God, was the whole. What a humbling hour for this proud woman to find that Jehovah himself had taken up the cause of her despised brother I It is probable that Moses himself had mentioned little of the details of his experiences of God • they were not things to talk much about ; perhaps he could not have found the fit audience, even though few. Upon Miriam it would come like a thunderbolt to know how God esteemed the man whom she had allowed herself to scorn. So God will ever abase the proud by glorifying hie own pious children whom they despise. Satan despises Job, says he ie a mere lip worshipper, a man whose professions will not bear trial ; he gets him down into the dust of bereavement, poverty, nnd disease; but in the end he has to see him a holier man, a more trustful and prosperous one than before. Miriam meant the downfall of Moses_;. sh~ only help~d to establish him more firmly on the rock. 2. By the, personal 'IJtsitation on Miriam. She became a· leper. As her pride was hideous in the manifestation of it, so her punishment was hideous-a leprosy, loathsome and frightful beyond the common. We might expect this. A malignant outbreak in her bodily life corresponded with the malignity of the defilement in her spirit. As~o Aaron, we may presume that hie sacred office, and to some extent the fact that he was a tool, secured him from leprosy, but the visitation on his sister was punishment in itself. He felt the wind of the blow which struck her down. Proud souls, take warning by Miriam ; you will at last become abhorrent to yourselves. Remember Herod (Acts xii. 21-23). 11 'fHE EXALTATION OF THE MEEK. This is a more inward and spiritual thing, and therefore not conspicuous in the same way as the humbling. It is something to be appreciated by spiritual discernment rather than natural. Besides, the full exalta- tion of the meek is not yet come. The resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus himself were arranged very quietly. But we cannot help noticing that from this sharp and trying scene Moses emerges with his character shining more beautifully than ever. He does nothing to forfeit the reputation with which he was credited, and everything to increase it. He acted like a man who had beheld the similitude of the Lord. Notice particularly the way in which he joins in with Aaron, interceding for his afflicted sister. This is the true exaltation : to be better and better in oneself, shining more because there is more light within to cast its mild radiance, as God would have it cast, alike upon the evil and the good, the just and the unjust (Pe. xxv. 9; li.x. 12; Prov. xiii. 10; xvi. 18; xxiL 23; Dan. iv. 37; Matt. :niii. 12; Gal. vi. 1-5; 2 Tim. ii. 24-26; 1 Pet. iii. 4; v. 6).-Y.
EXPOSITION. their arrival at Kadesh he had bidden tl1em CHAPTERS XIII., XIV. go up and take possession ; that they had THE REJIELLJON AT KADESH (cha. Xlll., then proposed to send men before them to xiv.). Ver. 2.-Bend thou men, that they examine the land ; that the proposal had may search the lBJ1d. If this account of the pleased him so well that he had adopted it mission of the spies be compared with that and acted upon it. It is unquestionably given in Dent. i. 20-25, it may be seen in strange that facts so material should have a striking instance how entirely different a been omitted in the historical Book of Num- colour may be _put upon the same circum- bers. It is, however, to be considered-I. stances by two mspired narratives. No one That there is no contradiction between the indeed will affirm that the two records are con- two accounts. We may be certain from many tradictory, or even inconsistent, and yet they a recorded example that Moses would not leave an entirely different impression upon have acted on the popular suggestion without the mind ; and no doubt were intended to. referring the matter to the Lord, and that it It is important to note that the Divine in• would be the Divine command (when given) spiration did not in the least prevent two which would really weigh with him. 2. That sacred authors (cf. 2 Sam. xxiv. l with 1 the recital in Deuteronomy is distinctly ad Cbron. xxi. 1), or even the same author at populwm, and that therefore theirwi,rt_in the different times, from placing on record very whole transaction is as strongly emphasised distinct and even strongly contrasted aspects as is consistent with the truth of the facts. of the same facts, according to the point of 8. That the narrative of Numbers is frag- view from which he was led to regard them. mentary, and docs not profess to give a full In Dent, i Moses reminds the people that on account of matters, especially in such par• ,________________________ OJI& xm., xiv.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 143