The Humble Servant

Numbers 12 moves from a national complaint to a family conflict. Miriam and Aaron, Moses' own sister and brother, spoke against him because of the Cushite woman whom he had married. The text does not tell us more about her, and we should not guess. Their real grievance surfaced quickly: Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn't he spoken also with us? And Yahweh heard it.

The narrator pauses to say, Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth. Moses did not answer the attack. Instead, God suddenly summoned all three to the Tent of Meeting, came down in a pillar of cloud, and spoke. With ordinary prophets He spoke in visions and dreams, but with Moses He spoke mouth to mouth, plainly, and Moses beheld His form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

When the cloud lifted, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron confessed, We have done foolishly, and pleaded with Moses. Moses cried out, Heal her, God, I beg you! God required her to be shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not move on until she was restored. Moses shows the humility Jesus later taught: bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28). Hebrews 3:5-6 honors Moses as faithful in God's house as a servant, and Christ as faithful over it as a Son.