กันดารวิถี 12:8 วิจารณ์

In the foregoing chapter we had the vexation which the people gave to Moses; in this we have his patience tried by his own relations. I. Miriam and Aaron, his own brother and sister, affronted him (Num 12:1-3). II. God called them to an account for it (Num 12:4-9). III. Miriam was smitten with a leprosy for it (Num 12:10). IV. Aaron submits, and Moses meekly intercedes for Miriam (Num 12:11-13). V. She is healed, but put to shame for seven days (Num 12:14-16). And this is recorded to show that the best persons and families have both their follies and their crosses.

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 12 In this chapter we have an account of Aaron and Miriam speaking against Moses, and for what reason, whose amiable character is given, Num 12:1; and of the Lord's calling them to him, and rebuking them for it, giving an excellent testimony to Moses, and then departing in anger, Num 12:4; and of Miriam's being smitten with leprosy, and Aaron's entreating Moses on his and her account, who prayed to the Lord to heal her, Num 12:10; and of her being ordered to be shut out of the camp seven days, during which time the Israelites stayed at Hazeroth, and then removed to the wilderness of Paran, Num 12:14.

With him will I speak mouth to mouth,.... And face to face, as he had done, Exo 33:11; in a free, friendly, and familiar manner, as one friend speaks to another, without injecting any fear or dread, and consternation of mind, which was sometimes the case of the prophets; or without a middle person, a mediator, as Aben Ezra, not by means of an angel, as in some cases, but the Lord himself spake to him: even apparently, and not in dark speeches; the word "apparently", or "vision", being opposed to "dark speeches", shows that this is not to be understood of the appearance or vision of an object presented to the sight, or to the mind, which is denied of Moses, though usual with other prophets; but of the vision, or plain sense and meaning of words, which are so plainly expressed, that the sense is easily seen and understood; it was not under figures and allegories, and parables and dark representations of things, that the law of the decalogue, and other laws, statutes, and ordinances, and the proclamation the Lord made of himself, as the Lord gracious, merciful, &c. were delivered unto Moses, but in plain words and clear expressions; not in such enigmatical, parabolical, and allegorical terms as many of the visions and prophecies of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, and Zechariah, were exhibited to them; See Gill on Num 12:6, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: as he had at the burning bush, and at Mount Sinai, with the elders of Israel, and when the Lord proclaimed his name before him; at which several times it is highly probable he beheld the Lord, even the Lord Christ, in an human form, as a presage of his future incarnation, and as he might also after this: the Targum of Jonathan is,"the similitude which is after my Shechinah (or divine Majesty) he saw;''that is, his back parts, as Jarchi, and other Jewish writers, interpret it; but Bishop Patrick thinks the word not should be repeated from the preceding clause, and that the sense is, that he did not behold him in similitudes, nor did the Lord speak to him by them, as to other prophets, see Hos 12:10, wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? or against my servant, against Moses; against any servant of mine, but especially against Moses, so faithful in my house, so much approved of and honoured by me, and so superior to all other prophets.

As I started to say, it is shown later in the book of Numbers that even what he asked was granted to his desire, for thereby the Lord rebuked the sister of Moses for her obstinacy. The Lord appeared to the other prophets in visions and dreams but to Moses plainly and not by riddles. He added the words “And he saw the glory of the Lord.” Why then did God make such an exception of him, if not perhaps that he considered him such a ruler of his people, so faithful a minister of his whole house, that he was worthy, even then, of that contemplation, so that, as he desired, he saw God as he is—a contemplation promised to all his sons at the end of life?

All monuments of idolatry in the promised land to be destroyed, Deu 12:1-3; and God's service to be duly performed, Deu 12:4-7. The difference between the performance of that service in the wilderness and in the promised land, Deu 12:8-11. The people are to be happy in all their religious observances, Deu 12:12. The offerings must be brought to the place which God appoints, and no blood is to be eaten, Deu 12:13-16. The tithe of corn, wine, oil, etc., to be eaten in the place that God shall choose, Deu 12:17, Deu 12:18. The Levite must not be forsaken, Deu 12:19. All clean beasts may be eaten, but the blood must be poured out before the Lord, and be eaten on no pretense whatever, Deu 12:20-25. Of vows, burnt-offerings, etc., Deu 12:26, Deu 12:27. These precepts are to be carefully obeyed, Deu 12:28. Cautions against the abominations of the heathen, Deu 12:29-31. Nothing to be added to or diminished from the word of God, Deu 12:32.

MIRIAM'S AND AARON'S SEDITION. (Num 12:1-9) an Ethiopian woman--Hebrew, "a Cushite woman"--Arabia was usually called in Scripture the land of Cush, its inhabitants being descendants of that son of Ham (see on Exo 2:15) and being accounted generally a vile and contemptible race (see on Amo 9:7). The occasion of this seditious outbreak on the part of Miriam and Aaron against Moses was the great change made in the government by the adoption of the seventy rulers [Num 11:16]. Their irritating disparagement of his wife (who, in all probability, was Zipporah [Exo 2:21], and not a second wife he had recently married) arose from jealousy of the relatives, through whose influence the innovation had been first made (Exo 18:13-26), while they were overlooked or neglected. Miriam is mentioned before Aaron as being the chief instigator and leader of the sedition.

with him will I speak mouth to mouth--immediately, not by an interpreter, nor by visionary symbols presented to his fancy. apparently--plainly and surely. not in dark speeches--parables or similitudes. the similitude of the Lord shall he behold--not the face or essence of God, who is invisible (Exo 33:20; Col 1:15; Joh 1:18); but some unmistakable evidence of His glorious presence (Exo 33:2; Exo 34:5). The latter clause should have been conjoined with the preceding one, thus: "not in dark speeches, and in a figure shall he behold the Lord." The slight change in the punctuation removes all appearance of contradiction to Deu 4:15.