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Numbers 12

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Miriam and Aaron Challenge Moses 1–3

1
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. ​
2
And they said, Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us? And Jehovah heard it. ​
3
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth. ​

The Lord Defends Moses' Authority 4–9

4
And Jehovah spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting. And they three came out.
5
And Jehovah came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.
6
And he said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. ​
7
My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house:
8
with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? ​
9
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them; and he departed.

Miriam is Judged and Healed 10–16

10
And the cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. ​
11
And Aaron said unto Moses, Oh, my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned.
12
Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
13
And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, Heal her, O God, I beseech thee. ​
14
And Jehovah said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. ​
15
And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. ​
16
And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Numbers 12

Verse 1

the Ethiopian woman — The Hebrew Kushith, a woman of Cush, is found only in this verse, where it stands twice. The verse does not name her. Zipporah was a daughter of the priest of Midian (Ex 2:16, 21). Miriam is named before Aaron, and she is 'Miriam the prophetess' (Ex 15:20). The complaint about the marriage opens a larger one (v.2).

Verse 2

Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? — Miriam was a prophetess (Ex 15:20), and Micah 6:4 names her with Moses and Aaron among those the LORD 'sent before' Israel. Their question rests on a real gift, but it is aimed at Moses' place. 'And the LORD heard it' echoes 11:1, where he also 'heard' the people's complaint.

Verse 3

very meek — Anav, lowly or humble, the word of Ps 37:11, 'the meek shall inherit the earth', which Christ repeats in Matt 5:5. Moses is said to be meek 'above all the men which were upon the face of the earth', and no answer from him is recorded: the LORD himself speaks 'suddenly' (v.4).

Verse 6

in a vision… in a dream — The ordinary ways of the LORD's word to a prophet: to Abram 'in a vision' (Gen 15:1), to Jacob in a dream (Gen 28:12). 'Vision' is mar'ah, something seen. 'Make myself known' is yada. The verse sets the common rule that the next two verses place Moses above.

Verse 8

mouth to mouth — The LORD speaks with Moses 'face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend' (Ex 33:11); Deut 34:10 says no prophet has since arisen 'like unto Moses'. 'Dark speeches' is chidoth, riddles, the word of Samson's riddle (Judg 14:12). 'Similitude' is temunah, the form Israel 'saw no' of when the LORD spoke from the fire (Deut 4:12).

Verse 10

white as snow — Leprosy (tsara'at) shown as white as snow is the sign in Moses' own hand (Ex 4:6) and later on Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27). The cloud leaves the tabernacle as the LORD 'departed' (v.9). Only Miriam is stricken. Deut 24:9 holds her case up for Israel: 'Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way.'

Verse 13

Heal her now, O God — Rapha, to heal, the verb of Ex 15:26, 'I am the LORD that healeth thee'. Aaron had asked Moses to act (v.11), and Moses 'cried unto the LORD', as in 11:2, where 'Moses prayed unto the LORD' and the fire was quenched. The one just called meek (v.3) prays for those who spoke against him.

Verse 14

spit in her face — Yaraq, to spit, is found only here and in Deut 25:9. A father's spitting would mean seven days of shame, and the LORD sets seven days outside the camp. 'Shut out' is the verb sagar, used of the seven days the priest 'shut up' a person with a spot in Lev 13:4. The leper lives 'without the camp' (Lev 13:46).

Verse 15

the people journeyed not — The march waits until Miriam is 'brought in again', literally gathered, the verb asaph of 11:16, 'Gather unto me seventy men'. The people then 'removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran' (v.16). The seven days are those the LORD named in v.14.