Miriam Is Punished

Miriam Is Punished

Q: When Miriam complained against Moses, she

• a. was struck with blindness.
• b. became paralyzed.
• c. was stricken with leprosy.

Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were godly siblings, but they were also human. Miriam and Aaron became jealous of Moses. They questioned his leadership. “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?”

God called the three of them into the Tabernacle. He told them his relationship with Moses was special because he spoke directly to Moses, not in dreams or in visions like he’d done with other prophets. God was angry with Moses’ siblings for questioning Moses’ authority, and Miriam was struck with leprosy.

Why wasn’t Aaron struck with the same disease? It could have been because Miriam started the complaining, or it might have been because Aaron was the high priest. If he had leprosy, he’d have been considered unclean and would have had to live separately from everyone else. He wouldn’t have been able to perform the duties of the high priest.

Aaron pleaded with Moses for Miriam not to be punished in that way. Moses cried out to the Lord on his sister’s behalf. God listened to Moses and said Miriam must live outside the camp for seven days. Then she would be considered clean according to Jewish law and could return to the camp.

For those seven days, the people camped and waited. Then they resumed their journey.

While sibling squabbles are normal, questioning the people God puts in authority isn’t acceptable to the Lord. God wants you to accept the authority he places over you and experience his blessings.

For You

You may not agree with everything your parents do, but they are the ones God has appointed to raise you. God knows they aren’t perfect, and they’ll make mistakes, but his command to honor your father and mother still stands.

Answer: c

As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy.   Numbers 12:10

(The Whole Story: Numbers 12)