Miriam: A Very Clever Big Sister

Saint Pope John Paul II spoke of outstanding women in salvation history.

1. The Old Testament makes us admire some extraordinary women who, under the impulse of the Spirit of God, participate in the struggles and triumphs of Israel or contribute to its salvation.... After the passage of the Red Sea, the sacred text highlights the initiative of an inspired woman to celebrate this decisive event with joy: Mary [Miriam], the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a drum in her hands and all the women followed her with drums and dancing in chorus" (Saint Pope John Paul II, 3/27/1996)

While not actually revealing her name, Exodus 2 introduces us to Miriam, Moses' big sister. Egypt's pharoah was so hateful of Egypt's Jewish occupants that he was employing truly demonic efforts against them. With the Jewish people already reduced to slavery, Pharoah took to the slaughter of male babies. When midwives were not cooperating with killing them at birth, Pharoah gave orders for them to be thrown into the Nile.

Shortly after Moses' birth, his mom placed him in a basket in the Nile, which she hid among the reeds. After Miriam saw her baby brother taken with care, she went to the daughter of Pharoah and volunteered to find a wet nurse among the Jewish women. As the daughter of Pharoah agreed, Moses was cared for by his own mom! Quite a clever young lady that Miriam!

After her grown up little brother much later led the Israelites through the Red Sea, Miriam led the Israelite women in celebratory thanks to God!

On the other hand, Miriam's life also featured temporary leprosy for failing to trust God.

The Israelites, the whole community, arrived in the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed at Kadesh. It was here that Miriam died, and here that she was buried (Numbers 20: 1).

(cf, Miriam: the Woman Who Helped Save a Nation)