In this chapter Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he married and Ethiopian woman.

As they were speaking against Moses, they suddenly heard a voice saying “Come out here you three and meet me at the tabernacle.” When they arrived, God was standing in the doorway. He said a few words and abruptly departed. They were in serious trouble with the Lord.

Before He departed, He asked Aaron and Miriam, why they weren’t afraid to speak against his servant Moses.

That Moses was a Prophet, with whom He spoke mouth to mouth, in clear plain language.
With other prophets, he spoke to them in dreams and visions and dark speeches, known as coded language. He said, Moses was faithful in all his house and they should have been afraid to speak against Him.

So, after He departed, leprosy broke out on Miriams forehead. As the instigator she was punished for kindling strife.

She did not like the fact that Moses married an Ethiopian woman.

Ethiopians were descendants of Ham, from his son, Cush.

The BDB says, Cush means “black” Ethiopia was the land occupied by the descendants of Cush located around the southern parts of the Nile.

The Ethiopians and the Egyptians were kinsmen, descendants of Ham.

Miriam the prophetess was not happy that Moses, married a woman, a kinswoman of the nation that held her people in bondage for over 400 years.

So it seems as if, after Moses married the Ethiopian woman, Miriam and Aaron lost respect for him, he was lightly esteemed, as Israel’s unfeigned leader. They spoke against Moses although his actions were prophetic.

When Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman Judges chapter 14 verse 3 says, His parents didn’t know it was of the Lord and Miriam and Aaron didn’t know that Mose’s love for the Ethiopian woman was of the Lord.

Moses a prophet, a type of Christ, married an Ethiopian woman revealing God’s future plans that through Christ, the prophet, people from every tongue, tribe and nation would be saved.

David under the prophetic utterances of the Holy Spirit, declared that one day, the Egyptians and the Ethiopians would stretch out their hands unto God.

Here's the text:

Psalms 68:31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

In Acts chapter 8, we read that Saul was making havoc of the church, going into houses, taking men and women and putting them in prison. So the church had to scatter.

And an angel told Philip to go to Gaza and there he met an Ethiopian eunuch, who had charge of all her treasure. Philip explained scripture to the Ethiopian and he asked to be baptized.

The Ethiopian received the gospel, confessing that he believed that “Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

David’s prophetic words were coming to pass. Moses entered into a marriage covenant with an Ethiopian woman and because of Christ, God entered into a new Covenant with all people.

Through Christ people from all nations could be saved, because all manner of sins would be forgiven.

And of all the foreign nations, the Ethiopians were among the first to receive Christ.

God told His prophet Moses that another Prophet was coming, and He would speak what He told Him to speak. And whoever will not hearken unto Him, He will require it of Him.

Jesus is the Prophet Moses spoke about. We must be like the Ethiopian eunuch and confess that Jesus is the Son of God and obey his commandments or God will require it of us.

Here’s the text:


Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Deuteronomy 18:16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Deuteronomy 18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.