Miriam is only mentioned by name in 14 verses in the bible, but she is one of the most important people found in the pages of scripture. Two genealogies listing moses, aaron, and miriam as the sole children of amram support the identification num 26. The book of exodus, describing the exodus from egypt, offers a depictive description. No mention is made of moses being their brother, and the story does not read well as a dispute among siblings. May 10, 2019 miriam first appears in the bible in exodus 2. God rescues and delivers his people as he guides them into the unfamiliar desert. The famous eye for an eye passage comes straight from exodus, and not everyone is down with it. Nov 20, 2018 it took a great deal of confidence for miriam to approach moses rescuer. The chaikinmikolaycak collaboration is a superb blend of text and illustration, yielding a book well worthy of the subject matter. The bible abounds with stories about miriam, moses and aarons eldest sister. She was the leader of the women, and she was a pacesetter.
There are so many nameless women in the bible, and yet the two midwives in the exodus story who stood up to pharaoh and saved the israelite babies get two names each in ancient rabbinic literature. Gods and kinds the story of one mans daring courage to take on the might of an empire. Called the prophet miriam, aarons sister, she leads hebrew women in. Scripture describes her alongside of moses and aaron as. The fact that miriam was a prophet is a little known fact because everyone concentrates on moses. But, something happened to change miriam the protective sister, the prophetess who led the women and supported her brotherinto his rival. Mar 07, 2014 the book of exodus tells us in chapter 15 that moses and miriam sang this song.
This meant that god spoke to his people through her, although he did not speak directly to her. But there is even greater majesty and force in the form of the ode as it stands in the book of exodus. Miriams mother, yocheved, has been hiding miriams infant brother, moses, for three months. Miriams role as a leader of the hebrew women was obviously more extensive than is shown in the biblical text. In this modern day retelling of the exodus, miriam wanders the political and spiritual deserts of a changing american nation. The older sister of moses and israels first prophetess. Miriams well ice cube press midwest book publisher.
It is followed in verses 20 and 21 by a much shorter song sung by miriam and the other women. After clicking register, you will receive an email with a link to verify your account and to complete your registration. There, the torah referring to her and her mother as shifrah and puahtells us of their selfsacrifice to defy pharaohs decree to murder all jewish newborn boys. Chapters 118 narrate the history of the egyptian bondage, the exodus from egypt, and the journey to mount sinai under the leadership of moses.
A novel released on passover march 30 2018, ice cube press. This tune could be one of the oldest songs ever recorded maybe the oldest. She was a prophetess and first appears in the book of exodus the torah refers to her as miriam the prophetess and the talmud names her as one of the seven major female prophets of israel. Miriam watching the finding of moses in the bulrushes met dp805083. This book would make a good companion to warwick huttons moses in the bulrushes macmillan, 1986. Miryam is a feminine given name recorded in biblical hebrew, recorded in the book of exodus as the name of the sister of moses, the prophetess miriam spelling variants include french myriam, german mirjam, mirijam. Miriam was the sister of moses and aaron and was a prophetess from a very young age. The narrative of moses infancy in exodus depicts an unnamed sister of moses observing him being. After moses leads the hebrew nation out of slavery in egypt and onto the new shore of freedom, miriam leads all the people in ecstatic song, dance, and drum exod. She was born four years before aaron and seven years. She plays an important role in several episodes of moses life and in the exodus of israel from egypt.
Miriam is the sister who watches over her baby brother moses among the bulrushes on the banks of the nile. Then miriam the prophet, aarons sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. According to one account, the midwives names, shiphrah and puah ex. The torah refers to her as miriam the prophetess and the talmud names her as one. Miriam s role as a leader of the hebrew women was obviously more extensive than is shown in the biblical text. In the book of exodus, we are first introduced to the prophetess miriam, sister of moses. Her name sometimes rendered as mary in english means bitter although it could also signify one who loves or is loved by yahweh. When she saw that he was being rescued, young miriam bravely approached pharaohs daughter and persuaded her to have the baby nursed by his own mother, jochebed. Exodus 15 niv the song of moses and miriam then bible. Check out caryn mirriamgoldbergs author website for events and more information in this modern day retelling of the exodus, miriam wanders the political and spiritual desert of a changing america. The song of moses and miriam then moses and the israelites sang this song to the lord. Miriam knew what it was to experience hope and despair, terror and deliverance, slavery and. Sit back and enjoy the song of moses and miriam in the book of exodus.
In this modern day retelling of the exodus, miriam wanders the political and spiritual desert of a changing. Her claim appears to be allowed both in the present passage, and in numbers 12. Miriam boldly approached pharaohs daughter, who found the baby, and offered her own mothermoses mother tooas a nurse for moses. Exodus is the book which speaks of the physical and spiritual birth of israel as a nation. Historically well researched and biblically based, mesu andrews brings to life the time period from when moses returns from selfimposed exile through the exodus and crossing of the red sea.
Exodus, the second book of the bible, tells the story of moses, the baby who grew up within the pharaohs palace walls and later led the israelites out of slavery in egypt to canaan. The book of exodus is the story of god rescuing the children of israel from egypt and forging a special relationship with them. Miriam appears in the book of exodus, which chronicles the time of jewish slavery in egypt. Then the prophet miriam, aarons sister, took a tambourine in her hand. She was a prophetess and first appears in the book of exodus. The completed registration allows us to send order and donation receipts to the email address you provided. The book of exodus details gods call to the people of israel to get up and leave their position of slavery in egypt. Miriam is referenced in the old testament of the bible as a prophetess and originally emerges in the book of exodus. Exodus definition is the mainly narrative second book of canonical jewish and christian scripture.
At the beginning of the book of exodus, when the pharaoh decrees that all male israelite babies are to be drowned, mosess mother saves him by placing him on. Later, after the exodus and the splitting of the red sea, miriam led all the women and girls in song and dance. Debbie freidman, miriam s song popular jewish composer debbie friedman wrote this song about miriam and the exodus moment. The book of exodus tells us in chapter 15 that moses and miriam sang this song. Mosesin numbers 12, miriam and aaron complain about moses. The account of the journey of the people of israel from egypt to canaan contains many valuable lessons for the church of god in the present dispensation. We learn about her heroism and her compassion, as well as her great intellectual knowledge and leadership abilities. And miriam, the prophetess, aarons sister, took the drum in her.
It contains the stories of enslavement and liberation, of revelation and wanderings, of. But, something happened to change miriamthe protective sister, the prophetess who led the women and supported her brotherinto his rival. Exodus records more miracles of god than any other book in the old testament. Instead, they assisted the childbearing mothers, ensuring the continuance of the jewish nation. The baby was moses, and the hebrew woman, jochebed, and her. At first reading it appears that she leads only the women in a fragment of the song that moses led the people in worship exodus 15. Miriam was the daughter of amram, the leader of the israelites in ancient egypt, and of jochebed and the sister of aaron and moses. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.
This was in the year 2362 after creation, eightysix years before the liberation. But as the child grows older yocheved decides that it is no longer safe for him at home after all, it. We find israels deliverance from egypt in the book of exodus, while the book of numbers describes their journey from mount sinai up to and including the conquest of. If there was anything to know about moses miriam knew it.
Then miriam the prophetess, aarons sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her in dance with timbrels. The song of the sea was reputedly sung by the israelites after their crossing the red. Who is miriam in the book of exodus black history in the. Miriam, the daughter of amram and yocheved, and older sister of her two famous brothers, aaron and moses, was born in egypt just when the jewish people were reduced to slavery, oppression and hard labor. The book of exodus tells the tale of israels liberation and birth, and of the beginning of gods covenanted nation. Miriam is the first of six prophetesses mentioned in the bible. God protected jochebed, miriam, and the baby moses.
Moses older sister miriam4 had been standing on the banks of the nile, watching over her baby brother in the basket, to make sure he was safe. The israelites exodus from egypt is essential to the salvation story of jewish people and christians. Nov 21, 2014 from acclaimed director ridley scott gladiator, prometheus comes the epic adventure exodus. This article descends beneath the myth of the hebrew bible exodus in search of the lost song of miriam.
Miriam, moses sister and prophetess during the exodus, gave in to jealousy and almost paid with her life. Feb 1 2018 by black history in the bible no comments. Who is miriam in the book of exodus black history in the bible. The incident that we are going to read about in exodus 2, and i wish you would turn there, doesnt. The key personalities include moses, miriam, pharaoh, pharaohs daughter, aaron, and joshua. The song of moses and miriam is a way of giving thanks and exalting god for what he did for israel when they were in a hopeless situation with the egyptians. It was written to record the events of israels deliverance from slavery in egypt. Jul 27, 2017 the song of moses and miriam is a way of giving thanks and exalting god for what he did for israel when they were in a hopeless situation with the egyptians. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
His sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him. Miriam first appears in the biblical book of exodus not long after pharaoh decrees that all newborn hebrew boys will be drowned in the nile. Miriam s mother, yocheved, has been hiding miriam s infant brother, moses, for three months. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea exodus 15. She feels torn between her roots as the jewish daughter of a black father and white mother, along with her yearnings for home, and her two brothers. Mar 15, 2016 if you have never read the first 15 chapters of exodus, miriam provides a story to set the scene. She is the first woman whom the bible honours with the title of. Teach gods covenantal relationship with handson learning activities, crafts and a board game wilderness wanderings where players journey through the wilderness to the promised land. Exodus 15 niv the song of moses and miriam bible gateway. Miriam first appears in the biblical book of exodus not long after pharaoh decrees that all newborn hebrew boys will be drowned in the nile river.
While she is often overlooked, miriam was the only person right by moses side from birth to death. Exodus is the second book of the pentateuch the five books of moses, and its where we find the stories of the ten plagues, the first passover, the parting of the red sea, and the ten commandments the book gets its name from the nation of israels mass. Rulers in the ancient world led through force of arms and military might. Role of women in exodus story breaking matzo passover. Despite her personal charisma and power, her story has to a large extent been subsumed into the story of her brother moses. Miriam and her maidens at the close of each portion of the songi. The second half of the book tells of the covenant that was established between god and israel at sinai and promulgates laws for the ordering of israels life since exodus continues the sacred story of the divine promise to israel begun in genesis. Exodus is the second book of the pentateuch the five books of moses, and its where we find the stories of the ten plagues, the first passover, the parting of the red sea, and the ten commandments. What are the latest ideas about miriam in the bible. She is called a prophet and the sister of aaron but not moses.
If you have read these chapters a hundred times, miriam fills in the blanks so that you can consider what might have been. Nov 15, 20 the song of miriam is found in exodus 15. What made this book different is it is told from miriams perspective. Miryam was described in the hebrew bible as the daughter of amram and jochebed, and the older sister of moses and aaron. Mar 21, 2018 there are so many nameless women in the bible, and yet the two midwives in the exodus story who stood up to pharaoh and saved the israelite babies get two names each in ancient rabbinic literature. Aaron, a successful new york city attorney and moses, an autistic kansas artist. She first appears by name, however, in the crossing of the red sea exod 15. Miriam the prophetess miriam was with moses throughout the nine plagues.