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Miriam and Aaron, Jealousy (Num. 12:1-15)

‘Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the Cushite woman he had married; for he had in fact married a Cushite woman. They complained, “Is it through Moses alone that the Lord has spoken? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard this. Now the man Moses was very humble, more than anyone else on earth. So at once the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam: Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting. And the three of them went. Then the Lord came down in a column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called, “Aaron and Miriam.” When both came forward, the Lord said: Now listen to my words: If there are prophets among you, in visions I reveal myself to them, in dreams I speak to them; Not so with my servant Moses! Throughout my house he is worthy of trust: face to face I speak to him, plainly and not in riddles. The likeness of the Lord he beholds. Why, then, do you not fear to speak against my servant Moses? And so the Lord ’s wrath flared against them, and he departed. Now the cloud withdrew from the tent, and there was Miriam, stricken with a scaly infection, white as snow! When Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw her stricken with snow-white scales, he said to Moses, “Ah, my lord! Please do not charge us with the sin that we have foolishly committed! Do not let her be like the stillborn baby that comes forth from its mother’s womb with its flesh half consumed.” Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Please, not this! Please, heal her!” But the Lord answered Moses: Suppose her father had spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; afterwards she may be brought back. So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not start out again until she was brought back (Num. 12:1-15).’

Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ sister and brother, were jealous of Moses and began to speak negatively about him using the excuse that he had married a Cushite woman, a foreigner.  For this God immediately punished Miriam by inflicting her with a skin disease.  Aaron, who knew in his heart that it was only through Moses that God worked His wonders in the Exodus, appealed to Moses to heal her, and Moses appealed to God.  Moses was the intermediary between God and His people and Aaron and Miriam felt that they should have equal status with Moses among the Hebrews.  God spoke to them in the form of a cloud (He spoke to Moses face to face) and told them that Moses was superior to any other person.  Moses was a meek and humble man who did as God told him.  Miriam and Aaron were assertive and desired the privilege of power but saw it as a way they could have an advantage among the Hebrews.  

Almighty God, help us never to desire that which you have not ordained for us but to use our gifts for the benefit of all you lead to us.  Grant us the humility to wait for patiently for your guidance and to not speak against anyone out of jealousy or envy.  This we pray through Christ out Lord.  Amen!

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References:

Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.

Jose M. Casciaro, Luis A. Martin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Antonio Garcia-Moreno, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy, & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (1999). The Navarre Bible - The Pentateuch. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.

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