Original Word: מִרְיָם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Miryam
Pronunciation: meer-YAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (meer-yawm')
KJV: Miriam
NASB: Miriam
Word Origin: [from H4805 (מְרִי - rebellious)]

1. rebelliously
2. Mirjam, the name of two Israelitesses

Miriam

From mriy; rebelliously; Mirjam, the name of two Israelitesses -- Miriam.

see HEBREW mriy

Word Origin
from the same as Merayah
Definition
a sister of Aaron, also a man of Judah
NASB Translation
Miriam (15).

מִרְיָם proper name, feminine and masculine

1. feminine sister of Aaron Exodus 15:20 (E), and of Moses and Aaron Numbers 26:59 (P), 1 Chronicles 5:29; named also Exodus 15:21 (E), Numbers 12:1,4,5,10 (twice in verse); Numbers 12:15 (twice in verse); Numbers 20:1 (all J E), Deuteronomy 24:9; Micah 6:4. ᵐ5 Μαριαμ.

2. masculine (probably) a Judahite 1 Chronicles 4:17. ᵐ5 τὸν Μαιων, ᵐ5^L Μωεωρ.

מְרִירוּת, מְרִירִי see מרר.

מֹ֫רֶךְ see רכך. מֶרְכָּב, מֶרְכָּבָה see רכב.

[מַרְכֹּ֫לֶת see רכל. I.מִרְמָה see רמה.

Name and Family Context

Miriam (מִרְיָם, Strong’s 4813) is introduced as the elder sister of Aaron and Moses, children of Amram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi (Numbers 26:59; 1 Chronicles 6:3). Her birth preceded the Exodus by several decades, placing her childhood under the oppression of Pharaoh.

Early Life and Guardian Role

Exodus 2 implies Miriam’s watchful presence when the infant Moses is placed in the Nile. Though unnamed in that chapter, Jewish and Christian tradition—supported by Numbers 26:59—identifies her as the unnamed sister who bravely approached Pharaoh’s daughter. This formative moment foreshadows her later protective leadership over Israel.

Prophetess and Worship Leader

After the Red Sea crossing, Miriam is explicitly titled “the prophetess” (Exodus 15:20). Taking a tambourine, she leads the women of Israel in antiphonal praise: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea” (Exodus 15:21). Her song functions as the earliest recorded congregational worship by Israel, establishing a liturgical pattern of celebrating divine deliverance.

Challenge at Hazeroth and the Leprosy Episode

Numbers 12 records Miriam, with Aaron, opposing Moses “because of the Cushite woman he had married” (Numbers 12:1). The narrative centers on prophetic authority. While both siblings speak, the Hebrew verb for “spoke” is singular, suggesting Miriam as chief instigator. The LORD summons the trio to the tent of meeting, affirms Moses’ unique face-to-face communion, and strikes Miriam with leprosy: “When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam was leprous, as white as snow” (Numbers 12:10). Aaron’s plea and Moses’ intercession lead to her confinement outside the camp for seven days (12:15). The account teaches divine jealousy for ordained leadership and the seriousness of envy and slander.

Death and Burial

“Miriam died there and was buried” at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin (Numbers 20:1). Her death is narrated immediately before the water-from-the-rock episode, a juxtaposition many commentators link to Israel’s subsequent thirst, highlighting her significance as a life-giving presence during the wanderings.

Miriam in Later Canonical Memory

Deuteronomy 24:9 warns Israel: “Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the journey after you came out of Egypt.” Micah 6:4 elevates her alongside Moses and Aaron: “I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” Post-exilic writers therefore regard her as a divinely appointed leader. 1 Chronicles 4:17 lists descendants tied to her name, illustrating her honored status within genealogical records.

Theological Reflections and Typology

1. Prophetic Voice: Miriam’s title authenticates female prophetic ministry within the covenant community.
2. Worship Leadership: Her song models responsive praise that proclaims God’s character and deeds.
3. Discipline and Restoration: The leprosy episode embodies both the severity of covenant discipline and the mercy accessible through intercession.
4. Corporate Memory: Subsequent generations are exhorted to remember both her service and her chastening, reinforcing the didactic role of history.

Practical Applications for Faith and Ministry

• Uphold God-ordained leadership while exercising gifts with humility.
• Encourage congregational worship that centers on redemptive acts.
• Recognize the potential influence of women in prophetic and musical ministries.
• Embrace corrective discipline as a means to communal holiness and restored fellowship.

Summary

Across fifteen Old Testament occurrences, Miriam emerges as guardian, prophetess, worship leader, and cautionary figure. Her life spans deliverance through judgment to legacy, illustrating the multifaceted ways God employs His servants for the good of His people and the glory of His name.

וּמִרְיָ֑ם וּמִרְיָ֔ם וּמִרְיָֽם׃ ומרים ומרים׃ לְמִרְיָ֑ם למרים מִרְיָ֑ם מִרְיָ֔ם מִרְיָ֖ם מִרְיָ֛ם מִרְיָ֣ם מִרְיָ֤ם מִרְיָ֥ם מִרְיָ֨ם מִרְיָֽם׃ מרים מרים׃ lə·mir·yām lemirYam ləmiryām mir·yām mirYam miryām ū·mir·yām umirYam ūmiryāmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts