Numbers 12:1
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Numbers 12:1 in other translations
| BSB | Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife. |
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| WEB | Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. |
| ASV | And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. |
| YLT | 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; |
| DARBY | And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had taken; for he had taken a Cushite as wife. |
| BBE | Now Miriam and Aaron said evil against Moses, because of the Cushite woman to whom he was married, for he had taken a Cushite woman as his wife. |
| Webster | And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married: for he had married a Cushite woman. |
What does Numbers 12:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Nu 12:1-9. Miriam's and Aaron's Sedition.
1. an Ethiopian woman--Hebrew, "a Cushite woman"--Arabia was usually called in Scripture the land of Cush, its inhabitants being descendants of that son of Ham (see on Ex 2:15) and being accounted generally a vile and contemptible race (see on Am 9:7). The occasion of this seditious outbreak on the part of Miriam and Aaron against Moses was the great change made in the government by the adoption of the seventy rulers [Nu 11:16]. Their irritating disparagement of his wife (who, in all probability, was Zipporah [Ex 2:21], and not a second wife he had recently married) arose from jealousy of the relatives, through whose influence the innovation had been first made (Ex 18:13-26), while they were overlooked or neglected. Miriam is mentioned before Aaron as being the chief instigator and leader of the sedition.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
Miriam and Aaron raise a sedition against Moses, because of the Ethiopian woman he had married, Num 12:1, and through jealousy of his increasing power and authority, Num 12:2. The character of Moses, Num 12:3. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam are suddenly called to the tabernacle, Num 12:4. The Lord appears in the pillar of the cloud, and converses with them, Num 12:5. Declares his purpose to communicate his will to Moses only, Num 12:6-8. His anger is kindled against Miriam, and she is smitten with the leprosy, Num 12:9, Num 12:10. Aaron deplores his transgression, and entreats for Miriam, Num 12:11, Num 12:12. Moses intercedes for her, Num 12:13. The Lord requires that she be shut out of the camp for seven days, Num 12:14. The people rest till she is restored, Num 12:15, and afterwards leave Hazeroth, and pitch in the wilderness of Paran, Num 12:16. Verse 1 Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses - It appears that jealousy of the power and influence of Moses was the real cause of their complaint though his having married an Ethiopian woman-האשה הכשית haishshah haccushith - That Woman, the Cushite, probably meaning Zipporah, who was an Arab born in the land of Midian - was the ostensible cause.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 12:1-9
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Numbers 12:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Numbers 12:1
- Exodus 2:21
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
- 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: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
- 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 these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
- Genesis 24:37
And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
- Galatians 4:16
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
- Genesis 28:6-9
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padan–aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan–aram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
- Matthew 10:36
And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
- John 7:5
For neither did his brethren believe in him.
- Genesis 24:3
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 34:14-15
And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
- Leviticus 21:14
A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
- Genesis 41:45
And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath–paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti–pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
11 Miriam's leprosy is healed at the prayer of Moses.
14 God commands her to be shut out of the host.
16 The people encamp in the wilderness of Paran.
Miriam.
Mt 10:36; 12:48; Joh 7:5; 15:20; Ga 4:16
Ethiopian. or, Cushite.
Ex 2:16,21
married. Heb. taken.
Ge 24:3,37; 26:34,35; 27:46; 28:6-9; 34:14,15; 41:45; Ex 34:16
Le 21:14
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Numbers 12:1
And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
- Numbers 12:2
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 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y HABLARON María y Aarón contra Moisés á causa de la mujer Ethiope que había tomado: porque él había tomado mujer Ethiope. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | *Et Marie et Aaron parlèrent contre Moïse à l’occasion de la femme éthiopienne qu’il avait prise, car il avait pris une femme éthiopienne. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und Mirjam und Aaron redeten wider Mose wegen des kuschitischen Weibes, das er genommen hatte; denn er hatte ein kuschitisches Weib genommen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Locutaque est Maria et Aaron contra Moysen propter uxorem ejus Æthiopissam, |