Miriam and Aaron were Moses’ blood relatives and were both prophets (Exo. 4:10-16; 6:30; 7:1; 15:20). Their word here indicates that, being older than Moses, they regarded themselves higher than Moses and were jealous of the greater respect that Moses received. Miriam and Aaron took Moses’ apparent mistake in marrying a Cushite woman as an excuse to slander him (v. 1); however, the real issue here concerned the question of who had God’s oracle. Although Miriam and Aaron were used by God to speak for Him, neither was God’s spokesman; only one, Moses, had the oracle of God. Being jealous of Moses, Miriam and Aaron were in rivalry with Moses in the matter of speaking for God.

In speaking against Moses, Miriam and Aaron were speaking against the deputy authority of God. God had appointed Moses to be His deputy authority, His representative authority on earth (Exo. 3:10-18; 7:1). According to God’s governmental administration, Miriam and Aaron should have submitted themselves to Moses. But they rebelled.

Or, humble.

God took the slander of Miriam and Aaron seriously because this matter challenged God’s authority, thus assailing God’s throne.

Or, prophet of Jehovah among you, I will make Myself known…

Or, He is entrusted with all My house.

Miriam’s becoming leprous was God’s governmental dealing. God punished Miriam but not Aaron because it is likely that Miriam took the lead and was the instigator in this rebellion. Moreover, because rebellion is particularly unseemly for a female, God punished Miriam to warn and alarm all the females among the children of Israel, so that they would not follow Miriam (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-24).

Moses’ praying for Miriam is a further indication of Moses’ meekness (v. 3). See note Matt. 5:5^1a.