Miriam
Miriam is a biblical figure who is known to have a link to Aaron and Moses. She is considered to be a Hebrew female prophet and a leader to her community. She is mentioned several times in the Bible in the Book of Exodus chapters 1-2 and 15 in events like saving her brother Moses as an infant to leading the song of praise in a victory. The Book of Numbers chapters 12 and 20 also highlights key parts about her life such as her challenges and illness before her death. Throughout different time periods, many interpreters pointed out her leadership qualities as a female. However, her leadership has been defined differently in each time period.
Miriam is recognized in the bible in several events where it shows her lineage to Moses and Aaron, yet her own story does not follow a specific path to understanding much about her life. The book of Exodus explains how Miriam as a child, played an important role in saving her infant brother, Moses, during the time of the year where all the infant of the Israelites were killed by the Egyptian army (Exod. 2). When her mother put her brother Moses in a basket to flow on the river, Miriam was the one who followed the basket until it reached the Pharaoh's house (Exod. 2). Miriam watched as the Egyptians opened the basket by the permission of the princess and saw that the princess became attached to the baby (Exod. 2:6). At that point, she served as an ambassador to the princess of Egypt. This role explained by different interpreters as a leadership role because she took the initiatives to speak to the princess and request someone to breastfeed the infant (Exod. 2:7).
Furthermore, Miriam's roles continued to influence her family and her community. After Moses and Aaron were sent as prophets to the Pharaoh, she was recognized by others as the sister of these prophets who continued to help them out. Later on, when the Israelites were departing the land of Egypt from their oppression by the Egyptian army and followed Moses' message, Miriam took a part in this movement. Another incident following this is the fall of the Egyptian army including the Pharaoh in the Red sea, which was the victory of the Israelites (Exod.14). Miriam participated in this event by joining the song of Moses and further singing the song of Praise using the timbrel and leading a group of women who were singing in joy (Exod. 15:1-20). Miriam became known as the pious women devoted to her Lord, a poet, and a leader in her community, in which it has been mentioned in various interpretations throughout time.
However, Miriam as an individual was able to fall into an error despite her outstanding personality. Miriam is also mentioned in the book of Numbers where she committed some errors that resulted in her severe punishment. In an incident, Miriam and her brother Aaron conspired against their brother Moses (Num. 12). This incident led to the punishment of Miriam from God when he heard their speech against Moses, and this is mentioned to have made God angry. Miriam was, thus cursed by God and is described to be as "white as snow" or leprous (Num. 12:9-10). In the meantime, her brother Moses asked God for her healing despite her deeds (Num. 12:13). But the latter it is mentioned that she received an alternative punishment which was staying out of their camp for seven days. Miriam returned after her punishment and continued to live among the Israelites, but stories about her events were never mentioned again until her death ((Num. 20:1). Many interpreters through a different period, highlighted her leadership roles and defined its importance to her community and also to her brother Moses.
