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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Miriam speaketh Aaron also against Moses concerning the circumstance of the Cushite woman whom he had taken: for a Cushite woman he had taken; |
Miriam – Typifying those who fail to recognize Christ as the leader of spiritual Israel and who fail to honor those whom he uses as his mouthpieces and servants. R4037:5
Her jealousy-poisoned mind began to see evidences that the Lord had forsaken Moses. R5308:2
And Aaron – Busy-bodying in other men's matters. R3061:4
A weak character; as shown on this occasion and when he made the golden calf. R5308:3
Spake against Moses – While both participated in the sin, Miriam was the leading spirit. R5308:1
An Ethiopian woman – A Negress. R3042:6
The start of the matter was a question of family pride. R5308:1
The Lord could have hindered the marriage. He probably favored it so the Jews would not choose Moses' children as his successors; they were supposed to look to the Lord as their leader. R3061:4
Of an alien race, she replaced Miriam as first lady, arousing Miriam's jealousy on religious grounds. R5308:1
Zipporah, typifying the Bride of Christ. R1651:6
Perhaps Moses' first wife had died, and Zipporah was his second wife. R5308:1
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| 2 and they say, 'Only by Moses hath Jehovah spoken also by us hath he not spoken ' and Jehovah heareth. |
They said – Miriam began to spread her seditious suggestions throughout the camp of Israel. R5308:3
Also by us – Miriam had been recognized by the Lord as a prophetess and Aaron had been used as the mouthpiece of Moses. R5308:2
The LORD heard it – The Lord is not inattentive to his own business. R5308:3
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| 3 And the man Moses [is] very humble, more than any of the men who [are] on the face of the ground. |
Was very meek – Thus a suitable type of the meek and lowly Nazarene and of the members of his Body. R1651:3
If Moses had been proud and arrogant he would have been unfit for the duties and responsibilities which devolved upon him as the leader of his people out of Egypt to the borders of Canaan. R5252:1
Meekness was a marked characteristic of all the prophets and Ancient Worthies. R1921:1
Yet it was this same Moses who was hindered from entering the promised land as a punishment for spiritual pride. R5957:3, R4047:4, R3866:4
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| 4 And Jehovah saith suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, 'Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting;' and they three come out. |
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| 5 And Jehovah cometh down in the pillar of the cloud, and standeth at the opening of the tent, and calleth Aaron and Miriam, and they come out both of them. |
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| 6 And He saith, 'Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him; |
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| 7 not so My servant Moses; in all My house he [is] stedfast; |
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| 8 mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and [by] an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant against Moses ' |
Mouth to mouth – Not through dreams and visions, but in plain language. R5308:4
Similitude of the LORD – Moses was granted a closer approach to the divine presence; it may be that our Lord Jesus, as Michael, especially represented the Father with Moses. R4055:2
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| 9 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on, |
Anger of the LORD – Typifying God's indignation against those who fail to recognize him as leader of spiritual Israel and fail to honor those whom he uses as his mouthpieces and servants. R4037:5
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| 10 and the cloud hath turned aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam [is] leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth unto Miriam, and lo, leprous! |
She was leprous – Aaron realized that he had assisted and upheld his sister in a sinful course. R5308:4
Such prompt dealing with sin will be the regular order under the Messianic Kingdom. R5308:6
Leprosy: typifying sin. R5308:5
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| 11 And Aaron saith unto Moses, 'O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin [in] which we have been foolish, and [in] which we have sinned; |
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| 12 let her not, I pray thee, be as [one] dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother the half of his flesh is consumed.' |
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| 13 And Moses crieth unto Jehovah, saying, 'O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.' |
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| 14 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'And her father had but spat in her face is she not ashamed seven days she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she is gathered.' |
Seven days – Type of a full and complete period of tests as respects a putting away of sin. R5308:5
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| 15 And Miriam is shut out at the outside of the camp seven days, and the people hath not journeyed till Miriam is gathered; |
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| 16 and afterwards have the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and they encamp in the wilderness of Paran. |
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