The prophetess

And the women, dancing with their timbrels followed Miriam as she sang her song:
Sing a song to the One whom we've exalted
Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long.

Who was this woman? Aside from the matriarchs, she's one of the more famous women in the Bible. What do we know of her? That was the older sister of Aaron and Moses. That she was a prophetess. That she led the women in song and dance after the crossing of the Sea of Reeds. That she spoke out against Moses by saying he married a Cushite woman. Yes, all that and more.

I have included her in my six sketches of women who were responsible for Moses being able to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. And she is to be praised for her work in getting Egyptian and Hebrew to work together. For it was Miriam who watched from the banks of the Nile as Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe. And it was Miriam who suggested that a Hebrew midwife be brought to the palace to nurse the baby. And it was Miriam who got her mother, Jocheved, to nurse Moses. And thus Moses learned of his people and history and about God, all thanks to Miriam.

It is also related in a midrash that when Pharaoh's decree came down that all male babies be killed that Amram, Miriam's father said that men should divorce their wives so that no more babies would be born to be thrown into the Nile. And Miriam spoke up that Amram's decree was worse that Pharaoh's. Pharaoh allowed the girls to live. Amram is cutting off the future of the people at the root. And Amram conceded and said that men did not have to divorce their wives. And some say, this allowed Moses to be born.

Yay for Miriam. Yay for Jocheved and Shifrah and Puah and Zipporah and Pharaoh's daughter. Praise the Lord to whom our praise is due, now and forever.