Numbers 12 General Notes

Structure and Formatting

2. In the wilderness (10:11–19:22) * The Israelites set out, the Israelites rebel about the manna, Miriam and Aaron rebel against Moses, the leaders explore Canaan, and the Israelites refuse to enter Canaan and are punished (10:11–14:45)In this chapter, Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses and claim authority like his authority. God punishes Miriam, but then he restores her when Moses intercedes for her.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Miriam and Aaron

Miriam was Moses’ older sister. Aaron was Moses’ older brother, although Aaron was younger than Miriam. In this story, they claim to have the authority to speak for God as Moses did. However, by the end of the chapter, God has shown that Moses is the one who has this authority. (See: miriam and aaron)

Moses’ wife

This chapter refers to a wife of Moses who was a Cushite, which means that she was from the area that is now southern Egypt and northern Sudan. In [Exodus 2:21](../../exo/02/21.md), Moses marries a woman named Zipporah, but it is clear in the context that she is a Midianite (see [Exodus 2:16](../../exo/02/16.md)). It is possible that Zipporah could be identified both as a Cushite and as a Midianite. It is more likely that Moses married a second woman, who was a Cushite. However, since the text does not directly identify this woman, it is recommended that you refer to her as generally as [12:1](../12/01.md) does.

Skin disease

God punishes Miriam by making her suffer a skin disease. This specific skin disease disfigures her skin and makes it white. It is not certain exactly what skin disease it is. It is recommended that you use a general term for a skin disease. (See: leprosy)