Numbers 12

The short chapter today is interesting on several levels. For starters, Moses' siblings - Aaron and Miriam - who were helping to lead the Israelites seem to have become jealous of Moses on some level. They complained of his marriage to an "Ethiopian", but then switch tracks and suggest that they too have been given the gift of prophesy and should be qualified to lead. God has Moses' back in this, though, and gives them both a stern talking to. Furthermore, he strikes Miriam with leprosy... though at the behest of Moses he makes it temporary, rather then a permanent ailment.

What stood out to me was as follows:

- The description of Moses as "very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth." (verse 3, NET). This is especially odd to find here, as I thought that Numbers was written by Moses himself; perhaps God insisted that he include this, or maybe his scribe (if he was dictating) added that touch.

- Miriam was struck with leprosy, but Aaron was not. I wonder why God didn't strike them both? Actually, now that I think about it I bet I know the answer: Aaron was the high priest, but having leprosy would have made him ceremonially unclean and not fit for his post.

- The first complaint leveled against Moses in the opening verses is that he married an Ethiopian, but I thought that his wife Zippora (sp?) was from Midian. Perhaps she was of Ethiopian descent, though, or maybe just darker skinned like someone from that region - or could Moses have married a second time?

Exodus 15

I'm sure it losses something in translation to English, but the song from today's chapter is very cool nonetheless. At least for a short time it looks like the Israelites understood God's power and His love for them, though they will continue to doubt and sometimes fall away from His way.

I also noticed that Miriam is mentioned here as being Aaron's sister, rather than Moses' (or both). I wonder why that was - after all, weren't Moses and Aaron brothers? Maybe she was a sister-in-law or some such.