Bible Commentaries

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married ^a an Ethiopian woman.

(a) Zipporah, Moses' wife, was a Midianite, and because Midian bordered on Ethiopia, it is sometimes referred to in the scriptures by this name.

(Now the man Moses [was] very ^b meek, above all the men which [were] upon the face of the earth.)

(b) And so endured their grudging, although he knew of them.

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a ^c vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream.

(c) These were the two ordinary means.

My servant Moses [is] not so, who [is] faithful ^d in all mine house.

(d) In all Israel which was his Church.

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he ^e behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

(e) As far as any man was able to comprehend, which he calls his back parts, (Exodus 33:23).

And the cloud departed from off the ^f tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam [became] leprous, [white] as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, [she was] leprous.

(f) From the door of the tabernacle.

Let her not be as one ^g dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

(g) As a child that is stillborn, as if it is only the skin.

And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but ^h spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in [again].

(h) In his displeasure.

And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of ^a Paran.

(a) That is, in Rithmah, which was in Paran, (Numbers 33:18).