Numbers 11:12

Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Cross-reference

Isaiah 40:11 depicts God carrying lambs in his arms, directly answering Moses' question in Numbers 11:12 about who can carry them.

In Isaiah 49:15, God uses the same nursing mother metaphor to promise unfailing compassion, contrasting Moses' despair.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul explicitly likens his gentle care to a nursing mother—a direct parallel to Moses' metaphor.

Deuteronomy 1:31 describes God carrying Israel like a father — the same imagery Moses uses for his own burden.

Hosea 11:3 Parallel

Hosea 11:3 depicts God teaching Israel to walk and taking them by the arms — the parental care Moses laments having to provide.

Ezekiel 34:23 promises a future shepherd to tend God's flock, contrasting with Moses' inability to carry the people here.

John 10:11 Contrast

In John 10:11, the good shepherd who lays down his life parallels the caring role Moses feels unable to fulfill.

In Galatians 4:19, Paul's childbirth anguish for his converts mirrors Moses' burden of carrying Israel.

In Isaiah 49:23, kings and queens become foster fathers and nursing mothers—an extension of the caring image to Israel's restoration.