And they said, Has the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? has he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
hath the Lord
Numbers 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
Exodus 4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
hath he not
Numbers 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Romans 12:3,10 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith…
and the
Numbers 11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
Genesis 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
2 Samuel 11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
they said.
The plural pronoun "they" refers to Miriam and Aaron, indicating a united front in their challenge against Moses. This familial conflict is significant, as it involves those closest to Moses, suggesting that even within a family, divine roles and callings can be sources of tension. The narrative underscores the importance of recognizing and respecting God's chosen leaders, regardless of personal relationships or ambitions.
Does He not also speak through us?
Miriam and Aaron assert their own prophetic roles, which is not entirely unfounded. Aaron, as the high priest, and Miriam, identified as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20), both have significant roles in Israel's spiritual life. However, their roles do not equate to the unique position Moses holds. This statement reflects a broader biblical theme of God using various individuals for His purposes, yet assigning different roles and responsibilities. The New Testament echoes this in passages like 1 Corinthians 12, which discusses the diversity of spiritual gifts and roles within the body of Christ.
And the LORD heard this.
This phrase indicates God's awareness and involvement in the situation. It serves as a reminder of God's omniscience and His active role in the affairs of His people. Theologically, it underscores the principle that God hears and responds to the words and actions of His people, whether in faithfulness or rebellion. This is a recurring theme in Scripture, as seen in passages like Psalm 94:9, which affirms that God hears and sees all. The subsequent divine response in Numbers 12:4-10 demonstrates God's defense of His chosen servant and the seriousness with which He regards challenges to His appointed leadership.
• The challenge from Miriam and Aaron centers on God’s chosen channel of revelation. From the burning bush onward, the LORD had spoken to Moses “face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11).
• Exodus 3:10–12 and 19:3–6 show God giving Moses words for the entire nation, underscoring a unique prophetic office.
• Deuteronomy 34:10 affirms, “No prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”
• Hebrews 3:5–6 compares Moses’ faithfulness over God’s house with Christ’s supremacy, but still treats Moses’ role as unparalleled among Old Testament servants.
• By asking this question, Miriam and Aaron implicitly question God’s order, not just Moses’ position. It is more than sibling rivalry; it is a challenge to divine appointment.
• Miriam had already prophesied (Exodus 15:20), and Aaron had spoken for Moses before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1–2). Their ministries were valid, yet distinct.
• God does speak through others: see Numbers 11:24–29 where the seventy elders prophesied, and later prophets such as Samuel (1 Samuel 3:19–21).
• The issue is not whether God can speak through many, but whether anyone may self-promote to equal authority with the one God explicitly placed over Israel.
• 1 Corinthians 12:29–30 reminds believers that different gifts serve one body; not all are apostles or prophets in the same sense or rank.
• Pride and comparison lie beneath the surface (cf. James 3:16). Numbers 12:3 highlights Moses’ humility, contrasting sharply with Miriam and Aaron’s self-assertion.
• Nothing escapes God’s notice: “He who planted the ear, does He not hear?” (Psalm 94:9).
• Psalm 139:4 says, “Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.”
• God’s immediate response (Numbers 12:4–10) shows He defends His chosen servants and upholds His order. Miriam’s leprosy underscores the seriousness of challenging divine authority.
• Malachi 3:16 assures that God listens both to words of honor and to words of dishonor. Accountability is certain; hidden murmurs are fully exposed before Him.
Miriam and Aaron’s questions reveal a deeper heart issue: dissatisfaction with God’s arrangement and envy of Moses’ unique role. Scripture affirms that while God speaks through many, He sovereignly assigns differing levels of authority. Moses’ prophetic office was singular, divinely authenticated, and not to be rivaled by self-promotion. God heard the complaint, judged it, and thereby reaffirmed His established leadership and the necessity of humility among His people.
(2) Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses?--There is probably a reference in these words to the facts related in Exodus 4:10-16, where Moses speaks of his own slowness of speech (Numbers 12:10), and where it is said of Aaron, "And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people" (Numbers 12:16). Miriam also is spoken of in Exodus 15:20 as "the prophetess." "Such is the depravity of human nature," writes Calvin, "that they not only abuse the gifts of God towards the brother whom they despise, but by an ungodly and sacrilegious glorification extol the gifts themselves in such a manner as to hide the Author of the gifts."Verse 2. - And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? This is evidently not the "speaking against Moses" mentioned in the previous verse, for that is distinctly said to have been on the score of Moses' marriage. This is their justification of themselves for daring to dispute his judgment and arraign his proceedings; a thing which clearly required justification. Moses himself, or more likely others for him, had remonstrated with them on the language they were using. They retorted that Moses had no monopoly of Divine communications; Aaron also received the revelation of God by Urim and Thummim, and Miriam was a prophetess. They were acknowledged in a general sense as sharing with him the leadership of Israel (see Micah 6:4); upon this they meant to found a claim to coordinate authority. They would have had perhaps all matters settled in a family council in which they should have had an equal voice. It was hard for them both to forget that Moses was only their younger brother: for Miriam that she had saved his life as an infant; for Aaron that he had been as prominent as Moses in the original commission from God to the people. And the Lord heard it. In one sense he hears everything; in another sense there are many things which he does not choose to hear, because he does not wish to take judicial notice of them. Thus he had not "heard" the passionate complaints of Moses himself a short time before, because his will was then to pardon, not to punish (cf. Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:16).