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Miriam

History records many instances of great men whose achievements and fame owe much to their wife’s help. Though Moses was one of the greatest men in history, the preceding was not true of him. In fact his wives are almost forgotten. The great woman in the life of Moses was his sister Miriam (Num. 26:59).

Miriam may be listed last in the preceding scripture, but that does not mean she was the youngest. In fact she was older than Moses, as was Aaron. Miriam's helpful role in her younger brother's life, began soon after Moses was born. She helped her mother save baby Moses from the death decreed by the Pharaoh, for he had declared that all male Hebrew infants should die. To spare the life of Moses they placed him in a basket and left him in the river Nile. When Pharaoh's daughter saw Moses there, she decided to adopt him. Then Miriam approached the princess and offered to find a nurse for the baby. The princess accepted her offer and Miriam returned with her mother, who was engaged to take care of her own child (Exodus 2: 1-10).

Many years later, Moses led the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage and gained undying fame. Even then Miriam was with him, giving her help and encouragement. When Moses had successfully led the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, Miriam sang her victory song of thanksgiving to God (Exodus 15: 20-22).

Later Moses married an Ethiopian woman, which apparently met with the disapproval of Miriam. She left his side to join their older brother Aaron. They spoke against Moses and for that God struck Miriam with leprosy (Num. 12:8-10). But Moses was mindful of her many years of help and prayed for his sister. Within seven days Miriam was cured of the disease (Numbers 12: 13-15).

I know of no scriptures that tell of her marriage or children. Yet there is no reason to assume that she never married. Probably like Moses, she did marry but was always close to her brother. After many years of faithful encouragement to Moses, Miriam died in the desert of Zin (Numbers20:1).

Perhaps the most important of all qualities required in the Christian wife and mother is the virtue of unselfishness. Certainly this virtue was one possessed by Miriam during those years she helped her brother Moses.




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This page last updated on June 17, 2014