Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 12
Overview:
God rebukes the
Murmuring of
Aaron and
Miriam.
(1-9) Miriam
struck with
Leprosy, and healed at the
Prayer of
Moses.
(10-16)
1-9 The patience of
Moses was tried in his own family, as
Well
as
By the people. The pretence was, that he had married a
foreign
Wife; but probably their pride was hurt, and their envy
stirred up,
By his superior authority. Opposition from our near
relations, and from religious friends, is most painful. But this
is to be looked for, and it will be
Well if in such
circumstances we can preserve the gentleness and
Meekness of
Moses.
Moses was thus fitted to the work he was called to.
God
not only cleared
Moses, but praised him.
Moses had the
Spirit of
Prophecy in a way which set him far above all other prophets;
yet he that is least in the kingdom of
Heaven, is greater than
he; and our
Lord Jesus infinitely excels him, Heb 3:1. Let
Miriam and
Aaron consider whom it was they insulted. We have
reason to be afraid of saying or doing any thing against the
servants of
God. And those are presumptuous indeed who are not
afraid to speak evil of dignities, 2Pe 2:10. The removal of
God's presence is the surest and saddest token of
God's
displeasure. Woe to us, if he depart! he never departs, till
By
Sin and folly we drive him from us.
10-16 The
Cloud departed, and
Miriam became leprous. When
God
goes, evil comes: expect
No good when
God departs. Her foul
tongue, as
Bishop Hall says, was justly punished with a foul
Face.
Aaron, as
Priest, was
Judge of the
Leprosy. He could not
pronounce her leprous without trembling, knowing himself to be
equally guilty. But if she was thus punished for speaking
against
Moses, what will become of those who
Sin against
Christ?
Aaron, who joined his sister in speaking against
Moses, is
forced for himself and his sister, to beseech him, and to speak
highly of him whom he had
So lately blamed. Those who trample
upon the saints and servants of
God, will one
Day be glad to
make
Court to them. It is
Well when rebukes produce
Confession
of
Sin and
Repentance. Such offenders, though corrected and
disgraced, shall be pardoned.
Moses made it appear, that he
forgave the injury done him. To this pattern of
Moses, and that
of our
Saviour, who said, "
Father, forgive them," we must
conform. A reason is given for
Miriam's being
Put out of the
Camp for
Seven days; because thus she ought to accept the
Punishment of her
Sin. When under the tokens of
God's
displeasure for
Sin, it becomes us to take shame to ourselves.
This hindered the people's progress in their march forward
towards
Canaan. Many things oppose us, but nothing
So hinders us
in the way to
Heaven, as
Sin.