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Numbers Chapter
Twelve
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 12
In
this chapter we have an account of Aaron and Miriam speaking against Moses, and
for what reason, whose amiable character is given, Numbers 12:1; and
of the Lord's calling them to him, and rebuking them for it, giving an
excellent testimony to Moses, and then departing in anger, Numbers 12:4; and
of Miriam's being smitten with leprosy, and Aaron's entreating Moses on his and
her account, who prayed to the Lord to heal her, Numbers 12:10; and
of her being ordered to be shut out of the camp seven days, during which time
the Israelites stayed at Hazeroth, and then removed to the wilderness of Paran,
Numbers 12:14.
Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian
woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
YLT
1And Miriam speaketh --
Aaron also -- against Moses concerning the circumstance of the Cushite woman
whom he had taken: for a Cushite woman he had taken;
And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses,.... Miriam is
first mentioned, because she was first in the transgression, and so was only
punished; Aaron was drawn into the sin by her, and he acknowledged his fault,
and was forgiven: it must be a great trial to Moses, not only to be spoken
against by the people, as he often was, but by his near relations, and these
gracious persons, and concerned with him in leading and guiding the people
through the wilderness, Micah 6:4,
because of the Ethiopian woman, whom he had married, for he had
married an Ethiopian woman; not a queen of Ethiopia, as the Targum of
Jonathan; nor Tharbis, a daughter of a king of Ethiopia, whom JosephusF8Antiqu.
l. 2. c. 10. sect. 2. says he married, when he was sent upon an expedition
against the Ethiopians, while he was in Pharaoh's court; nor the widow of an
Ethiopian king whom he married after his death, when he fled from Pharaoh into
Ethiopia, and was made a king there, as say some Jewish writersF9Dibre
Hayamim, fol. 7. 2. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. so some in Aben Ezra in
loc. : for there is no reason to believe he was married before he went to
Midian; nor was this some Ethiopian woman he had married since, and but lately,
Zipporah being dead or divorced, as some have fancied; but it was Zipporah
herself, as Aben Ezra, Ben Melech, and so the Jerusalem Targum, which
represents her not as truly an Ethiopian, but so called, because she was like
to one; indeed she was really one; not a native of Ethiopia, the country of the
Abyssines, but she was a Cushite, a native of Arabia Chusea, in which country
Midian was, from whence she came; hence the tents, of Cushan, and the curtains
of Midian, are spoken of together, Habakkuk 3:7. Now
it was not on account of Moses's marriage with her that they spoke against him,
for that was an affair transacted in Midian some years ago, which at first
sight may seem to be the case; nor because he now had divorced her, as Jarchi,
which perhaps would have given them no uneasiness; and for the same reason, not
because he abstained from conversation with her, that he might give up himself
to the service of God in his house, and perform it in a more holy and faithful
manner, which is the common sentiment of the Jewish writers: but rather, as it
is thought by others, because of a suspicion they had entertained, that she had
interested herself in the affair of the choice of the seventy elders, and had
prevailed upon Moses to put in such and such persons into the list she had a
mind to serve; at least this seems to be the case, for the displeasure was
against Moses himself; they were angry with him, because he transacted that
affair without them, and chose whom he pleased, without consulting them; and
therefore, though they cared not to ascribe it entirely to him, and his neglect
of them, they imputed it to his wife, as if she had over persuaded him, or her
brother through her means, to take such a step as he did.
Numbers 12:2 2 So they said, “Has the Lord indeed
spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.
YLT
2and they say, `Only by
Moses hath Jehovah spoken? also by us hath he not spoken?' and Jehovah heareth.
And they said, hath the Lord, indeed spoken only by Moses?.... They own
he had spoken by him; this was so notorious that it could not be denied:
hath he not spoken also by us? are we not prophets as
well as he? the Lord spake to Aaron while he was in Egypt, and had made him a
good spokesman in his name, and bore this testimony of him, that he could speak
well, and Miriam is expressly called a prophetess, Exodus 4:14 Exodus 15:20; and
this being the case, they stomached it that they should have no concern in the
choice and appointment of the seventy elders:
and the Lord heard it; for perhaps this was
said secretly between themselves; but God, that sees, and hears, and knows all
things, took notice of what was spoken by them, and resented it; for it was
ultimately against himself, who had ordered Moses to do what he did.
Numbers 12:3 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than
all men who were on the face of the earth.)
YLT
3And the man Moses [is] very
humble, more than any of the men who [are] on the face of the ground.
Now the man Moses was very meek,.... So that
they might say anything against him, and he not be affronted, nor resent any
injury; and this therefore is introduced as a reason why the Lord undertook the
cause, and vindicated him, resenting the obloquies of Miriam and Aaron against
him; because he knew he was so exceeding meek, that he himself would pass it by
without taking notice of it, though he might hear it: hence the Targum of
Jonathan"and he cared not for their words;'they gave him no concern or
uneasiness, so meek, mild, and gentle was he: and this is to be considered; not
as a self-commendation of Moses, but as a testimony of his character by God
himself, by whom he was inspired in writing it; though it is possible this
might be added by another hand, Joshua or Ezra, under the same direction and
inspiration of the Spirit of God; who chose that such a character of Moses
should stand here, in opposition to the calumnies cast upon him, and as giving
a reason why not he himself, but the Lord, appeared in his vindication, he
being so meek and lowly, as is said of his antitype, and by himself, Matthew 11:29,
above all the men which were upon the face of the earth; being seldom
angry, and when he was, it was generally, if not always, when the honour of God
was concerned, and not on account of his own person and character; though it
must not be said of him that he was perfect in this respect, or free from
passion, or from blame at any time on account of it, but, when compared with
others, he was the meekest man that ever lived; whereby he became the fittest
person to have to do with such a peevish, perverse, and rebellious people as
the Israelites were, whom no other man could well have bore with.
Numbers 12:4 4 Suddenly the Lord said to
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!”
So the three came out.
YLT
4And Jehovah saith suddenly
unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, `Come out ye three unto the tent
of meeting;' and they three come out.
And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto
Miriam,.... As one greatly provoked, and highly displeased, and which
was shown at once; and in order to prevent the complaint getting among the
people, and spreading, which might have been of bad consequence, as they were
pretty much disposed to murmur and mutiny; as also to show that it was not
through any solicitation of Moses that the Lord took this matter in hand, time
not being allowed to him to make any application to him; for, as soon as ever
Miriam and Aaron had uttered their speech against him, the Lord spake to them:
come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation; everyone out
of his tent, as Aben Ezra; though it is not improbable that they were all
together in the tent of Moses, whither Aaron and Miriam were come to contend
with him; the words seem to be spoken quick, and in haste, as being angry:
and they three came out: of the place where they
were, to the tabernacle of the congregation, that so the people might not hear
what was said unto them, and what was the occasion of it.
Numbers 12:5 5 Then the Lord came down
in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and
called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward.
YLT
5And Jehovah cometh down in
the pillar of the cloud, and standeth at the opening of the tent, and calleth
Aaron and Miriam, and they come out both of them.
The Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud,.... Which was
over the most holy place of the tabernacle, and which was a symbol of the
presence of the Lord; and who is said to come down, because that was above the
tabernacle; whereas he came, as is next expressed:
and stood in the door of the tabernacle; where he set
up his tribunal, and called them to his bar, courts of judicature being usually
held in the gate; not suffering them to go into the tabernacle as they were
wont to do, being delinquents:
and called Aaron and Miriam; to come nearer to him,
and hear what he had to say to them; Moses keeping at a greater distance, it
not being so proper that he should be within hearing of those commendations
which were about to be given of him:
and they both came forth; Aaron and Miriam, and
stood before the Lord.
Numbers 12:6 6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet
among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a
vision; I speak to him in a dream.
YLT
6And He saith, `Hear, I pray
you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah –
in
an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him;
And he said, hear now my words,.... The Targum of
Jonathan reads, "I beseech you"; and Jarchi says, this particle
always so signifies; but it is not so agreeable to the language of the divine
Being:
if there be a prophet among you; not as making a doubt of
it, but rather allowing that there was, and that there were others besides
Moses, as even they themselves, Aaron and Miriam, and the seventy elders, and
perhaps others; or at least there had been, and would be again, as there were
in later times:
I the Lord will make myself
known to him; that is, declare my mind and will concerning things present, or
things to come:
in a vision; when awake, either by day or by night, representing objects to
the bodily sight; as the almond tree rod, and the boiling pot, to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:11; the
visions of the chariots, Ezekiel 23:24, and
dry bones, Ezekiel 37:1, to
Ezekiel, and such as were shown to Amos, Amos 7:1, or to the
mind by night, as if really discerned by the senses; as the visions of the man
riding on a red horse, Zechariah 1:8, and
of the four horns, Zechariah 1:18, and
four carpenters, Zechariah 1:20,
with several others shown to Zechariah:
and will speak unto him in a
dream; as he had done to Jacob, Genesis 31:11, and
as he did afterwards to Daniel, Daniel 7:1, and
many others.
Numbers 12:7 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in
all My house.
YLT
7not so My servant Moses; in
all My house he [is] stedfast;
My servant Moses is not so,.... Or such a prophet;
he is not so used; it was not in such a manner the Lord spake to him; not in
visions and dreams, as he had to Abraham and Jacob, and did to others in later
times:
who is faithful in all mine house; in the house
of Israel, or among that people which were the Lord's family, where Moses was a
servant and steward, and did all things according to the will of the Lord, the
master of the family; he faithfully delivered to them all the laws, statutes,
and ordinances, which he appointed to be observed by them: unless this is to be
understood of the tabernacle, which was the house of God, in which he dwelt,
and which was made, and all things in it, exactly according to the pattern
given by the Lord to Moses: see Hebrews 3:2.
Numbers 12:8 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in
dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then
were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”
YLT
8mouth unto mouth I speak
with him, and [by] an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah
he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak
against My servant -- against Moses?'
With him will I speak mouth to mouth,.... And face
to face, as he had done, Exodus 33:11; in a
free, friendly, and familiar manner, as one friend speaks to another, without
injecting any fear or dread, and consternation of mind, which was sometimes the
case of the prophets; or without a middle person, a mediator, as Aben Ezra, not
by means of an angel, as in some cases, but the Lord himself spake to him:
even apparently, and not in dark speeches; the word
"apparently", or "vision", being opposed to "dark
speeches", shows that this is not to be understood of the appearance or
vision of an object presented to the sight, or to the mind, which is denied of
Moses, though usual with other prophets; but of the vision, or plain sense and
meaning of words, which are so plainly expressed, that the sense is easily seen
and understood; it was not under figures and allegories, and parables and dark
representations of things, that the law of the decalogue, and other laws,
statutes, and ordinances, and the proclamation the Lord made of himself, as the
Lord gracious, merciful, &c. were delivered unto Moses, but in plain words
and clear expressions; not in such enigmatical, parabolical, and allegorical
terms as many of the visions and prophecies of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos,
and Zechariah, were exhibited to them; See Gill on Numbers 12:6,
and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: as he had at
the burning bush, and at Mount Sinai, with the elders of Israel, and when the
Lord proclaimed his name before him; at which several times it is highly
probable he beheld the Lord, even the Lord Christ, in an human form, as a
presage of his future incarnation, and as he might also after this: the Targum
of Jonathan is,"the similitude which is after my Shechinah (or divine
Majesty) he saw;'that is, his back parts, as Jarchi, and other Jewish writers,
interpret it; but Bishop Patrick thinks the word not should be repeated from
the preceding clause, and that the sense is, that he did not behold him in
similitudes, nor did the Lord speak to him by them, as to other prophets, see Hosea 12:10,
wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant
Moses? or against my servant, against Moses; against any servant of
mine, but especially against Moses, so faithful in my house, so much approved
of and honoured by me, and so superior to all other prophets.
Numbers 12:9 9 So the anger of the Lord was
aroused against them, and He departed.
YLT
9And the anger of Jehovah
burneth against them, and He goeth on,
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them,.... Which
might be visible by some outward token, as by lightning from the cloud, or,
however, what follows was sufficient to show it:
and he departed; from the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, where he had stood in the pillar of cloud for some time; but as
soon as he had given his testimony of Moses, and expressed his displeasure at
Aaron and Miriam, he went away directly from them; not staying to hear what
they had to say for themselves, which was a plain indication of his anger
against them.
Numbers 12:10 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle,
suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron
turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.
YLT
10and the cloud hath turned
aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam [is] leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth
unto Miriam, and lo, leprous!
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle,.... Not from
off the door of the tabernacle, as Aben Ezra, for that is implied in the last
clause of Numbers 12:9, but
from off that part of the tabernacle, the most holy place, where it had used to
abide; but now it went up higher in the air, or removed at some distance from
thence, which was a further indication of the sore displeasure of God; that as
he would not stay with Aaron and Miriam at the door of the tabernacle, so
neither would he suffer the cloud to continue over it, as it was wont to do, so
long as they were there:
and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow; was smote
immediately with a leprosy by the Lord, as the hand of Moses was in a
miraculous way, Exodus 4:6; and as
Gehazi was, who was smitten of God in like manner, 2 Kings 5:27; in an
ordinary and gradual leprosy, when it was all white, the man was clean, Leviticus 13:13;
but in an extraordinary one, and which was immediately from God, and at once,
in this case it was a sign it was incurable. Miriam only, and not Aaron, was
smitten with a leprosy; though Chaskuni says, that some of their Rabbins were
of opinion, that Aaron was; but this does not appear, nor is it likely that he
should be thus defiled and dishonoured, being the priest of the Lord, and since
he was not so deep in the transgression as Miriam, and was drawn into it by
her, and also repented of it:
and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous; he not only
cast his eye upon her, as it were accidentally, and saw what was her case; but,
as the priest of the Lord, looked upon her, as it was the business of his
office to do, and perceived she was leprous, and was obliged to pronounce her
so; and perhaps she was the first, after the law of the leprosy, that he was
called to look upon, and pronounced her unclean, which must be a great
mortification to him.
Numbers 12:11 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not
lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have
sinned.
YLT
11And Aaron saith unto Moses,
`O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin [in] which we have been foolish,
and [in] which we have sinned;
And Aaron said unto Moses, alas, my lord!.... The word
for "alas" is generally interpreted by the Jewish writers as a note
of beseeching and entreating, as it is here by the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan,"I beseech thee, my lord,'or "upon me, my lord"F11בי "in me", Montanus. , be all the blame; such
was his tenderness to his sister, and the compassion he had on her; and such
reverence and respect did he show to Moses his brother, though younger than he,
because of his superior dignity as a prophet, and chief magistrate, and prime
minister, and servant of the Lord, calling him "my lord":
I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us; the
punishment of it, bear not hard upon us, or suffer us to be punished in a
rigorous manner, without interceding to the Lord for us, for the abatement of
removal of it; such a powerful and prevailing interest he knew he had with God,
that by his prayers their punishment would be mitigated, or not laid, or, if
laid, removed:
wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned; he owns they
had sinned, but suggests, and so he would have it understood, that it was not
through malice, and purposely and presumptuously, but through and ignorance,
inadvertency and weakness, and hoped it would be forgiven.
Numbers 12:12 12 Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is
half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”
YLT
12let her not, I pray thee,
be as [one] dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother -- the
half of his flesh is consumed.'
Let her not be as one dead,.... As she was in a
ceremonial sense, being to be shut up and excluded from the society of people,
and as defiling by touching as a dead carcase; and, in a natural sense, her
flesh, by the disease upon her, was become as dead flesh, putrid and rotten,
and unless miraculously cured it would issue in her death:
of whom the flesh is half consumed, when he cometh out of his
mother's womb; like an abortive, or one stillborn, that has been dead some time
in its mother's womb; and therefore when brought forth its flesh is almost
wasted away, or at least half consumed: and in such a plight and condition was
Miriam already, or quickly would be, through the force of her disease.
Numbers 12:13 13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please heal her, O God, I pray!”
YLT
13And Moses crieth unto
Jehovah, saying, `O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.'
And Moses cried unto the Lord,.... With a loud voice,
and with great earnestness and importunity, being heartily affected with the
miserable condition Miriam was in:
saying, heal her now, O God, I beseech thee; in the
original text it is, "O God now, heal her now"; for the same particle
is used at the close as at the beginning of the petition; and the repetition of
it shows his earnestness and importunity that she might be healed directly,
immediately, without any delay; and Moses uses the word "El", which
signifies the strong and mighty God, as expressive of his faith in the power of
God, that he was able to heal her; and at the same time suggests that none but
he could do it; and so Aben Ezra interprets it,"thou that hast power in
thine hand, now heal her;'this prayer is a proof of his being of a meek,
humble, and forgiving spirit.
Numbers 12:14 14 Then the Lord said to
Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven
days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be
received again.”
YLT
14And Jehovah saith unto
Moses, `And her father had but spat in her face -- is she not ashamed seven
days? she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she
is gathered.'
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... By a voice out of
the cloud, though at a distance; unless it was by a secret impulse upon his
spirit, darting such words into his mind as if he heard an audible voice:
if her father had but spit in her face; or, "in
spitting spitted"F12ירק ירק "spuendo spuisset", Pagninus, Montanus,
Fagius, Drusius. ; spit much, and continued spitting till he had covered her
face with spittle; which, as it would have been a token of anger and
displeasure in him, an earthly father, who is meant, and of shame and disgrace
to her; so there is some likeness in spittle to leprosy, both being white, and
in such a case to the abundance of it, her thee being covered with leprosy; and
which came as it were from the mouth of the Lord, by his order and appointment,
immediately, as spittle from a man, and like that, in a way of detestation and
contempt, and to make abhorred and despised:
should she not be ashamed seven days? hide herself,
and never appear in the family, and especially in her father's presence, because
of the shame she was put unto, for the space of seven days; how much more
ashamed then should she be, now her heavenly Father did spit in her face, and
covered it with a white leprosy and for as long a time at least, or indeed
longer? fourteen days, say the Targum of Jonathan, and Jarchi, but no more than
seven are required, when more might have justly been, for her separation and
shutting up from company and conversation:
let her be shut out from the camp seven days; for so long
the leper was to be shut up at the trial of his leprosy, and so long he was to
be out of his tent at the cleansing of him, Leviticus 13:5,
and after that let her be received again; into the camp
and into society with her relations and friends.
Numbers 12:15 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the
people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.
YLT
15And Miriam is shut out at
the outside of the camp seven days, and the people hath not journeyed till
Miriam is gathered;
And Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days,.... And so in
later times lepers dwelt alone, and in a separate house, as long as the leprosy
was upon them, see 2 Chronicles 26:21;
Miriam no doubt was healed at once, but, as a punishment for her sin, she was
obliged to keep out of the camp of Israel for such a space of time:
and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again; partly out of
respect unto her, she being a prophetess, and one that went before them, and
led them with Moses and Aaron, Micah 6:4; and
partly for want of the cloud to direct them, which had departed at a distance
from them.
Numbers 12:16 16 And afterward the people moved from Hazeroth and
camped in the Wilderness of Paran.
YLT
16and afterwards have the
people journeyed from Hazeroth, and they encamp in the wilderness of Paran.
And afterwards the people removed from Hazeroth,.... After
seven days, where they had been so long at least; the cloud being returned to
the tabernacle, and having been taken up, which was the signal for motion, the
camps of Israel, in their order, removed and marched forward:
and pitched in the wilderness of Paran; at a place in
it called Rithmah, Numbers 33:18;
which, according to BuntingF13Travels, &c. p. 82. , was eight
miles from Hazeroth, near to which was another place called Kadesh, or else
this was another name of Rithmah, see Numbers 13:3; and
now the Israelites were very near the land of promise, and from hence they sent
spies to make their observations on it, and bring a report of it; and had it
not been for their ill conduct in that affair, in all probability would have
been quickly in it, but on that account were kept out thirty eight years
longer: it was on the twenty eighth or twenty ninth of the month Sivan the
Israelites came to this place, according to the Jewish writersF14Seder
Olam Rabba, c. 8. p. 24. & Meyer. Annotat. in ib. p. 338. , which month
answers part of our May and part of June.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》