Miriam

Miriam 

from Praying with the Women of the Bible

by Bridget Mary Meehan

At that time the Israelites were slaves working and living

in oppressive, dehumanizing conditions in Egypt. Fearing that the Israelite population was growing too quickly, Pharaoh ordered a genocide to reduce their numbers. “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live” (Ex

1:22). When Moses was three months old, Jochebed, his resourceful mother, hid him in a basket. Courageous, big sister Miriam watched as her baby brother floated down the Sea of Reeds. Pharaoh’s daughter noticed the basket and sent her attendant to retrieve it. As soon as Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the crying baby, Miriam appeared and asked if she should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. When Miriam returned with Moses’ mother, Pharaoh’s daughter offered her wages to nurse the child. Later, Moses became Pharaoh’s daughter’s adopted son. As recorded in Exodus 2:10, Pharaoh’s daughter named him Moses.

Miriam made connections between the women that would nurture Moses. She took a risk, spoke out at the right time, and brought together a biological mother to feed Moses and a compassionate, adoptive mother to raise him in a safe, supportive environment. Without Miriam, Moses’ mother, and Pharaoh’s daughter, the liberation of the Hebrews from





bondage in Egypt would not have occurred.1

Miriam is the first person—before her brother Moses—to be called prophet in the Hebrew Bible. Earlier, Aaron is given the title in the context of representative of Moses before Pharaoh in Exodus 7:1. It is significant that the beginning and end of the exodus journey involves the prophet Miriam. Renita Weems notes: “There are other women such as Deborah and Rahab in the books of Joshua and Judges, and the Hebrew midwives Shiprah and Puah in Exodus, who may be classified along with Miriam as self-sufficient heroines.”2

Along with Moses and Aaron, Miriam is a leader in the wilderness. The biblical writers regard Miriam as a colleague of Moses and Aaron. In her 1980 dissertation on Miriam, Rita Burns writes:



The brother-sister relationship denotes parallel status in the religious sphere…. In addition, it can be said that, although the texts do not yield a single role designation of her leadership position, they do firmly reflect traditions which regarded Miriam as a cult official and as a mediator of God’s word.3



Scholars think that Miriam was the author of the entire Song of the Sea, not just the first verse. She led the women in song and dance on the banks of the Sea of Reeds after the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt to freedom. “Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea’” (Ex 15:20).

Later Miriam became involved in a conflict in which she and Aaron challenged their brother Moses’ authority. Miriam asserted that God spoke not only through Moses but also through Aaron and herself. According to the text, God punished Miriam. Although God corrected both Aaron and Miriam, Miriam was the only one punished. She was struck with leprosy. Commenting on the injustice of Miriam’s punishment, Katharine Sakenfeld writes:



The lineage of Miriam is a lineage of generations of women who have been rejected or humiliated for doing exactly the same thing as their male counterparts. But the larger biblical tradition presents us with another face of God, beyond the face of the One who puts Miriam out. The other face is of God who stands close to and defends those on the “outside,” a God who has likewise been rejected, put outside, by people who thought they knew best. The starkness of Numbers 12 must not be undercut but Miriam outside the camp may point us not only to the painful arbitrariness of her situation but also, however indirectly and allusively, to the suffering of God.4



In Miriam’s view, the prophetic call includes female and male. “After all, as the prophet she has already spoken for God at the sea even thought the Moses’ bias would drown her voice there,” observes Phyllis Trible. “So now in the wilderness she seeks an equal sharing of prophetic leadership. Hers is a commanding word, and the Lord hears it” (Nm 12:2c).5

Trible reflects on the meaning of Miriam’s prophetic witness in Israel’s history in a text found in Jeremiah. “Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel; Carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merry-makers” (Jer

31:4, New American Bible). Here Jeremiah recounts the exodus event and uses the imagery of Israel taking up tambourines and dancing in the restoration of Israel after the





Babylonian exile. “Returned to her rightful place, she (Miriam) along with other females will again lead with timbrels and dancing. She participates in the eschatological vision of Hebrew prophecy.”6

The story of Miriam in the Hebrew Bible begins with daring women who took initiative, collaborated in difficult situations, and became heroines of the tradition. These women challenged oppression, affirmed life, acted wisely and resourcefully in dangerous situations and threatening circumstances. They remind us that establishing connections with other women, affirming one another’s experiences, acknowledging one another’s struggles, and celebrating our sisterhood is indeed important work for contemporary women in our world today.

As a courageous prophet, a caring companion to her brothers, and a change-agent who led the Exodus dance of praise, Miriam is a woman who continues to speak powerfully, to people of every age, of the liberating power of God in our midst. Her story has been hidden for far too long. It is only in recent decades that scripture scholars have pulled together the bits and pieces about her in scripture so that we can remember Miriam, our beloved sister, and celebrate her leadership now.







Reflection



“The woman (Jochbed) conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months in an effort to avoid his death as ordered by Pharaoh. When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket, plastered it with bitumen and pitch, put the child in it, and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

“The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the river while her attendants walked along the banks. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. Then Miriam stepped forward and said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, because she said, ‘I drew him out of the water’” (Ex 2:2–10).



When the horses of Pharaoh

with his chariots and their drivers went into the midst of the sea,

the waters washed over them,

but God saw to it that the Israelites passed through the sea on dry ground. Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took up a tambourine,

and all the women joined in with her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam led them in this song:





“Sing to God who has gloriously triumphed;

horse and rider are thrown into the sea.”



While they were encamped at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman

whom Moses had married—

for he had indeed married a Cushite.

“Has God spoken only through Moses?” they said. “Has God not spoken also through us?”

And God heard their complaining. Now Moses was a very humble man,

one of the humblest on the face of the earth. Suddenly God spoke directly to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

“Come out to the tent of meeting, you three.” So the three of them went,

And God came down on a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent. Then God called Aaron and Miriam

and the two of them came forward. “Hear my words,” said God.

“When there are prophets among you,

I make myself known to them in visions. I speak to them in dreams.

Not so with Moses my servant.

He is entrusted with all of my house. With him I speak face to face— clearly, not in riddles.

And he beholds the form of God. Why were you not afraid then

to speak against my servant Moses?”

And the anger of God lashed out against them, And then God departed.

When the cloud had disappeared from the tent, Miriam was like a leper.

Her skin was white as snow….

So Miriam was banished for seven days,

and the people did not set out on their march until Miriam had been brought in again.7







Discussion Starters



1. If you could ask Miriam one question, what would that question be?

2. How can women grow by affirming one another’s experiences and acknowledging one





another’s struggles?

3. Miriam was a risk-taker and a dancing prophet. In what ways does the story of Miriam relate to women’s roles in Church and society today?

4. Miriam was punished for her criticism of Moses’ authority. How do women theologians, pastors, prophets, ministers suffer the same fate in the contemporary Church?







Prayer Experience



1. Become conscious of your breathing. Allow your breathing to relax your body. Try a centering exercise such as focusing your breathing, praying a mantra, or repeating a prayer word such as Shalom, Shaddai, Sophia, God, Jesus, Peace, Love, and so on.

2. Read each of the reflections slowly and meditatively. Open yourself to the power of

God’s liberating word.

3. Imagine you are big sister Miriam standing at the Sea of Reeds. The sun is warm…there is a gentle breeze…. Birds are flying over the trees…. Insects are crawling on the ground near where you are hiding…. You are keeping watch over the basket…. You promised Mother you would not lose sight of it…. Downstream several women approach the banks of the river…. There is laughter and chatter…. You hear water splashing…. You move closer so that you can see more clearly…. One of the women points to the basket…. Someone else wades over to the basket…picks it up and carries it back to an attractive young woman…. You recognize her…. She is Pharaoh’s daughter. You notice the expression of compassion on her face as she picks up the crying baby and comforts him…. By this time you reach the place where she is…. You ask if you could find a nurse for the child…. She smiles and tells you that this is a good idea…. Off you run to share the wonderful news with your mother and both of you come back…. Pharaoh’s daughter cuddles the baby and then hands him over to the warm embrace of his mother…. On your way home your mother laughs…cries….and praises God for drawing Moses out of the water…. You jump up and down and dance around your mother and baby brother….

4. Imagine you are with Miriam after the exodus event…. You are singing…and dancing… perhaps playing your favorite musical instrument with the other women…. The celebration continues late into the night and the women sit in a circle…sharing stories… dreams…hopes…for the future…. Be aware of any exodus event in your life in which God delivered you from bondage that you want to share…. As you do so, be aware of what is going on in your heart…. Share your hopes and dreams for the future with Miriam and the women gathered around the circle…. Be aware of your connectedness… solidarity…and strength

…as a community with new freedom….

5. Now imagine you are Miriam, the morning after you have been banished from the camp…. Be aware of the sources of your strength…. Now reflect on your contemporary situation…. Be aware of any times that you have questioned authority and have experienced rejection or some form of “punishment” for your stance or activity…. Conduct a dialogue with Miriam about these events.

6. Invite Miriam to retell her story today in a way that makes her equal to Moses and a prophet for women in the twenty-first century.

7. With song, dance, poetry, or art, compose a prayer of appreciation for contemporary




women prophets who are change-agents in our Church and society today.