Read Numbers 12 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
12:1-3 {s} Complaint of Miriam and Aaron against Moses
12:4-13 {p} Miriam becomes leprous
12:14-16 {p} Miriam shut out of the camp seven days, then received again
Today’s chapter forms a Chiastic Structure with Numbers 11:
Today’s complaint concludes a series of three complaints: an unnamed complaint (11:1), the craving for meat complaint (chapter 11), and Moses’ Ethiopian wife (12:1). Repetition is a Teaching Tool of Scripture.
Josephus, in The Antiquities of the Jews, records that while Moses was still a prince of Egypt, he led Pharaoh’s army south to Ethiopia, which was tributary to Egypt, and quelled an uprising there. He covered himself with honor on this occasion and received the Ethiopian princess for his wife as a part of the peace settlement. I assume that when he fled Egypt, he must have thought he would never see his wife again, as his life as a prince of Egypt was now a closed chapter, and he started a new life with the daughter of the high priest of Midian.
Now for the first time, Scripture makes mention of his Ethiopian wife, so we assume that when he returned to Egypt, sometime before the death of the firstborn, she also learned to fear the word of YHVH and was reunited with her husband. This is all speculation, but this is how I imagine the few details we have from non-Biblical history fits into the Scriptural narrative.
When Israel’s complaint was against YHVH, as with the meat, Moses went before Him and sought Him about it. When it was just Miriam and Aaron’s complaint against Moses, he did not say a word to YHVH about it (that Scripture records). YHVH Himself took up Moses’ defense as Moses did not defend himself. This is an instance of the same character trait of yielding rights that was displayed by the patriarchs in Genesis.
Thus Israel despised YHVH who was among them. But the complaint of Israel is coupled with the complaint of Miriam and Aaron in the chiastic structure, because Scripture wants us to see that just as manna was a good gift from the good God to His people, so Moses was a good gift from the good God to His people. And when we complain to Him about His good gifts, we are really accusing Him of not being good, or not being able to provide for us or take care of us. That YHVH’s people would guard themselves from complaints, which all ultimately, are an accusation against Him!
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, Book II, Chapter 10: How Moses Made War with the Ethiopians – Josephus
Relinquishing Rights – Christine Miller
Tsara’ath (leprosy), the evil tongue – Christine Miller
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