Single lesson
Miriam and Aaron Challenge Moses
Numbers 12:1–16
In this lesson, children trace the account where Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married. They will follow the order of the passage, notice the choices made, and see how Yahweh responded.
Before you teach
Numbers 12:1–16 tells how Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses and questioned whether Yahweh had spoken only with him. Yahweh called all three to the Tent of Meeting, defended Moses’ unique role, judged Miriam, heard Moses’ prayer, and set a seven-day consequence before the people travelled again.
Students will be able to sequence Numbers 12:1–16, identify key choices and outcomes, and describe from the passage that Yahweh heard, spoke, defended Moses, and set a seven-day consequence before Miriam returned.
Welcome: Listen for the first problem
4 minIntroduce the three main people in the account: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. Tell the children to listen for what starts the story. The passage begins by saying Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married. Then they questioned whether Yahweh had spoken only with Moses.
Numbers 12:1, Numbers 12:2
Read and explain: Yahweh hears and calls them
8 minRead verses 1 to 8 aloud. Help children notice the order: Miriam and Aaron spoke, Yahweh heard, and then Yahweh suddenly called all three to the Tent of Meeting. Moses is described as very humble. Yahweh says prophets may receive visions and dreams, but with Moses he speaks "mouth to mouth", plainly, and "not in riddles", showing a clearer way of speaking than visions or dreams.
Numbers 12:1, Numbers 12:2, Numbers 12:3, Numbers 12:4, Numbers 12:5, Numbers 12:6, Numbers 12:7, Numbers 12:8
Discuss: Yahweh defends Moses
6 minTalk about Yahweh’s own words. He calls Moses "my servant" and says Moses is faithful in all my house. He asks Aaron and Miriam why they were not afraid to speak against Moses. This keeps the focus on what the passage says about Moses’ place and Yahweh’s defence of him.
Numbers 12:7, Numbers 12:8
Make and respond: Sequence the whole account
8 minChildren make simple sequence cards for these moments: Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, they questioned Moses’ place, Yahweh called them out, Yahweh defended Moses, Miriam became leprous, Moses prayed, Miriam stayed outside the camp seven days, and then the people travelled. Arrange the cards and retell the passage in order.
Numbers 12:1, Numbers 12:2, Numbers 12:4, Numbers 12:7, Numbers 12:8, Numbers 12:10, Numbers 12:13, Numbers 12:15, Numbers 12:16
Closing: Prayer, consequence, and return
4 minFinish with verses 9 to 16. Yahweh’s anger burned, Miriam became leprous, Aaron admitted sin and foolishness, and Moses cried to Yahweh for healing. Yahweh set a seven-day consequence outside the camp, and the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again. After that, the people travelled on.
Numbers 12:9, Numbers 12:10, Numbers 12:11, Numbers 12:13, Numbers 12:14, Numbers 12:15, Numbers 12:16
Questions to explore
What detail does the passage give at the start about why Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses?
Look at the opening verse and use its exact detail before moving to their question about whether Yahweh had also spoken with them.
Numbers 12:1, Numbers 12:2
How does Yahweh describe the difference between speaking to prophets and speaking to Moses?
Compare the words about visions and dreams with the words "mouth to mouth", "plainly", and "not in riddles".
Numbers 12:6, Numbers 12:8
What happened after Aaron admitted sin and Moses prayed for Miriam?
Follow the next verses to see the seven-day consequence and what the people did before travelling again.
Numbers 12:11, Numbers 12:13, Numbers 12:14, Numbers 12:15, Numbers 12:16
Make, think or respond
Numbers 12 Story Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or scrap card
- Pencils or textas
- Scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Draw or write eight story moments from the passage on separate cards, including that Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married.
- Work together to place the cards in the right order from the beginning to the end of the account.
- Read each card aloud and say what choice, action, or response happened there.
- Add one short sentence under each card telling the outcome from the passage.
This activity helps children follow the order of Numbers 12:1–16 and connect each part of the account with what happened next.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare the card titles for them and let them focus on ordering the pictures and retelling the story simply.
- For older or stronger readers, ask them to add the exact verse reference to each card and explain the contrast in Numbers 12:6–8.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Yahweh, please help us listen carefully to your word, speak carefully, and learn from Moses praying for Miriam. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Numbers 12
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.
2 They said, “Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?” And Yahweh heard it.
3 Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth.
4 Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!” The three of them came out.
5 Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward.
6 He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.
8 With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”
9 Yahweh’s anger burned against them; and he departed.
10 The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
11 Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, please don’t count this sin against us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned.
12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
13 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “Heal her, God, I beg you!”
14 Yahweh said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.”
15 Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.
16 Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.