Numbers 12 · The Lantern

The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron

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

And they said, Has the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? has he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men who were upon the face of the earth.)

Finally, though such and so magnificent works of faith and patience of Moses are related, never was he exalted by God with such praises as now, when he took the Ethiopian woman to wife. Now it is said of him, that "Moses was a man exceedingly meek above all men who are upon the earth."

[T]here are men in whom this struggle has ended in success; it was so with Moses, as we know; he was superior both to anger and to desire; the history testifying of him in both respects, that he was meek beyond all men (and by meekness it indicates the absence of all anger and a mind quite devoid of resentment), and that he desired none of those things about which we see the de…

What was the characteristic of Moses of old? "Moses was the meekest of all men on earth." One would not be wrong in describing this other Moses [i.e., Christ] in these same terms, for certainly the meekest of spirits is with him, being related to him by consubstantiality. In those days Moses stretched forth his hands to heaven and brought down the bread of angels, manna.

And the LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. And they three came out.

And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

And he said, Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream.

My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all my house.

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he look: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and indeed, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and she was leprous.

And Aaron said to Moses, Alas, my lord, I beg you, lay not the sin upon us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned.

Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.

And Moses cried to the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beg you.

And the LORD said to Moses, If her father had but 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.

And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

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

Numbers12

The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron