Numbers 12

       Verse 1: It’s unclear from the text if the Ethiopian woman mentioned in this verse is Zipporah. The Ethiopians are descendants of Cush, the son of Ham, and they had settled south of Egypt in what is today known as Ethiopia. (Refer to the 1st map below.)  Habakkuk 3:7 suggests that the peoples of Midian and Cush are one and the same, and the region that is Ethiopia today is not that great a distance from the west side of the Sinai peninsula where the Midianites lived at the time that Moses fled Egypt to escape his death sentence from Pharaoh. (Refer to the 2nd map below.) However, the wording of this verse suggests that Miriam’s and Aaron’s complaint, though it isn’t the true source of their discontent, is against a recent action by Moses. The logical conclusion here is that Moses either took a second wife in addition to Zipporah, or he remarried after Zipporah’s death.

          Verse 2: This is the real reason for Miriam’s discontent and rebellion against God and Moses. As noted earlier in Exodus 15:20-21, Miriam is a prophetess, meaning that she assisted Moses in ministering to the people’s spiritual needs. Yet she is not one upon whom God poured out His spirit as described in the previous chapter. Therefore, it’s probable that Miriam is jealous of the seventy elders, and this is the true reason she publicly criticizes Moses and his leadership of the nation. It’s also very possible that the reason Aaron joins in her rebellion is because he, too, was not one of the elders who received the spirit of the Lord.
            This issue of jealousy has always plagued the people of God. Satan uses this in churches today to sow discord and discontent among the congregation regarding spiritual gifts and talents. Too often, we focus on what others have or are doing in the church that we are envious of, and we fall into the trap of jealousy and gossip that, if not properly dealt with, leads to strife and division within the body of Christ. This was the very issue plaguing the church in Corinth. (1 Corinthians 12) Here in Numbers, God Himself descends to speak directly with Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to address this sin.
 
           Verse 3: This verse is often used by critics as proof that Moses could not have written the Pentateuch. They claim that the author would not have been so egotistical as to insert such a comment in this passage about himself. However, it’s perfectly logical to conclude that God could have divinely inspired Moses to make this comment, or Moses could very well have inserted it himself as a defense of himself for the official record against the accusations of his siblings. Not only that, his claim here is borne out in all the writings of the exodus up to this point. His humility and meekness before God and the people is clearly seen in the previous chapters of the Pentateuch ever since his calling by God in Exodus 3. Not only that, God Himself clearly backs up this statement in the next few verses.
 
         Verses 4-9: God summons Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the door of the tabernacle. (v.4) Once again, He appears in the form of the cloud descending upon the tent of meeting. (v.5) (Exodus 19:9, 34:5, Numbers 11:25, 16:19) Though He does not owe anyone an explanation for any of His actions or His ways, God states that He reveals Himself through visions and dreams to certain men of His choosing. (v.6) (Genesis 31:10, 46:2, 1 Samuel 3:15, 1 Kings 3:5, 15, Job 33:15, Ezekiel 1:1, Daniel 8:2, Matthew 1:20, Luke 1:11, Acts 10:11, 17, 22:17-18) God uses the title of “My servant” (v.7) when referring to Moses (Joshua 1:1, Psalm 105:26), and calls him “faithful”. (Hebrews 3:2, 5) With Moses He chooses to speak face to face, with an audible voice, and in the physical manifestation of the cloud. (v.7-8) (Exodus 33:11, Deuteronomy 34:10, Hosea 12:13) He doesn’t speak in riddles or “dark speeches”, which is a term in the KJV that means “sayings” or something similar to proverbs that use a lot of similes and metaphors. (1 Corinthians 13:12) In other words, the Lord speaks plainly to Moses.
          The essence of God’s question to Miriam and Aaron in verse 8 is this: “You didn’t question Moses’ leadership when I spoke to him in the form of the cloud before; yet now you rebel when I choose to pour out My spirit upon the elders, and I do not include you?” (2 Peter 2:10, Jude 8) He cuts straight to the heart of the matter: their sin of jealousy and envy which, as always, is caused by pride.
 
          Verses 10-16: God punishes Miriam’s disobedience with leprosy (v.10), a disease that He uses often in the OT as both a demonstration of His power and a specific form of judgment against the sins of pride and covetousness. (Exodus 4:6, Deuteronomy 24:9, 2 Kings 5:27, 15:5, 2 Chronicles 26:19-20) Aaron immediately begs forgiveness and pleads with Moses to intercede on their behalf. (v.11) The metaphor he uses in verse 12 is that of a stillborn child. (Psalm 88:4) Leprosy was often a death sentence in this time period and, in fact, it still is in some parts of the world today. There are still such places as leper colonies and/or houses in some third world countries. (2 Chronicles 26:21) Moses, in another display of his meekness and humility as a leader and mediator (v.3), doesn’t hesitate to cry out to the Lord on their behalf. (v.13) (Psalm 103:3)
            God’s answer to Moses in verse 14 is a reference to a common occurrence in the cultures of the ANE whereby a father will publicly rebuke his daughter for a transgression that she has committed publicly. (Deuteronomy 25:9, Job 30:10, Isaiah 50:6) The child suffers shame and humiliation for seven days. Miriam’s rebellion against Moses was a public spectacle and, thus, her punishment is also a public spectacle and humiliation. She must leave the camp to live in isolation for seven days, as prescribed by the law. (v.15) (Leviticus 13:46) The people wait for her to be healed before moving on to the wilderness of Paran. (v.15-16)