Miriam and Aaron Talk Against Moses

Three people dey waka quick quick go di tent of meeting: two brothers and dia sister. Somebody don call dem. And di voice wey call dem no be Moses voice. Na God.

Israel don comot from Mount Sinai and dem dey travel through di wilderness. Dem stop for one place wey dem dey call Hazeroth. Na three people from one family dey lead dem. Moses, di leader wey God choose. Aaron, di high priest. And dia senior sister Miriam. Many years before, na Miriam watch baby Moses inside im basket for River Nile. After dem cross di sea, she take tambourine and lead all di women sing praise. Di Bible call her prophet. Dis three don pass through everything together. But even family wey close well well fit quarrel.

E start with complaint about Moses wife. Moses don marry one Cushite woman, woman from one land for south. Miriam and Aaron begin talk against am. And soon di real complaint come out. Na only through Moses Di Lord dey talk? dem talk. E no dey talk through us too? Under di complaint, something old and painful dey: jealousy. Why our small brother go dey in charge? Then di Bible add one quiet sentence. Di Lord hear am. And another one. Moses na very humble man, e humble pass anybody wey dey for di face of di earth. Moses no defend imself. E no need to.

Sudden, Di Lord talk to all three of dem. Una three, come out go di tent of meeting. So dem go. Di Lord come down inside pillar of cloud, come stand for di door of di tent. E call Aaron and Miriam make dem come forward. Hear my words, e talk. If prophet dey among una, I dey show myself to am for vision, I dey talk to am for dream. But e no be so with my servant Moses. E dey faithful for my whole house. With am, I dey talk face to face, clear clear, no be for riddle. E even dey see di form of Di Lord. So why una no fear to talk against my servant Moses? Di Lord vex well well against dem, and e go. Di cloud lift comot from top di tent. And see Miriam dey stand there, her skin don suddenly white like snow, because skin disease don catch her.

Aaron turn see her. Fear catch am. E turn to Moses, di same brother wey e don complain about. Abeg, my lord, e talk, no hold dis sin against us. We don do like fool. No let her be like pikin wey dem born dead, wey half of im body don waste finish. And wetin Moses do? Di man wey dem talk against cry out to God for im sister. O God, I beg you, heal her. God answer. If her papa spit for her face, she no go carry dat shame for seven days? So she must stay outside di camp for seven days, and after dat she fit come back. So Miriam wait outside di camp, alone, for seven days. And see di part wey go touch your heart. Di whole people of Israel no move. Dem wait for her. Na only when dem bring Miriam back inside, dem pack load comot go di wilderness of Paran.

Dem no just invent di seven days outside camp for Miriam. For Leviticus, God law talk say if dem suspect say person get skin disease, make dem separate am for seven days, then priest go check am again. E dey protect di whole camp. And people no forget Miriam after. Many hundred years after, di prophet Micah remember how God lead im people comot from Egypt, and e call di name of all three of dem: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

Miriam and Aaron talk against Moses. You go find dis story for Numbers chapter twelve. Complaint wey jealousy cause, humble brother wey no pay back, prayer for healing, and one whole nation wey wait make one woman come back home. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When person talk against you, you fit pray for am, like Moses do?