The Expositor's Bible: The Book of NumbersWatson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Numbers
Watson, Robert A. (Robert Alexander)
Bible. Numbers -- Commentaries
How is a life like this of Miriam's to be reckoned? Take into
account her faith and her faithfulness; but remember that both were
maintained with some intermixture of poor egotism; that while she
helped Moses she also claimed to rival and rebuke him; that while
she served Jehovah it was with some of the pride of a prophetess.
Her devotion, her endurance, the long interest in her brother's
work, which indeed led to the great error of her life--these were
her virtues, the old great virtues of a woman. So far as opportunity
went she doubtless did her utmost, with some independence of thought
and decision of character. Even though she gave way to jealousy and
passed beyond her right, we must believe that, on the whole, she
served her generation in loyalty to the best she knew, and in the
fear of the Most High. But into what a strange disturbed current of
life was her effort thrown! Downcast, sorely burdened women, counting
for very little when they were cheerful or when they complained,
heard Miriam's words and took them into their narrow thoughts, to
resent her enthusiasm, perhaps, when she was enthusiastic, to grudge
her the power she enjoyed, which to herself seemed so slight. In
the camp generally she had respect, and perhaps, once and again,
she was able to reconcile to Moses and to one another those whose
quarrels threatened the common peace. When she was put forth from
the camp in the shame of her leprosy, all were affected, and the
march was stayed till her time of separation was over. Was she one of
those women whose lot it is to serve others all their lives and to
have little for their service? Still, like many another, she helped
to make Israel. Of good and evil, of Divine elements and some that
are anything but Divine, lives are made up. And although we cannot
gather the results of any one and tell its worth, the stream of being
retains and the unerring judgment of God accepts whatever is sincere
and good. Miriam from first to last fills but a few lines of sacred
history; yet of her life, as of others, more has to be told; the end
did not come when she died at Kadesh and was buried outside Canaan.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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