BIIR'IAM. The sister of .1loses and Aaron. In the triple tradition of the career of :\ loses (q.v.). as embodied in the Book of Exodus, Aliriam appears only in the narrative of the Elohist. (See Ei.ollisT .k.ND IIIV 1ST. ) She is called a 'prophetess' and is represented as cele brating the deliverance of the people from Egypt as the leader of a female choir ( Ex. xy.). Apart from this. she is mentioned again only in con nection with Aaron's rebellion against .)loses, in which stands on .Aaron's side. She is smitten with leprosy as a punishment (Num. N11. , but after seven days' isolation 1 Lev. xiii. 51 is healed by Yahweh at .Nloses' solicitation. Iler death takes place at Kadesh (Num. xx. 1). Aliriam, though not expressly named, is thought to be the sister referred to in the story of 1\loses' infancy (Ex. ii.). who as a nurse and pro tector to him. The noune may be connected with
lerari, one of the son, of Levi (Ex. vi. 10), and a very plausible view is to assume that Aaron and 1iriarn represent priestly families, the one at Horeb. the other at Kadesh, who were joined to the early of the Hebrews by virtue of reminiscenees that some of the clans once followed the cult at the sane tnaries in the two places named. The associa tion between .7%loses, .\;tron. and Miriam (tried established gave rise to further elaboration which was adjusted to the general priestly narrative in the Pentaieuell. The allusion in Nlicall vi. 4 to 'Moses. Aaron. and Nliriam' as the forerunners in the redemption of Israel. is a valuable indica tion for the period at which the combination of the three in popular tradition and legend had taken place.