Week 52, Day 2: Trouble on all sides

Today’s Reading:  Numbers 12:1-16

Some thoughts from today’s reading…

If it were not enough that the sons of Israel have begun to complain, now Moses has problems from his brother and sister.  The trouble with Aaron and Miriam seems to stem from his decision to marry a cushite woman (vs 1).  We are not told exactly why Aaron and Miriam have a problem with his marriage but it sounds like it has to do with where she originates from.  This could be simply that Moses married a woman who was not an Israelite.  It could be that for some reason the people of Cush (Ethiopia region) were not well thought of.  For whatever reason this is given as the reason they spoke against Moses.  But their complaint included the statement, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses?  Has He not spoken through us as well?”  This goes beyond questioning Moses’ decision making skills but also strikes at his leadership and role as a spokesman for God.

God answers this complaint directly by having Aaron, Miriam and Moses come before Him at the tent of meeting.  The Lord tells them that with other prophets He speaks in visions or in a dream.  He does not speak openly to them but in “dark saying” or in mysteries/ riddles.  But this is not the way He speaks to Moses.  With Moses He speaks “mouth to mouth”, openly, and Moses beholds the Lord’s form.  Because of this distinction they should have been afraid to speak against Moses.

It is remarkable to consider the kind of relationship God had with Moses.  We are told a lot about Moses in this chapter. 

Because of their actions in complaining against Moses, Miriam is struck with leprousy.

Question:  Why do you think Aaron was not struck with leprousy as well?  Was Miriam’s leprousy a punishment for Aaron?

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