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Matthew 10:36
And a man's foesshall be they of his own household.

Matthew 12:48
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

John 7:5
For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Ethiopian or Cushite

Exodus 2:16,21
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drewwater, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock…

married.

Genesis 24:3,37
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: …

Genesis 26:34,35
And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: …

Genesis 27:46
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as thesewhich are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

because of the Cushite woman he had married
The identity of the Cushite woman is debated. Cush typically refers to a region south of Egypt, often associated with modern-day Sudan or Ethiopia. This suggests that Moses' wife was of African descent, which may have been a point of contention due to ethnic and cultural differences. Some scholars propose that this woman could be Zipporah, Moses' Midianite wife (Exodus 2:21), suggesting that "Cushite" might refer to her appearance or a different aspect of her identity. The mention of her ethnicity highlights issues of racial and cultural acceptance, which are still relevant today.

for he had taken a Cushite wife
The repetition emphasizes the reason for Miriam and Aaron's criticism. It suggests that their issue was not just with Moses' leadership but specifically with his marriage to a foreign woman. This reflects broader themes in the Old Testament regarding intermarriage with non-Israelites, which was often discouraged to prevent idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). However, Moses' marriage to a Cushite woman also prefigures the inclusive nature of God's covenant, which ultimately extends to all nations through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:28). This incident serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty in choosing leaders and His broader plan for humanity.

• The word “Then” links chapter 12 to the events just before it, underscoring a real, historical timeline.Numbers 11 closes with the LORD judging Israel’s complaints (Numbers 11:33-35). Immediately afterward, another complaint surfaces—this time from Moses’ own siblings.

• This progression shows how quickly discontent can resurface even after divine discipline, echoing the cycle inExodus 15-17.

• Both are named, but Miriam is listed first. The same pattern appears inExodus 15:20-21 where she leads Israel in worship, highlighting her prominence.

• Aaron, the high priest (Exodus 28:1), joins her. Sibling unity is meant for mutual support (Psalm 133:1), yet here it becomes a platform for criticism.

• Scripture repeatedly warns that spiritual leadership does not exempt one from falling into sin (James 3:1;1 Corinthians 10:12).

• The verb indicates open verbal opposition. This is not a private concern but a public challenge, as confirmed by the LORD’s immediate intervention inNumbers 12:4-9.

• Earlier, Israel’s grumbling targeted God’s provision; now it targets God’s chosen mediator. Opposition to God-ordained leadership ultimately challenges God Himself (Romans 13:1-2).

• Moses is later called “very humble, more than any man on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3), contrasting their pride with his humility (Philippians 2:3).

• “Cushite” points to someone from Cush (modern Sudan/Ethiopia), a region south of Egypt (Isaiah 18:1-2;Jeremiah 13:23).

• Their complaint centers on ethnicity, revealing prejudice. Scripture affirms the equal worth of all peoples—Abraham’s blessing was for “all nations” (Genesis 12:3), and the gospel reaches every tribe and tongue (Revelation 7:9).

• God never condemns Moses for this marriage, but He does condemn Miriam and Aaron for their attitude, exposing the sinfulness of ethnic pride (Acts 10:34-35).

• Moses’ marriage is stated as fact. The text offers no hint of wrongdoing in the union itself. The absence of divine rebuke toward Moses implies divine approval.

• Earlier, Moses married Zipporah of Midian (Exodus 2:21). Whether the Cushite woman is Zipporah or a second wife, the focus is not on polygamy or chronology but on Miriam and Aaron’s heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

• Their fixation on a personal detail masks a deeper power struggle revealed in verse 2: “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?”—a classic tactic of envy (James 3:14-16).

• Scripture repeats the reason, emphasizing the real issue: their complaint rests on a surface rationale, but God exposes the underlying rebellion.

• Repetition in Hebrew narrative spotlights what readers must not miss (Genesis 41:32). Here, it underlines that ethnic bias was merely the pretext for challenging Moses’ authority.

• The LORD’s response—striking Miriam with leprosy (Numbers 12:10)—targets the very area of complaint: skin. The punishment matches the sin, vividly reinforcing God’s stance against prejudice (Galatians 6:7).

Numbers 12:1 records a historical moment when Miriam and Aaron, spiritual leaders and siblings of Moses, allow envy and ethnic bias to erupt into open criticism. Their focus on Moses’ Cushite wife serves as a veneer for a deeper rebellion against God-appointed authority. The passage warns believers against cloaking pride in pious-sounding objections, reminds us that God values every ethnicity equally, and calls us to humble submission to His chosen leadership—echoing timeless truths affirmed throughout Scripture.

(1)And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses.--Miriam appears to have been the leader in this insurrection against the authority of Moses. Her name occurs before that of Aaron, either as the nearer or as the more prominent subject; and the verb which is rendered "spake" is in the feminine gender. Moreover, the judgment which was inflicted (Numbers 12:10) fell upon Miriam, not upon Aaron. who seems to have yielded to the suggestions of Miriam, as he had previously done to the request of the Israelites in regard to the golden calf.

Because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married.--Some suppose that the reference is to Zipporah, who may have been included amongst the Asiatic division of the Ethiopians, or Cushites (comp.Habakkuk 3:7, where the tents of Cushan, or Cush, are coupled with the curtains of Midian), and that the occasion of the opposition to Moses was the undue influence which he is supposed to have allowed Hobab and other members of Zipporah's family to exercise over him. This supposition, however, seems improbable on many accounts. The words, "for he had married an Ethiopian (or Cushite) woman," naturally point to some recent occurrence, not to one which had taken place more than forty years previously, and which is, therefore, very unlikely to have given occasion to the murmuring of Miriam and Aaron at this time. Moreover, the murmuring is expressly connected with the Cushite herself, not with any of the subsequent or incidental results of the marriage. It seems, therefore, much more probable that Zipporah was dead, and that Moses had married one of the African Cushites who had accompanied the Israelites in their march out of Egypt, or one of the Cushites who dwelt in Arabia, and who were found at this time in the neighbourhood of Sinai. A similar marriage had been contracted by Joseph, and such marriages were not forbidden by the Law, which prohibited marriage with the Canaanites (Exodus 34:16).

(1) because her name stands first;

(2) because the verb "spake" is in the feminine (יַתְּדַבֵּר, "and she said");

(3) because the ground of annoyance was a peculiarly feminine one, amesalliance; . . .

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