The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers
⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑
- Chapter 12 -
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Footnotes
(a)12:1 Notice that Miriam’s name is listed first. This indicates that she was putting herself above Aaron as well as Moses, and it is a foreshadowing of those women who wish to put themselves above men by claiming to be ordained as Bishops and priests. Notice also that they first denigrate Moses by criticizing him unfairly. Then they try to life themselves up.(Conte)
(b)12:1
Ethiopian: Sephora the wife of Moses was of Madian, which bordered upon the land of Chus or Ethiopia: where note, that the Ethiopia here spoken of is not that of Africa but that of Arabia.(Challoner)
(c)12:2 This event was a foreshadowing of the rebellion in the Church against proper Church authority, against the authority of the Pope over the Bishops, against the authority of the Pope and Bishops over priests, deacons, and religious, and against the teaching of the Church that women cannot be Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, or priest in the Church. Miriam speaks as if she were equal to Moses in his role over Israel, just as some women speak as if they could be ordained as priests or Bishops, or as if it could ever be God’s will for them to lead men. God rebukes Aaron and Miriam for disdaining the roles given to each of them by God and for desiring a role not given to them. Notice also that even Miriam and Aaron know that God speaks to them, but through Moses. Yet they ignore that difference.(Conte)
(d)12:3
Exceeding meek: Moses being the meekest of men, would not contend for himself; therefore, God inspired him to write here his own defence: and the Holy Spirit, whose dictate he wrote, obliged him to declare the truth, though it was so much to his own praise.(Challoner)