MIRIAM |
ON THIS PAGE: Miriam Saves her Brother Moses The
Historical Setting of this story
Activities and Focus Questions Activities and Focus Questions
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THE STORY OF MIRIAM Miriam
means ‘prophetess’ or ‘lady’ The
story of Miriam contains four different episodes: 2
The song of Miriam, Exodus 15:20-21. This fragment of the Song of Miriam
is one of the oldest poetic couplets in the Old Testament. It is an
example of a literary genre devoted to celebrating military victories with triumphal poems. 3
Miriam’s ordeal, Numbers 12. This story is about the authority of
established law. Moses was the great lawgiver of the Hebrew people
Moses’ legislation formed the basis of Hebrew life. The story
acknowledged that Miriam and Aaron were both popular leaders, but they
were bound by the Law, represented by Moses. 4
Miriam’s death, Numbers 20:1-2. Miriam died in a waterless place in the
wilderness, but God subsequently caused water to appear there. The Exodus was the great founding event of the Jewish people. It had three major themes:
MIRIAM
SAVES HER BROTHER MOSES The Pharaoh in this story, thought to be Ramses II, grew concerned about the large number of foreign workers in Egypt. (See end of page for historical background and information about the lives of women.) He decided to limit the Hebrew
population by ordering midwives to kill male babies born to Hebrew women.
Two of the midwives were woman called Shiprah and Puah. They would not
co-operate with the Pharaoh’s order, but instead let the babies live. When
questioned, they said that the Hebrew women were vigorous and strong and
gave birth before a mid-wife had time to arrive. In this way they
circumvented the Pharaoh’s command. He responded by ordering
that all male babies be thrown into the Nile river. |
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Pharoah's daughter adopts the baby Moses |
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Read
Exodus 2:1-10 The
baby was Moses, and the Hebrew woman, Jochebed, and her daughter Miriam saved
him by hiding him among the reeds at the edge of the river. He was found
by Pharaoh’s own daughter, who adopted him. Cleverly, Miriam arranged
that the real mother of the baby should be a wet-nurse for the baby. |
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One
way or another, the women in this story are all givers of life. THE
SONG OF MIRIAM Miriam’s
role as a leader of the Hebrew women was obviously more extensive than is
shown in the biblical text. Despite her personal
charisma and power, her story has to a large extent been subsumed into
the story of her brother Moses. Rulers
in the ancient world led through force of arms and military might. Miriam
and Moses proposed a different model of leadership. They
When
the Hebrews were escaping from the Egyptians, they crossed what was
probably a large papyrus marsh, called the Red Sea in the biblical text.
They were led by Moses, Miriam, and her second brother Aaron. The
Egyptians had commanded that Hebrew babies be drowned. Now it was the
Egyptians who were drowned, as the soggy ground of the marshland gave way
under the hoofs of the horses and the wheels of their chariots. When this
happened, the Hebrews expressed their jubilation by composing songs of
victory. A remnant of the song composed by Miriam appears in Exodus
15:20-21. As a leader of the Hebrew women, Miriam led them in ritual
singing and dancing. ‘Then
the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and
all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And
Miriam sang to them: Ritual
singing by women was common in ancient Israel. Women sang particularly at
victory celebrations, going out to meet returning warriors and greeting
them with songs which expressed their relief, joy, and jubilation at the
defeat of enemies. The particular song that Miriam and the women sang may
well have been a back-and-forth chant between the men and the women. |
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Various ancient musical instuments |
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MIRIAM’S
ORDEAL This
part of Miriam’s story described an incident at Hazeroth, as the Hebrew
people wandered in search of their promised land. Going
to Moses, Miriam
and Aaron raised two points that were troubling them: 1.
They
questioned his marriage to the Cushite (Ethiopian or Midianite)
woman, not because of any personal rivalry, but because Hebrews condemned
marriage with a foreigner 2.
They
questioned Moses’ authority over them, since Moses was the youngest of
the three siblings. God had communicated with all three of them. Why
then should Moses dominate the other two? ‘”Has
the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also? And
the Lord heard it…. And said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam “Come out, you
three, to the tent of meeting”.’
Miriam’s
question ‘has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses?’ was a
profound one. It asked |
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A foot that has been affected with leprosy |
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‘When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as white as snow.’ Her skin was likened to that of a stillborn foetus when it comes out of its mother’s womb. In fact, the term ‘leprosy’ was used for a wide variety of skin diseases at that time; some of them were curable, some were not. Leviticus 13 and 14 give precise details of symptoms and treatments, both spiritual and medical. But in whatever guise it appeared, leprosy was seen as a punishment from God for some wrong-doing. That being so, it was necessary to repent and reform - which Miriam must do. She suffers the punishment of God, and atones for her challenge to Moses' authority. Miriam’s
leprosy was interpreted by the people as a dramatic sign that Moses was God’s chosen leader, and that
Miriam’s and Aaron’s authority, while still important, was less than
Moses’. |
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Miriam,
with her brothers Moses and Aaron, led the Hebrew people throughout the
forty years when they reverted to the nomadic life, searching meanwhile
for a land where they could settle. The life they led was hard, and they must often have yearned for the
stability and settled life they had left back in Egypt. Water was always
scarce, the food supply was unreliable, and the physical living conditions
were rigorous. Eventually these conditions took their toll on Miriam, and
she died. ‘The
Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the
first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was
buried there.’ Water,
the symbol of life, had played quite a large part in Miriam's life. She saved her brother from the water; she led the song of victory
after the parting of the Red Sea; she died in a waterless place.
Immediately after her death, God gave abundant water to the people, in the
form of a spring. Miriam’s
life had been one of service and leadership. She expressed all the robust
qualities that are best: courage and ingenuity in a
dangerous situation, loyalty to her family, a love of music, story-telling
and dance, and intellectual enquiry into questions about authority and
social responsibility. She remains a model for women and men today.
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THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF THIS STORY As the Hebrew population in Canaan increased, they began to split into offshoot clans. Eventually after a terrible famine a large number migrated to Egypt, where the grain supply was more reliable. There they became workers on the state projects of the Pharaohs. Even though these migrants were living in the sophisticated cultural atmosphere of Egypt, the people tenaciously held on to their own identity as Hebrews. This was largely due to the women, who were responsible for maintaining Jewish identity. Eventually, the living
conditions of the Hebrews in ancient Egypt became intolerable, and they
decided to leave. They gathered around a leader called Moses, and his
sister Miriam and brother Aaron. The saga of their long journey from
Egypt to Canaan, from slavery to freedom, is contained in the Book of
Exodus.
It was probably in this period that women enjoyed greatest freedom and
prestige. The stories in Genesis and Exodus show them as independent and
strong, smart and tough. They displayed leadership and initiative and
almost always got their way when they wanted something. This was probably because
women were necessary for the survival of the tribe, and they knew it. They
performed a wide range of tasks without which the clan or family simply could
not have managed. They moved freely in society, and were not confined
within the home. The Bible stories show that they spoke and acted
confidently. As well, women played an
active role in religious matters. The concept of monotheism was just
beginning to develop, but many people also probably worshipped a fertility
goddess, the Great Mother, source of plant, animal and human life. Ancient
Near Eastern religions certainly had fertility of the soil and animal life
as one of their main focuses, with priestesses who served the forces of
Nature (the power of river and rain water, abundance of crops and animals,
etc.)
As well, women played an
active role in religious matters. The concept of monotheism was just
beginning to develop, but many people also probably worshipped a fertility
goddess, the Great Mother, source of plant, animal and human life. Ancient
Near Eastern religions certainly had fertility of the soil and animal life
as one of their main focuses, with priestesses who served the forces of
Nature (the power of river and rain water, abundance of crops and animals,
etc.)
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ACTIVITIES Interview
Leadership What
type of leadership is promoted by the media? Develop a point form summary
of models of leadership found in newspapers, television and books. Have
you witnessed someone acting as a leader in a difficult situation?
Describe what happened, and why you admire this person. What
are the roles and duties of leaders in schools and churches? What
forms of leadership and ministry are there in your church? What
models of leadership are found in the Scriptures? Cite some specific
examples that you admire, and explain why you have chosen these. Focus Questions |
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| www.womeninthebible.net |
| Copyright 2006 Elizabeth Fletcher |