Where Scripture Is Silent, Do Not Assume

(Numbers 12.1) . . . Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married
(for he had married a Cushite woman);

August 9, 2007, 9:32 a.m. (from Indonesia)

I am sharing bible study about Numbers 12...A story about Miriam who judges Moses because he is married again with Ethiopian woman....In our eyes as human, I will say that Moses is wrong because he is not faithful to his wife and married again, Miriam was right to judge him and defended his wife, but why God takes a side at Moses? Can you share a thought from you about this?

August 11, 2007 8:44 p.m.

It is good to share a Bible study, but only if the study represents God and His word faithfully.

The context of Numbers 12 has nothing to do with the Cushite, or Ethiopian, woman whom Moses had taken to wife. The context is the envy of Miriam and Aaron.

Though Miriam1 and Aaron spoke against their brother Moses for having married a Cushite (Numbers 12.1), God saw and heard and dealt with the real issue:

(Numbers 12.2) and they2 [Miriam and Aaron] said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?" And the LORD heard it.

Envy was the real issue. Envy was what "the LORD heard." Envy was what the LORD dealt with in Numbers 12.4-10. The LORD had nothing to say about Moses having taken a Cushite to wife because that was not the issue at all. The LORD's words and punishment in Numbers 12.4-10 pertain solely to Miriam and Aaron's challenge of Moses' leadership in Numbers 12.2.

[Moses] is married again with Ethiopian woman....In our eyes as human, I will say that Moses is wrong because he is not faithful to his wife and married again,

You are making the mistake of reading polygamy into the text. It is your assumption that Moses married the Cushite while Zipporah was still his wife. But ask yourself these questions:

· How do I know the Cushite Moses married is not Zipporah herself?

· The last time I read of Zipporah by name is Exodus 18.2, and the last time Zipporah is implied is Exodus 18.6. So how do I know whether Zipporah was still alive when Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses at Numbers 12.1?

The truthful answer to each of these questions is, "I don't know because the Scriptures don't tell me." The lesson to learn from this is not to exceed what the Scriptures say. Do not assume something where Scripture is silent. If the identity of Moses' Cushite wife were important for us to know or if it were important for us to know whether Zipporah were still alive at Numbers 12.1 then Scripture would tell us. The fact that Scripture does not tell us tells us that it is not important for us to know.

Miriam was right to judge him and defended his wife,

Actually, you are criticizing and judging God. Saying that Miriam was right to judge Moses is to say that God was wrong to punish Miriam. Do you see how your assumption of polygamy by Moses has led to a blasphemous end? You are defending Miriam because you are assuming Moses married another woman while he was still married to Zipporah. But the Scriptures say no such thing. Scripture is silent on the issue. And where Scripture is silent we are fools to assume, particularly when we draw a conclusion from that assumption.

why God takes a side at Moses?

God took no side. God is not a respecter of persons that He should take sides (cf. Acts 10.34; Romans 2.11; Ephesians 6.9; Colossians 3.23-25; 1 Peter 1.17). God simply did what was right. God is always right in whatever He does or does not do because all His ways are morally correct (Deuteronomy 32.4; Psalm 145.17; Hosea 14.9; Revelation 15.3). Punishing Miriam with leprosy demonstrated God's justice. Sparing Aaron from this same or worse punishment demonstrated God's mercy.

It is my hope this will help you to read the Scriptures more carefully and not make assumptions where Scripture is silent.

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1. The Hebrew of Numbers 12.1 opens with vattedabber miryam ve'aharon. The verb vattedabber is the 3rd person feminine singular form (literally "then she spoke") which agrees with the proper noun Miryam. This can indicate that Miryam was the main critic (cf. NJB, "Miriam, and Aaron too, criticised Moses"; YLT, "And Miriam speaketh---Aaron also---against Moses") but not necessarily (cf. Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar, ed. E. Kautzsch, trans. A. E. Cowley, 2nd English ed. [New York: Oxford University Press, 1910], 468; A. B. Davidson, Hebrew Syntax, 3rd ed. [Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1989], 158; Paul Joüon and Takamitsu Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew [Rome: Editrice Pontificio Intituto Biblico, 2006], BibleWorks 8 DVD-ROM).

2. The verb in the Hebrew text now switches to the plural form.

Inquirer's Response

August 12, 2007, 3:12 a.m. (from Indonesia)

I am really amazed by your answer, since 6 years old my father has passed away, but you here are talking like a father to me, thank you....Also you are opened my spiritual eyes here which I am not realize that I am criticize God here, sorry...:(


The author implores checking his commentary against Scripture using the tools of biblical interpretation. Please be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker having no cause or need to be ashamed, handling the word of truth accurately.

Copyright © 2007-2010 by Thomas John Dexter. All rights reserved. This labor may be reproduced for distribution but not sold. The author's commentary is subject to change as he grows in his understanding of the word of God.

Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Last updated January 22, 2010.