Numbers 12 Reprimanded
Aaron and Miriam are reprimanded for their prideful attitudes. They tried to assert themselves into Moses position over the people. Pride and prejudice.
We don’t know for certain if Aaron and Miriam are objecting to Zipporah or a new wife of Moses’. Moses could have taken a second wife, or Zipporah could have died and Moses remarried. We don’t see Aaron and Miriam object to Zipporah before, so it stands to reason that this is a new wife for Moses that we see in our story today.
We know so little of Moses’ family life. Moses spent the majority of his time with the Lord or with the people. Being the wife of Moses was probably a lonely existence. Being his children couldn’t have been easy either.
I have so many questions now, that I didn’t think of before. 1) How old were Moses’ sons? When he went back to Egypt, he put them on donkeys with their mother. Their mother also circumcised them. I can’t see her doing this to adult children or even teenagers. 2) What was Zipporah and Moses relationship like after the Exodus. We know that she, and the boys, were sent back to Jethro during the plagues. But they were returned to him before the Tabernacle building period. Was Moses able to spend time with her? 3) If this is a new wife for Moses, when did he find time to look for a new wife?! We don’t see a ‘Bathsheba like’ event for Moses. So how did he meet, and fall in love with this Cushite woman, IF it wasn’t Zipporah? The first verse in Numbers 12 still makes me think this is a new wife. Or that their relationship had changed for some reason. The location of Cush, leads me to believe that it was Zipporah. Cush is on the other side of the Red Sea from where the people currently are. Maybe they were upset because they thought Moses’ wife was taking Moses’ attention away from the people. Jealousy. Let’s rejoin the people and see where the Spirit takes us today.
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Moses is VERY grateful for the assistance God has given him in shouldering the burden for the people. He finally has two minutes he can ‘rub together’ and call his own. He is finally able to spend some time with his wife and sons.
Zipporah is happy to finally have some of Moses’ time. She has been patient for SO LONG. Since Moses was called by the Lord to go back to Egypt, their relationship has been very strange. She was welcomed by his family when they first got back, but she never really felt like she belonged. When Moses sent her and their sons back to her father, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was a familiar life. Lonely, but familiar. After returning with her father, she had great hopes of life returning back to normal. That did NOT happen. Moses was busy from sunup to sundown every day, and beyond! There was no time for her, beyond sharing meals together. Yet, she became accustomed to this. She, and their children, were treated with deference, but she never truly felt they belonged in this group. If it wasn’t for the other ‘outsiders’ who had left Egypt with them, Zipporah would have been truly alone.
Aaron and Mirian never fully accepted Zipporah. Yes, she was their brother’s wife, but she was not ‘one of them’. She was an outsider. As long as they didn’t have to deal with her, things went along find.
Now, with a little extra time on his hands, Moses is spending more time with Zipporah. Aaron and Miriam DO NOT like this.
“Why couldn’t she have stayed with her own kind” hisses Miriam.
“Moses wouldn’t have been able to have his sons with him if she did” replied Aaron.
“I know. But she is so STRANGE!”
“She is different, but she is abiding by all the statutes that the Lord gave Moses.”
“Barely! Have you seen how she fixes her hair? And she didn’t give up all her jewelry when the rest of us did. She thinks she’s too good for us. She is only even tolerated because she is Moses’ wife.”
“Miriam, you have a sharp tongue. Be wary when and how you use it” whispered Aaron.
“Fine” huffed Miriam. “You be nice to her then. I can’t anymore.”
“Why? What did she ever do to you?”
“Don’t you see the way Moses is acting lately? She has somehow drawn him away from the Lord. He is spending too much time with her.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“We should step up. After all, we are Moses’ brother and sister. And certainly, the Lord speaks through us too!”
“He has spoken to me directly on at least one occasion.”
“That’s what I mean. Moses isn’t the only one who can speak for the Lord.”
“I suppose you’re right” concedes Aaron. “But let’s not do anything right now. We will wait and see what happens.”
“Fine” snaps Miriam.
The days don’t get any better in Miriam’s eyes. Moses is now spending even more time with his wife. He is not neglecting his time with the Lord or the needs of the people though. Because of the added help, he finally has time to devote himself to his family.
After they make camp again, after their last march, Miriam approaches Aaron again. “Did you see the way Moses ignored the rest of the camp when we were setting it up? He focused on HER tent instead.”
“I noticed. But the Levites are getting pretty good at teardown and setup on their own. They don’t need Moses looking over their shoulder.”
“But he hasn’t brought the people a word from the Lord in days! ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?’” (Numbers 12:2)
“I have to agree with you on that point. Let’s go confront him.”
The Lord had been watching and listening to Miriam and Aaron’s complaints. He loved them both, but this had gone on long enough! It was time to address their attitudes; especially Miriam’s
Moses had also known that something was going on with Miriam. He had seen hateful looks from Miriam directed at Zipporah. “How long has this been going on” he wondered. Whenever he noticed them, he looked to Zipporah and gauged her reaction. She seemed to either not see Miriam’s looks, or they didn’t bother her. He dearly loved both of them. He hoped it would pass. He was oblivious to Aaron’s part in this tension.
Miriam and Aaron arrived at Moses’ tent.
“Moses, can we have a moment with you” called Aaron from the door.
Moses came out to find Miriam standing beside Moses. She had her arms crossed tight and a scowl on her face. Just as she started to speak out, the Lord suddenly spoke to the three of them.
“Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” (Numbers 12:4b)
Miriam’s face morphed from anger to smugness in an instant. She was certain that she and Aaron were ‘finally going to get their due’ from the Lord.
The three of them walked the short distance from Moses’ tent to the Tent of Meeting. The three of them stood side by side in front of the Tent. They watched the pillar of cloud that stood above the Tent move down between them and the doorway to the Tent.
Out of the cloud, they all heard the voice of the Lord. “Aaron and Miriam, come here to me.”
Miriam had never been happier in her life! Aaron was excited too to see what the Lord would do. The two of them advanced to the edge of the cloud. As they stood there, the Lord spoke again.
“Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8)
Miriam and Aaron both began to tremble! The Lord knew of their talk, and He was NOT happy. Aaron’s thoughts went immediately to his two sons; Nadab and Abihu. “Will we be killed too” he wondered. Miriam’s mind wonders too; “What will He do to us?”
They didn’t have long to wait for their answer. The cloud lifted and the Lord’s judgment was obvious. Aaron turned towards Miriam and his face fell. Aaron turned immediately to Moses and cried out to him.
“Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” (Numbers 11-12)
Miriam crumpled to the ground and wept bitterly.
Moses’ heart broke too when he saw Miriam. He called out to the Lord. “O God, please heal her—please.” (Numbers 12:13b)
God answered Moses immediately. “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” (Numbers 12:14)
Moses bowed his head in acceptance. Miriam continued to weep on the ground. Aaron fought his heart’s desire to embrace Miriam and comfort her. Because of the Law, he couldn’t even touch her. They had all heard the Lord’s answer.
After a few minutes, Moses spoke to Miriam. “It’s time to get up. You know you can’t stay here.” He then turned to Aaron. “Have someone create a shelter for her outside the camp.”
Aaron bowed his head and hurried off to do as Moses commanded.
Miriam stood to her feet after Aaron had departed. “I’m so sorry Moses. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I have already forgiven you. It’s not me that you need to apologize to though.”
“I asked the Lord’s forgiveness in my heart already.”
“There is another whom you have wronged with your attitude.”
Miriam starts to ask who Moses is speaking of, but she knows already. “Zipporah” she whispers.
Moses nods his head. “We can address that when you come back into the camp.”
Moses turned and began walking towards the edge of the camp. Miriam followed several steps behind. As Moses passed, some would start to come towards him, but he stopped them with a shake of his head and a lifted hand when necessary.
Moses saw where Aaron was working with another man, setting up a temporary shelter for Miriam. He went over to them and waited nearby while they finished. Once the shelter was finished, Aaron and his assistant looked to Moses and Miriam. Moses nodded his head in thanks, and the two departed. Moses raised his hand and motioned for Miriam to move into her shelter.
Miriam hesitated. She already felt the weight of this punishment. Seven days! “Can you bring me a pillow to sit on” she asked Moses.
“I don’t believe that would be right. Others who are forced beyond the camp boundaries have no luxuries.”
“You are right. I’m sorry for asking.”
“I will see you again in seven days. Meals will be sent to you so you will not starve” Moses said before departing.
Miriam moved over and sat down. She bowed her head and wept silently. She KNEW that she had brought this on herself. She would accept the punishment of the Lord.
For seven days, the camp stayed where they were. The pillar of cloud stayed where it was; over the Tabernacle. Miriam was given food and water twice a day, which she had to ration for her needs.
Once the seven had passed, Aaron went outside the camp to check on Miriam. He followed all the Laws the Lord had given them regarding cleaning after leprosy. Then Miriam washed herself and her clothes and shaved all the hair from her head. She could then reenter the camp, but not her tent. She would sit outside of her tent for another seven days.
On her eighth day back in camp, Miriam brought the required sacrifice. Before presenting herself to Aaron, she shaved her head, washed her clothes and bathed again. For Miriam’s cleansing, Aaron followed ALL of the Lord’s statutes, including putting the blood on the lobe of her right ear, right thumb, and right big toe.
Miriam had one more person she had to make things right with; Zipporah. That was going to take some time.
(to be continued)
I chose to make Miriam the main instigator of the problem. The reason I did was because we didn’t see Aaron receive any punishment. Maybe it was because he was the priest and had to keep functioning in that role. Only God knows the full story.
I also started out writing like the wife in question was a new wife, but I changed my mind after seeing where Cush was. Unless a Cushite woman was FAR from her home, she wouldn’t have crossed paths with Israel during their wanderings. Whatever the TRUE facts are, we will have to wait until we get to Heaven to find out. There is no one left alive today to ask.
The main thing is this story is that God KNOWS what is going on in our world. Even when we think we are hiding it. And, forgiveness doesn’t mean there are no consequences.
Father God, I have found myself looking at others and judging them; most likely wrongly. I have even tried to usurp leadership of things on more than one occasion. Forgive me Lord for my pride in these situations. I know I have NO right to judge another. You are the TRUE judge. I can stay away from people that are hurtful to me, but I cannot judge their hearts. And there are roles that are for me to take on, but help me not pry them from other’s hands. Show me where to put my hand in and where to pull it out.
