Miriam

Prophetess and Praise Singer

Der ExodusProphetLeaderc. 1535–1407 BC

Miriam was the older sister of Moses and Aaron. As a child, she watched over Moses in the basket of reeds on the Nile. She was a prophetess who led the women of Israel in praise after crossing the Red Sea. Her criticism of Moses led to leprosy, but she was healed after Moses interceded for her.

Familie

Schlüsselereignisse

By the Nile

The young Miriam watched over Moses in the basket of reeds and suggested to Pharaoh's daughter that they hire a Hebrew nurse—their own mother.

4His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
וַתֵּתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ ‬
7Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and find you a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for you?"
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ֮ אֶל־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֒ הַאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְקָרָ֤אתִי לָךְ֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה מֵינֶ֔קֶת מִ֖ן הָעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת וְתֵינִ֥ק לָ֖ךְ אֶת־הַיָּֽלֶד׃ ‬
8"Yes, go," said Pharaoh's daughter. So the girl went and called the child's mother.
וַתֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵ֑כִי וַתֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ הָֽעַלְמָ֔ה וַתִּקְרָ֖א אֶת־אֵ֥ם הַיָּֽלֶד׃ ‬

Song of Victory by the Sea

After crossing the Red Sea, Miriam took up a tambourine and led the women in song and dance to honor God.

20Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃ ‬
21And Miriam sang to them: Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Horse and rider he hurled into the sea.
וַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑ם שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ ס ‬

Criticism of Moses

Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses for his Cushite wife and challenged his unique role as God's spokesperson.

1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married—for he had married a Cushite woman.
וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃ ‬
2They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us as well?" And the LORD heard it.
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהוָֽה׃ ‬

Leprosy and Healing

God struck Miriam with leprosy, but Moses prayed for her and she was healed after seven days of isolation.

9The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he departed.
וַיִּֽחַרְאַ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ ‬
10When the cloud lifted from above the tent, there stood Miriam, her skin diseased, white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she was diseased.
וְהֶעָנָ֗ן סָ֚ר מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִרְיָ֖ם מְצֹרַ֣עַת כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג וַיִּ֧פֶן אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶל־מִרְיָ֖ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְצֹרָֽעַת׃ ‬
13So Moses cried out to the LORD, "Please, God, heal her!"
וַיִּצְעַ֣ק מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֕ל נָ֛א רְפָ֥א נָ֖א לָֽהּ׃ פ ‬
14The LORD answered Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, would she not be in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in."
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֙יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּאָסֵֽף׃ ‬
15So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was brought back.
וַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר מִרְיָ֛ם מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְהָעָם֙ לֹ֣א נָסַ֔ע עַד־הֵאָסֵ֖ף מִרְיָֽם׃ ‬

Death at Kadesh

Miriam died in Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and was buried there, near the end of the wilderness journey.

1In the first month the Israelites, the whole community, came to the wilderness of Zin, and the people settled at Kadesh. There Miriam died, and there she was buried.
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל כָּל־הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה מִדְבַּר־צִן֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב הָעָ֖ם בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ וַתָּ֤מָת שָׁם֙ מִרְיָ֔ם וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר שָֽׁם׃ ‬