Why is miriam a prophet

However, it is debatable if her words on this occasion are prophecy. Rather, they are an exhortation. In Micah , God speaks to the people of Judah. He reminds them of three saving actions he did for the Israelites, and he mentions Miriam and her brothers as leaders.

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Micah NRSV. God, or Micah who records these words, gives no indication that Miriam only led women. The Bible nowhere states or implies that Miriam instructed only women. On the contrary, we get the impression that Israel acknowledged the authority of God-ordained women leaders to the same extent as their male counterparts.

I suspect that people who downplay the ministry of Bible women are reading their own ideas and misconceptions into the text. The biblical authors who mention Miriam give no hint whatsoever that she prophesied to, ministered to, or led only women. Rather, it appears she was respected by the entire community as a prophet and prominent leading figure, a leader sent by God.

Click To Tweet. In Exodus , she leads Israel in a celebration of victory. In Numbers , she and Aaron criticise Moses, and Miriam is punished by getting a skin disease.

In Numbers , she dies and is buried in Kadesh. In Deuteronomy , God mentions Miriam and her skin disease as a warning to all Israel. It may be no coincidence that this is the time and place, or that it is Miriam who steps forward. The women who saved Moses as a baby have now seen their brave choices pay off in the final elimination of the Egyptians. And who better than Miriam to lead them in celebrating their accomplishments?

Has he not spoken through us as well? When the divine communication is over, Miriam finds herself struck with skin disease commonly translated as leprosy , but not in fact identifiable as that specific ailment. It is a mark of her status that, despite being so prominently punished for her insubordination, the Israelites do not continue on their journey until Miriam is healed. This article was originally published in CT Women, Christianity Today 's vertical platforming women's voices.

Current Issue. Read This Issue. Already a subscriber? Log in. The largest Baptist and Methodist schools are among the first to challenge the requirements for employees as unauthorized and unconstitutional. Thomas Schirrmacher hopes to lead Christians into conversations, cooperation, and witness. From Her. Rabbah ; Midrash Samuel Another explanation of her name relates to her behavior toward Pharaoh. Rabbah , loc. Another explanation of her name is related to the birth of Moses.

In another exegetical account, she was called Puah because of her insolence, which—in this depiction—was directed against her father Amram, in protest against his abstinence from his wife when Pharaoh ordered that the Israelite boys be cast into the Nile Ex.

Rabbah loc. Another etymological tradition explains that she was so named because she cried out poah and wept for her brother Moses when he was cast into the river Sifrei on Numbers, According to the Rabbis, her reward for not heeding Pharaoh was having progeny who would be sages and kings.

One of her descendants was Bezalel, who was filled with wisdom, as Ex. Rabbah ; for the tradition that Miriam was married to Caleb. Another tradition attributes royalty to her by merit of her conduct, for King David was descended from her Sifrei on Numbers loc. These traditions are exegetical expansions of the description in Ex. Miriam is first mentioned by name at the Song at the Sea Ex. All the women followed her [ aharekha ] in dance [ bi-meholot ], which led the Rabbis to call her Aharhel, a name that appears in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah in I Chron.

Rabbah Miriam is portrayed as an integral member of the Moses-Aaron-Miriam leadership triumvirate. According to another view, the three branches are the manna, the pillar of cloud, and the well BT Hullin 92a , which are the three gifts that Israel received by merit of its three leaders. The Rabbis also compare various aspects of the death of the three.

The midrash relates that the Israelite camps set out with only Miriam in their lead Sifrei on Deuteronomy, The description in Num. The well, according to the Rabbis, was one of the things created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight M Avot ; they depict it as a wondrous well that flowed from itself, like a rock full of holes T Booth erected for residence during the holiday of Sukkot. Sukkah The midrash lists the well among the three gifts that were given to Israel by merit of their leaders.

The manna was given on account of Moses, the pillar of cloud, by merit of Aaron, and the well, by merit of Miriam. The well that then reappeared by merit of Moses is the one mentioned in the song of the well Num. According to the Statements that are not Scripturally dependent and that pertain to ethics, traditions and actions of the Rabbis; the non-legal non- halakhic material of the Talmud.

They relate to the content of her statements, the connection between her criticism of the Cushite woman and what she says about the special standing enjoyed by Moses, and her motivation for speaking in this manner. The topic of the Cushite woman raised considerable difficulties for the Rabbis, since the Torah does not state that Moses took another wife, nor does it speak of additional children that she bore him.

If so, then what flaw did Miriam and Aaron find in her when they spoke against Moses Num.