And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
Aaron and Miriam united in questioning Moses, asking whether the Lord had spoken only by him and claiming He had also spoken by them. Their challenge grew from jealousy, envy and ambition at feeling disregarded and set second, especially after seventy elders were chosen without them, after displeasure over his marriage and the counsel of Jethro, and from thinking he took too much upon himself. The Lord heard those secret words of murmuring, for He hears all such private talk and the evil current it sets in motion. God vindicated His choice of Moses as meek and faithful above others by speaking with him mouth to mouth and not merely by vision or dream, and His wrath rested on Miriam when she was struck leprous and shut out of the camp seven days. Their murmuring stands on record as a rebuke and warning not to complain against those upon whom God lays the burden of His work, since envy only makes the burden heavier and speaking against His appointed servant is irreverence to God Himself.
Challenge Against Moses
Aaron and Miriam became one in mind to question Moses, asking whether the Lord had indeed spoken only by Moses and asserting that He had spoken also by them. Their words treated the fact that God had spoken through them as proof that they stood on equal ground with him.
They used that claim to demand equal position and authority with Moses, reasoning that since they had been chosen to aid him they bore the burden of the work as well as he did. On that ground they argued he had no reason to say his burden was too heavy for him and to ask for seventy judges and elders to help carry the work, for they supposed their own part meant the weight was already shared.
Their challenge arose from jealousy, envy, and ambition after they felt excluded and disregarded in leadership. It sharpened especially because seventy elders had been chosen without consulting them, which they took as neglect, while having never felt the responsibility and burdens Moses carried for the people they saw no real need for additional help.
The complaint began with displeasure over Moses' marriage, with Miriam imagining his wife had influenced him to consult them less about important matters. With it came resentment that he readily took the counsel of Jethro his father-in-law, with fear that Jethro had more influence over him than they had. It grew wholly from self, from thinking Moses regarded himself as superior and that they must ever stand as second, and from thinking he took too much upon himself.
Miriam led in the jealous spirit, and Aaron was drawn into sympathy with her words of complaint instead of refusing sympathy and setting the sinfulness of her conduct before her, when he could have prevented the evil. Together they joined in envy and murmuring against Moses and lost a sense that he was the Lord's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes. Satan fostered the feeling to carry forward the work he began in heaven, appearing as an angel of light professing great interest in the prosperity of Israel, and making things seen by the outward eye appear in accord with his working, though he could not touch the reasoning faculties or the eyes of the mind.
The verse declares that the Lord heard these secret words of murmuring. It means He hears all such private talk, and He understands the current of evil set into intense activity by words spoken in secret and by cherished principles that control character.
God Vindicates Moses
God had chosen Moses and put His Spirit upon him and laid the burden of His work upon him, and when Aaron and Miriam lost the sense that he was the chosen instrument to carry out the divine will and purposes, He revealed His displeasure at their forgetting. Moses held a uniquely close and faithful place in His service, and the challenge against him displeased Him because he was very meek above all men on the face of the earth and faithful in all His house. To complain against Moses was therefore irreverence not only to Moses but to God Himself who had chosen him. It displeased God because it was directed against His appointed servant and was speaking against His chosen servant.
The Lord answered the challenge by suddenly calling Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the tabernacle and coming down in the pillar of the cloud. There He declared that He spoke with Moses mouth to mouth and not by vision or dream as with other prophets. He affirmed that Moses held a greater place than a prophet and a uniquely close and faithful place in His service, and He rebuked their fearlessness in speaking against His servant. God's wrath then rested on Miriam for the complaint, and she was struck leprous white as snow. The cloud was removed from the tabernacle and did not return until she was removed out of the camp, and after Moses cried for her healing she was shut out of the camp seven days while the people waited until she was brought in again. This showed God's anger at the challenge and gave a warning to all Israel against rebellion and against speaking toward those entrusted with God's work.
The challenge had been made despite Miriam's honored position and despite the prophetic gifts and service of both Miriam and Aaron to Israel. God had established Moses as Israel's chief governor, while the priesthood had instead been assigned to Aaron and his sons.
Warning Against Murmuring
The murmurings in Numbers 12:2 stand on record as a rebuke and warning to all who yield to jealousy and complain against those upon whom God lays the burden of His work, and as a warning to all Israel not to speak against His established leadership. The questioning of whether the Lord had spoken only by Moses, with the claim that He had spoken also by them, was jealous complaint against God's chosen servant, and to speak against him was irreverence not only to Moses but to God Himself who had chosen him and put His Spirit upon him and laid the burden of His work upon him. Aaron was drawn into his sister's jealous spirit instead of preventing the evil by refusing sympathy and setting the sinfulness of her conduct before her, and Miriam led in challenging Moses' appointment while the Lord heard their words. The Lord revealed Himself to Moses more directly than to other prophets, speaking with him mouth to mouth and not by vision or dream, affirming that Moses held a greater place than a prophet. God's wrath rested on Miriam for the complaint, so that she was struck leprous, the cloud was removed from the tabernacle and did not return until she was removed out of the camp, and after being shut out seven days she was brought in again while the people waited, showing His anger and giving a warning against rebellion.
Those who do not take on a burden should not murmur against the person God has placed under it, for envy and jealousy only make the burden-bearer's burden heavier instead of helping him carry responsibilities for advancing God's work. The claim that God had spoken also by them arose from envy and jealousy and from thinking Moses took too much upon himself, and it displeased God because it was directed against His appointed servant who held a uniquely close and faithful place in His service. The complaint that credit is given to another while one's own ideas and work are sunk out of sight is rebuked by the declaration that the Lord heard these secret words of murmuring, meaning He hears all such private talk and understands the current of evil set into intense activity by words spoken in secret and by cherished principles that control character. Everyone in secret conferences to obtain sympathy is therefore to remember that a Witness is present to hear every word even in the secret chamber, and that remembrance would restrain private communications that leaven minds with exalted ideas and evil suggestions voicing the great deceiver.
The verse warns against criticizing and condemning brethren by speaking disrespect and contempt against God's servants and missionary workers and disparaging their work because they do not work exactly after one's own plans. It forbids putting one's own estimate upon God's messengers and cutting away their appointed influence out of evil surmising and seeking to be first, and it calls for sacredly guarding the interests of one another and not giving loose rein to the tongue in criticism. Those who feel at liberty to criticize are wholly out of sympathy with God and angels, and just as they judge others in little things so God will judge them in the things they have done which dishonor His name, so that a similar course will meet His signal displeasure. The Lord requires those in positions of responsibility to be doers of His Word in little as well as large things, and the leaven of Pharisaism, criticism, and accusing must be purged out of the heart.
The same spirit appears when people challenge a warning by claiming that God speaks through them as well as through the one delivering it, which rejects God's message and does not excuse continuing in impure conduct that leaves lives defiled while the Lord hears the challenge and the people remain unchanged. It appears when people claim that God has spoken through them as well as through Moses in order to insist on their own judgment and seek to act as an independent body rather than work in unity and cooperation with God's people. It appears in those who resent not receiving honor for their judgment and claim authority to act independently, and the verse warns against such self-exalting claims that resist God's appointed order and cooperation in His work.
Aaron and Miriam united in questioning Moses, asking whether the Lord had spoken only by him and claiming He had also spoken by them. Their challenge grew from jealousy, envy and ambition at feeling disregarded and set second, especially after seventy elders were chosen without them, after displeasure over his marriage and the counsel of Jethro, and from thinking he took too much upon himself. The Lord heard those secret words of murmuring, for He hears all such private talk and the evil current it sets in motion. God vindicated His choice of Moses as meek and faithful above others by speaking with him mouth to mouth and not merely by vision or dream, and His wrath rested on Miriam when she was struck leprous and shut out of the camp seven days. Their murmuring stands on record as a rebuke and warning not to complain against those upon whom God lays the burden of His work, since envy only makes the burden heavier and speaking against His appointed servant is irreverence to God Himself.
Challenge Against Moses
Aaron and Miriam became one in mind to question Moses, asking whether the Lord had indeed spoken only by Moses and asserting that He had spoken also by them. Their words treated the fact that God had spoken through them as proof that they stood on equal ground with him.
They used that claim to demand equal position and authority with Moses, reasoning that since they had been chosen to aid him they bore the burden of the work as well as he did. On that ground they argued he had no reason to say his burden was too heavy for him and to ask for seventy judges and elders to help carry the work, for they supposed their own part meant the weight was already shared.
Their challenge arose from jealousy, envy, and ambition after they felt excluded and disregarded in leadership. It sharpened especially because seventy elders had been chosen without consulting them, which they took as neglect, while having never felt the responsibility and burdens Moses carried for the people they saw no real need for additional help.
The complaint began with displeasure over Moses' marriage, with Miriam imagining his wife had influenced him to consult them less about important matters. With it came resentment that he readily took the counsel of Jethro his father-in-law, with fear that Jethro had more influence over him than they had. It grew wholly from self, from thinking Moses regarded himself as superior and that they must ever stand as second, and from thinking he took too much upon himself.
Miriam led in the jealous spirit, and Aaron was drawn into sympathy with her words of complaint instead of refusing sympathy and setting the sinfulness of her conduct before her, when he could have prevented the evil. Together they joined in envy and murmuring against Moses and lost a sense that he was the Lord's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes. Satan fostered the feeling to carry forward the work he began in heaven, appearing as an angel of light professing great interest in the prosperity of Israel, and making things seen by the outward eye appear in accord with his working, though he could not touch the reasoning faculties or the eyes of the mind.
The verse declares that the Lord heard these secret words of murmuring. It means He hears all such private talk, and He understands the current of evil set into intense activity by words spoken in secret and by cherished principles that control character.
God Vindicates Moses
God had chosen Moses and put His Spirit upon him and laid the burden of His work upon him, and when Aaron and Miriam lost the sense that he was the chosen instrument to carry out the divine will and purposes, He revealed His displeasure at their forgetting. Moses held a uniquely close and faithful place in His service, and the challenge against him displeased Him because he was very meek above all men on the face of the earth and faithful in all His house. To complain against Moses was therefore irreverence not only to Moses but to God Himself who had chosen him. It displeased God because it was directed against His appointed servant and was speaking against His chosen servant.
The Lord answered the challenge by suddenly calling Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to the tabernacle and coming down in the pillar of the cloud. There He declared that He spoke with Moses mouth to mouth and not by vision or dream as with other prophets. He affirmed that Moses held a greater place than a prophet and a uniquely close and faithful place in His service, and He rebuked their fearlessness in speaking against His servant. God's wrath then rested on Miriam for the complaint, and she was struck leprous white as snow. The cloud was removed from the tabernacle and did not return until she was removed out of the camp, and after Moses cried for her healing she was shut out of the camp seven days while the people waited until she was brought in again. This showed God's anger at the challenge and gave a warning to all Israel against rebellion and against speaking toward those entrusted with God's work.
The challenge had been made despite Miriam's honored position and despite the prophetic gifts and service of both Miriam and Aaron to Israel. God had established Moses as Israel's chief governor, while the priesthood had instead been assigned to Aaron and his sons.
Warning Against Murmuring
The murmurings in Numbers 12:2 stand on record as a rebuke and warning to all who yield to jealousy and complain against those upon whom God lays the burden of His work, and as a warning to all Israel not to speak against His established leadership. The questioning of whether the Lord had spoken only by Moses, with the claim that He had spoken also by them, was jealous complaint against God's chosen servant, and to speak against him was irreverence not only to Moses but to God Himself who had chosen him and put His Spirit upon him and laid the burden of His work upon him. Aaron was drawn into his sister's jealous spirit instead of preventing the evil by refusing sympathy and setting the sinfulness of her conduct before her, and Miriam led in challenging Moses' appointment while the Lord heard their words. The Lord revealed Himself to Moses more directly than to other prophets, speaking with him mouth to mouth and not by vision or dream, affirming that Moses held a greater place than a prophet. God's wrath rested on Miriam for the complaint, so that she was struck leprous, the cloud was removed from the tabernacle and did not return until she was removed out of the camp, and after being shut out seven days she was brought in again while the people waited, showing His anger and giving a warning against rebellion.
Those who do not take on a burden should not murmur against the person God has placed under it, for envy and jealousy only make the burden-bearer's burden heavier instead of helping him carry responsibilities for advancing God's work. The claim that God had spoken also by them arose from envy and jealousy and from thinking Moses took too much upon himself, and it displeased God because it was directed against His appointed servant who held a uniquely close and faithful place in His service. The complaint that credit is given to another while one's own ideas and work are sunk out of sight is rebuked by the declaration that the Lord heard these secret words of murmuring, meaning He hears all such private talk and understands the current of evil set into intense activity by words spoken in secret and by cherished principles that control character. Everyone in secret conferences to obtain sympathy is therefore to remember that a Witness is present to hear every word even in the secret chamber, and that remembrance would restrain private communications that leaven minds with exalted ideas and evil suggestions voicing the great deceiver.
The verse warns against criticizing and condemning brethren by speaking disrespect and contempt against God's servants and missionary workers and disparaging their work because they do not work exactly after one's own plans. It forbids putting one's own estimate upon God's messengers and cutting away their appointed influence out of evil surmising and seeking to be first, and it calls for sacredly guarding the interests of one another and not giving loose rein to the tongue in criticism. Those who feel at liberty to criticize are wholly out of sympathy with God and angels, and just as they judge others in little things so God will judge them in the things they have done which dishonor His name, so that a similar course will meet His signal displeasure. The Lord requires those in positions of responsibility to be doers of His Word in little as well as large things, and the leaven of Pharisaism, criticism, and accusing must be purged out of the heart.
The same spirit appears when people challenge a warning by claiming that God speaks through them as well as through the one delivering it, which rejects God's message and does not excuse continuing in impure conduct that leaves lives defiled while the Lord hears the challenge and the people remain unchanged. It appears when people claim that God has spoken through them as well as through Moses in order to insist on their own judgment and seek to act as an independent body rather than work in unity and cooperation with God's people. It appears in those who resent not receiving honor for their judgment and claim authority to act independently, and the verse warns against such self-exalting claims that resist God's appointed order and cooperation in His work.