A wilderness camp of black tents in the morning, loaded donkeys standing idle, and far off on the open plain one small tent alone.

The Book of

Numbers 12

Moses’ own sister and brother speak against him. Moses says nothing. God answers for him, and then the whole camp waits.

16 verses≈ 3 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusalChapter 12
15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
26–36A new generationReady for the land

The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron

Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife. “Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” they said. “Does He not also speak through us?” And the LORD heard this.

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Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.

Numbers 12:3

And suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three, come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three went out,

and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward,

God

Question

Quick question

God said of Moses, “he is faithful in all My house.” A New Testament letter takes up those very words.

Which New Testament book quotes “he is faithful in all My house”?

The cloud rises away from the tent's entrance into a pale sky; below, small and seen from behind, a woman in a dark mantle stands very still.

So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed.

As the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, white as snow.

0:12

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous,

Aaron

and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. Please do not let her be like a stillborn infant whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”

Numbers 12:13

But the LORD answered Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”

So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was brought in again.

After that, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

The first stages

From Mount Sinai (Horeb) the people went on to Kibroth-hattaavah, then Hazeroth, and from there “camped in the Wilderness of Paran.” Taberah, where the fire burned at the edge of the camp, cannot be placed. Mount Sinai, Kibroth-hattaavah and Hazeroth are all uncertain sites; the dots show common proposals, and the dashed line one possible way.

Reflect

When you are wronged

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, and Moses said nothing in his own defense. God defended him. Then, when Miriam was struck, the first thing Moses did was pray for her: “O God, please heal her!” Who has spoken against you or wronged you? Write their name down, and write one thing you could ask God to do for their good. Then pray it: Lord, I leave my defense with You; bless the one who hurt me.

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Numbers 12

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A verse to carry with you

So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, please heal her!”

Numbers 12:13

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