Numbers 12

Nu 12:1-9.

MIRIAM'S AND

AARON'S

SEDITION.

1. an Ethiopian woman--Hebrew, "a Cushite woman"--Arabia was

usually called in Scripture the land of Cush, its inhabitants being

descendants of that son of Ham

(see on

Ex 2:15)

and being accounted generally a vile and contemptible race (see on

Am 9:7).

The occasion of this seditious outbreak on the part of Miriam and Aaron

against Moses was the great change made in the government by the

adoption of the seventy rulers

[Nu 11:16].

Their irritating disparagement of his wife (who, in all probability,

was Zipporah

[Ex 2:21],

and not a second wife he had recently married) arose from jealousy of

the relatives, through whose influence the innovation had been first

made

(Ex 18:13-26),

while they were overlooked or neglected. Miriam is mentioned before

Aaron as being the chief instigator and leader of the sedition.

2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not also spoken

(Ex 4:15, 16)

and Miriam

(Ex 15:20);

and, therefore, they considered the conduct of Moses, in exercising an

exclusive authority in this matter, as an encroachment on their rights

(Mic 6:4).

3. the man Moses was very meek--

(Ex 14:13;

32:12, 13;

Nu 14:13; 21:7;

De 9:18).

This observation might have been made to account for Moses taking no

notice of their angry reproaches and for God's interposing so speedily

for the vindication of His servant's cause. The circumstance of Moses

recording an eulogium on a distinguishing excellence of his own

character is not without a parallel among the sacred writers, when

forced to it by the insolence and contempt of opponents

(2Co 11:5; 12:11, 12).

But it is not improbable that, as this verse appears to be a

parenthesis, it may have been inserted as a gloss by Ezra or some later

prophet. Others, instead of "very meek," suggest "very afflicted," as

the proper rendering.

4. the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto

Miriam--The divine interposition was made thus openly and immediately,

in order to suppress the sedition and prevent its spreading among the

people.

5. the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood the door

of the tabernacle--without gaining admission, as was the usual

privilege of Aaron, though it was denied to all other men and women.

This public exclusion was designed to be a token of the divine

displeasure.

6, 7. Hear now my words--A difference of degree is here distinctly

expressed in the gifts and authority even of divinely commissioned

prophets. Moses, having been set over all God's house, (that is, His

church and people), was consequently invested with supremacy over

Miriam and Aaron also and privileged beyond all others by direct and

clear manifestations of the presence and will of God.

8. with him will I speak mouth to mouth--immediately, not by an

interpreter, nor by visionary symbols presented to his fancy.

apparently--plainly and surely.

not in dark speeches--parables or similitudes.

the similitude of the Lord shall he behold--not the face or essence

of God, who is invisible

(Ex 33:20;

Col 1:15;

Joh 1:18);

but some unmistakable evidence of His glorious presence

(Ex 33:2; 34:5).

The latter clause should have been conjoined with the preceding one,

thus: "not in dark speeches, and in a figure shall he behold the Lord."

The slight change in the punctuation removes all appearance of

contradiction to

De 4:15.

Nu 12:10-16.

MIRIAM'S

LEPROSY.

10. the cloud departed from the tabernacle--that is, from the door

to resume its permanent position over the mercy seat.

Miriam became leprous--This malady in its most malignant form

(Ex 4:6;

2Ki 5:27)

as its color, combined with its sudden appearance, proved, was

inflicted as a divine judgment; and she was made the victim, either

because of her extreme violence or because the leprosy on Aaron would

have interrupted or dishonored the holy service.

11-13. On the humble and penitential submission of Aaron, Moses

interceded for both the offenders, especially for Miriam, who was

restored; not, however, till she had been made, by her exclusion, a

public example

[Nu 12:14, 15].

14. her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed

seven days?--The Jews, in common with all people in the East, seem

to have had an intense abhorrence of spitting, and for a parent to

express his displeasure by doing so on the person of one of his

children, or even on the ground in his presence, separated that child

as unclean from society for seven days.

15. the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again--Either

not to crush her by a sentence of overwhelming severity or not to

expose her, being a prophetess, to popular contempt.

16. pitched in the wilderness of Paran--The station of encampments

seems to have been Rithma

(Nu 33:19).