Num 12:1-15 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Num 12:1-16: 12:1-16 Rebellion was not restricted to the “foreign rabble” or to the Israelites who were bored with manna (11:4 ). Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron the high priest (Exod 29:30 ) and Miriam the prophet (Exod 15:20 ), rebelled against him. Israel was near the nadir of its rebellion against God (Num 13:25–14:12 ). Summary for Num 12:1-2: 12:1-2 Miriam and Aaron might have perceived Moses’ marriage as a threat to their status and ambitions. Miriam is named first, which suggests that she instigated this family feud and could explain why God punished her and not Aaron (12:9-10 ). 12:1 Most interpreters understand the Cushite woman to be Moses’ wife Zipporah from Midian (Exod 2:16-22 ), understanding Cush as referring here to Cushan, a region and people near Midian (Hab 3:7 ). Other interpreters, taking Cushite in its usual sense as referring to Kusi (in northern Arabia), Ethiopia, or Sudan, think that she was a different wife. In either case, it is possible that Miriam and Aaron disapproved of his having married a non-Israelite or that they were jealous of her influence over Moses.

Summary for Num 12:1-16: 12:1-16 ^a Rebellion was not restricted to the “foreign rabble” or to the Israelites who were bored with manna (11:4 ^b). Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron the high priest (Exod 29:30 ^c) and Miriam the prophet (Exod 15:20 ^d), rebelled against him. Israel was near the nadir of its rebellion against God (Num 13:25–14:12 ^e).
Summary for Num 12:1-2: 12:1-2 ^f Miriam and Aaron might have perceived Moses’ marriage as a threat to their status and ambitions. Miriam is named first, which suggests that she instigated this family feud and could explain why God punished her and not Aaron (12:9-10 ^g). 12:1 ^h Most interpreters understand the Cushite woman to be Moses’ wife Zipporah from Midian (Exod 2:16-22 ⁱ), understanding Cush as referring here to Cushan, a region and people near Midian (Hab 3:7 ^j). Other interpreters, taking Cushite in its usual sense as referring to Kusi (in northern Arabia), Ethiopia, or Sudan, think that she was a different wife. In either case, it is possible that Miriam and Aaron disapproved of his having married a non-Israelite or that they were jealous of her influence over Moses.
12:2 ^k The challenge to Moses’ authority was, by implication, a rejection of the Lord’s choice of Moses as Israel’s leader.

• the Lord heard: The same phrase in 11:1 ^l foreshadows the Lord’s response.
12:3 ^m Moses’ incomparable humility contrasts his godly character (see also Prov 3:34 ⁿ; Matt 5:5 ^o) with Miriam and Aaron’s jealousy.

• This parenthetical comment, a simple statement of the truth from God’s perspective, could be the words of Moses or of a later editor.
Summary for Num 12:4-8: 12:4-8 ^p In response, the Lord reconfirmed Moses’ special status and authority.
Summary for Num 12:6-8: 12:6-8 ^q The Lord’s trust in Moses resulted in an intimate relationship. God spoke to prophets in visions and dreams, but he spoke to Moses face to face (literally mouth to mouth; see Exod 33:8-11 ^r, 18-23 ^s; Deut 34:10 ^t).
Summary for Num 12:9-16: 12:9-16 ^u Miriam bore the brunt of God’s wrath (see study note on 12:1-2). Once Aaron saw what had happened to her, he admitted his error and sought Moses’ intercession (cp. 11:2 ^v). Both Moses and the Lord accepted Aaron’s confession.
12:14 ^w Miriam was required to follow the normal procedure for achieving ritual purity after a skin disease (5:2-4 ^x; Lev 13–14 ^y).