (e.g. Exodus 20:4) and image (Job 4:16). It is distinct from the words that appear in Genesis 1:26 - And God said, Let us make man in our image (צֶ֫לֶם - ṣě·lěm), after our likeness (דְּמוּת - demûṯ). According to some of the same lexicons mentioned above it means something like form or manifestation. The JPS Tanakh translates the word as likeness; the Judaica Press translation inserts image. The Septuagint uses the word εἶδος (eidos) - the same word used, for instance, in Luke 3:22:

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him ...

Rashi's commentary here is:

and He beholds the image of the Lord: This refers to a vision of the “back,” as it says,“and you will see My back” (Exod. 33:23). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13]

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Dr. Bernard Levinson, in his commentary on the overall passage to which this verse belongs, writes:

God distinguishes Moses’ prophetic privileges from those accorded any other prophet. Moses can speak to God directly, in live dialogue rather than in dreams or visions.¹

Augustine explained the passage:

It is shown later in the book of Numbers that even what he asked was granted to his desire, for thereby the Lord rebuked the sister of Moses for her obstinacy. The Lord appeared to the other prophets in visions and dreams but to Moses plainly and not by riddles. He added the words And he saw the glory of the Lord. Why then did God make such an exception of him, if not perhaps that he considered him such a ruler of his people, so faithful a minister of his whole house, that he was worthy, even then, of that contemplation, so that, as he desired, he saw God as he is—a contemplation promised to all his sons at the end of life (cf. 1 John 3:2)²

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This is kind of a hodgepodge of information, but perhaps some of it is useful.

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^{1 Oxford Jewish Study Bible (2nd ed.), p. 338
2 Letters, Vol III}

Answer 2

One of the two terms Lesley seems to refer is חידת, 'to ideate, to arrange an enigma, or riddle'. In the passage at issue (Num 12:8) this term is put in an antonymous parallelism with the term מראה, 'to observe with clearness'. So, it couldn't be a trouble about his meaning.

The other term (תמנת) is often translated with 'representation', or alike. All the 'representations' possess, in fact, only a partial match with the 'real' object. An example could be useful. If we need a geographic map of a territory, we use a map that describe it, in a scale plan, that is a partial silhouette of the real region we have to explore. A lot of geographic (real) details are omitted - necessarily - in a scale-plan geographic map.

So, taking this difference (partial [representation] - full [real object]) into an account, it is preferable to define the term תמנת as 'syntetical, or partial description', or alike.

I hope this is useful for your research.

Answer 3

I asked for the biblical reference to the word Temu ok it says in Hebrew that there are two meanings but the Hebrew meaning pronunciation of this word is tummah which is the femmine root meaning innocence the the Holy Spirit brought to me the the fall in the garden and the innocence of Eve. I'm not a biblical scholar or pastor but I hear from the Holy Spirit I'm a spirit filled Christian and this is what was given to me.

Answer 4

In the "Modern Literal Version" of the bible, it is translated as . . .

12:8 With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly and not in dark speeches and he has beheld the form of Jehovah. Why then were you* not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

MLV. (n.d.). MODERN LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE (Nu 12:8).