The complaining reaches the leadership itself. Miriam and Aaron — a prophetess and the high priest — criticise Moses over his wife, but the real grievance leaks out in the next breath: does God really speak only through him? God calls all three to the tent, states plainly what Moses is to Him, and Miriam walks out leprous. Moses, the man being attacked, is the one who prays for her.
A study in Numbers 12 · Arthur Baldwin · StandUp4Jesus.Org · 7 min read
Hath The LORD Indeed Spoken Only By Moses
“And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married… And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.”
Numbers 12:1-2
The stated complaint is about Moses’ wife; the actual complaint follows immediately: they want equal standing. Miriam is named first and the verb is feminine, so she seems to have led it. Both of them were genuinely used by God — and that made the jealousy worse, not better. “And the LORD heard it” is the whole hinge of the chapter.
“Envy is one of the most satanic traits that can exist in the human heart, and it is one of the most baleful in its effects. Says the wise man, ‘Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?’ Proverbs 27:4.”
Ellen G. White · Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 385
The Man Moses Was Very Meek
“(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)”
Numbers 12:3
The verse is a parenthesis, dropped in exactly where Moses is being slandered, and it explains his silence: he does not answer them. Meekness is not weakness — this is the man who faced down Pharaoh — it is strength that does not need to defend itself, because it has left the defending to God. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty” (Proverbs 16:32).
My Servant Moses Is Faithful In All Mine House
“If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision… My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches… wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
Numbers 12:6-8
God does not treat this as a personnel dispute. He draws a sharp line: other prophets get visions and dreams; Moses gets plain speech, face to face, and a sight of God’s form. To attack the person God speaks with most directly is a serious thing — “were ye not afraid?” Hebrews takes up this same verse: “Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant… but Christ as a son over his own house” (Hebrews 3:5-6). Moses is the faithful servant; Christ is the Son.
Heal Her Now, O God, I Beseech Thee
“And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow… And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.”
Numbers 12:10, 13
Miriam bears the visible mark; Aaron the priest is spared the disease but has to stand there and confess, “we have done foolishly.” And the moment Moses sees his sister struck, he prays for her — the shortest, most generous prayer in the book. She is shut outside the camp seven days, and the whole nation waits and does not move until she is brought back in. God rebukes the sin publicly and heals it fully.
“The Bible specially teaches us to beware of lightly bringing accusation against those whom God has called to act as His ambassadors.”
Ellen G. White · Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 386
From Kadesh, just ahead, the nation will make its worst decision — when twelve men come back from the land and ten of them are afraid.
