Numbers 12, Miriam's Sin

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

The stress of the desert journey brings more complaints.

Numbers 12:1-3, Complaints about Moses' wife

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this.

(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

 

Moses' wife, Zipporah, is a Midianite, from Cush. She is not a descendant of Jacob. Both Moses' sister Miriam and also his brother, Aaron, grumble about this. God "heard this" and will respond. The author of this book takes a moment to comment on the humility of Moses

Numbers 12:4-8, Confrontation

At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, he said, "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"

 

YHWH defends Moses. It is indeed Moses to whom God speaks "face to face", not in riddles.

Numbers 12:9-12, White skin

The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam--leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; and he said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother's womb with its flesh half eaten away."

As punishment for her insults, Miriam's skin is turned white, like leprosy. Aaron (who does not seem to have been punished) now pleads for Miriam.

Numbers 12:13-15, Moses also cries out.

So Moses cried out to the LORD, "O God, please heal her!" The LORD replied to Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back." So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

         

Moses also cries out for Miriam's healing and God responds with steps to full healing.

Numbers 12:16, On to Paran.

After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

After this event, the Israelites move on from Hazeroth to the Desert of Paran.

First published September 13, 2025; updated September 15, 2025