The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 56 – Section 57
SECT. LVI.
FRom Kibroth-Hattaavah they removed to Hazeroth. At this place ſome emulation or contention ariſing (as it ſeems) between Miriam, Moſes's Siſter, and Zippora his Wife, Miriam firſt and then Aaron (ſtirred up by her) ſpake againſt Moſes, becauſe he had married a woman of Ethiopia (ſo they ſeem to call her in contempt) becauſe ſhe was of Midian, a part of the Eaſtern Ethiopia, otherwiſe called Arabia, and was not one of Abraham's holy ſtock. But ſeeing ſhe had ſubmitted her ſelf to the Law of God, ſhe was to be held as an Iſraelitiſh-woman, as Rahab and Ruth were. However upon this occaſion they quarrel with Moſes, and would equal themſelves unto him. What (ſay they) hath God only ſpoken by Moſes? hath he not ſpoken alſo by us? Am not I (ſays Miriam) a Propheteſs, [ſee Exod. 15.20.] and hath not God promiſed to be with Aaron's mouth, and that he ſhould be a mouth to his Brother Moſes, [Exod. 4.15, 16.] and hath not he been imployed by God together with Moſes in bringing the Iſraelites out of Egypt. What reaſon then that Moſes ſhould be all in all, who hath matched himſelf to one that is a ſtranger to the holy Seed of Iſrael? Moſes being a very meek *It may ſeem ſtrange that Moſes ſhould thus commend himſelf. But let it be conſidered th…t either he did it by the immediate inſpiration of the Spirit of God, that his meekneſs might be a Pattern to the Church in all Ages, as he does, elſewhere relate his ſins and weakneſſes for the Inſtruction of the Church, or elſe it may be conceived without wronging the authority of Moſes's Writings, that here and there by Joſhuah or ſome other of the ſacred Writers after him, ſome paſſages were inſerted which Moſes himſelf wrote not, ſuch as that, Deut. 34. concerning his death and burial. See Mr. Jackſon's Notes on the place.and humble man, was content to put up all this, bearing it patiently, and making no Complaint, but the Lord would not let it ſo paſs. Therefore commanding Moſes, Aaron and Miriam to come all three together to the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the Cloud deſcending to the door thereof, the Lord now calls to Aaron and Miriam to ſtand forth, and then declares to them that he did not manifeſt his Will to Moſes in Dreams (p)Viſions were Revelations to ſuch as were awake, Dreams to thoſe that were aſleep, Dominus aliquando apparuit Prophetis in Ecſtaſi, aliquando per ſomnium & dormientibus, aliquando vigilantibus in aliqua ſimilitudine ſed ſine locutione ut Jeremiae & Ezekieli. Somnia plerum que erant aenigmatica ut ſcala Jacobi, &c.and Viſions, as to other Prophets, but he ſpake to him with an audible Voice out of the Cloud, and out of the Tabernacle very plainly and clearly, as one Friend uſes to ſpeak to another, and had at times diſcovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to any mortal man, [ſee Exod. 33.20.] And when he ſpake to him he did not make known his mind to him in obſcure figurativ expreſſions as he did to ſome of the Prophets (ſee Ezek. 17.3.) but plainly and clearly, and ſeeing he had manifeſted ſo great favour to Moſes, How comes it to paſs (ſays the Lord) that ye were not afraid to ſpeak againſt my Servant Moſes? And the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt them, and the Cloud (the ſign of his preſence) removed from the door of the Tabernacle, and poſſibly for ſome time diſappeared, God intending thereby to teſtifie his Indignation againſt them. And immediately Miriam became Leprous, and white as Snow. *See Deut. 24.9.God was pleaſed to ſpare Aaron though Partner with his Siſter in this Sin, leſt in his Diſhonour the Prieſthood ſhould ſuffer. Aaron intreats Moſes to Intercede with the Lord for them, that the puniſhment of this ſin (wherein they had done fooliſhly) may not be laid upon them. He begs that Miriam may not (by the continuance of this white Leproſie upon her) be as a Child dead in the Womb, whoſe fleſh, when it comes into the World, looks white and putrified, as if it were ſodden and half conſumed. And though (ſays He) ſhe is for the preſent alive, yet as one dead ſhe is to be excluded from the Communion of the Church; [ſee Numb. 5.2.] and this fretting Plague, if it continue upon her, will in the end utterly conſume and kill her. Moſes was prevailed with to pray for Her, and upon his prayer the Lord was pleaſed to heal her of her Plague, yet gives order that ſhe ſhould be carried out of the Camp for the preſent. For (ſays God) if her earthly Father had in great diſpleaſure ſpit in her face, ſurely ſhe would have been aſhamed to ſhew her ſelf for a time, and therefore much more fit is it that in ſuch a Caſe as this ſhe ſhould be ſecluded from the Congregation, to inſtruct all the people to take heed of being corrupted with Her example. The people upon this Sentence mourned for Her, and journied not till ſhe was brought into the Camp again, which argued the great honour and reſpect they had for Her, being a Propheteſs and the Siſter of Moſes and Aaron. After this the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in another place in the Wilderneſs of Paran called Rithmath, ſee Ch. 33.18.
Numb. 12. whole Chapter.
SECT. LVII.
THe people being now come near to the Mountain of the Amorites, upon the Borders of Canaan, Moſes encourages them to go up, and take poſſeſſion of the Land which God had promiſed them, [Deut. 1.20, 21.] but they fearing the Event, deſire that they may firſt ſend ſome Spies to ſearch the Land. Moſes not knowing their diſtruſtful hearts, likes well their motion, [Deut. 1.23.] and ſeeking Counſel of the Lord about it, the Lord was pleaſed to permit it, (though in diſpleaſure) and accordingly Commands that at the time when Grapes firſt grew ripe they ſhould ſend twelve Principal men, ſuch as were of authority and eſteem among them, of every Tribe one (of which Caleb was for the Tribe of Judah, being then forty years old, ſee Joſhua 14.7. and Hoſhea (q)Hoſhea ſignifies a Saviour, but by adding Jah the Contract of Jehovah, which is the proper Name of God, [Pſal. 68.4.] thereby was ſignified that He ſhould by the help and aſſiſtance of God be a Saviour of the people.the Son of Nun, whom Moſes called Jehoſhua or Joſhua, for the Tribe of Ephraim,) to diſcover and ſpy out the Land. Theſe men accordingly went, entring into Canaan by the Deſart of Zin lying on the South, and ſo went quite thorow it to the very North part thereof, even to Rehob. 'Tis probable they divided themſelves, elſe 'tis like they would have been ſuſpected; neither could they otherwiſe have viewed the whole Country in ſo ſhort a time.
Numb. 13. from 1. to 23.