Biblical Parallels Index – Bemidbar 12
Overview
This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event or law, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth.Miryam's Sin and Punishment
Miryam’s actions are referred to later in the Torah, in Devarim 24:8-9. The verses warns to be careful about the plague of tzara'at and then draws a connection to the sin of Miryam.
Articles
- See Remembering Miriam, by R. Jonathan Mishkin, for discussion of why Devarim commands remembering Miryam’s sin when the Torah does not similarly instruct the nation to remember other, seemingly more egregious sins. R. Mishkin draws on Bemidbar 12’s theme of the uniqueness of Moshe’s prophecy to answer this question. Miryam's speech was not just idle gossip, but a challenge to the authority of Moshe.
- Listen to צרעת מרים - בין חוק לסיפור במקרא, by R. Adiel Cohen, for analysis of the two verses in Devarim in light of the story in Bemidbar, taking into account other stories of leprosy in Tanakh (including Na'aman in Melakhim II 5 and Uziyahu in Divrei HaYamim II 26).
Challenges to Authority: Bemidbar 11 and 12
There are a number of thematic and linguistic connections between Bemidbar 11 and Bemidbar 12, which tell two stories of complaints about Moshe’s leadership.
Tools
- Use the Tanakh Lab to compare the two narratives here. A comparison highlights several parallels. In both stories, Moshe enters the Tent of Meeting (11:16, 12:4), Hashem descends in a cloud to speak (11:25, 12:5), Hashem is angry (11:10, 12:9), there is repeated use of the root “אסף” and there mention of imprisonment and banishment (11:28, 12:14-15). Finally both stories emphasize the nature of Moshe’s prophecy (11:28-29, 12:2, 6-8).
Articles
- See Beha’alotekha: Zealousness for Moshe, by Prof. Yonatan Grossman, which points out these literary parallels. These highlight the common theme of the chapters, the uniqueness of Moshe’s prophecy even as spiritual leadership is shared with others.