20. Miriam the prophetess--so called from her receiving divine
revelations
(Nu 12:1;
Mic 6:4),
but in this instance principally from her being eminently skilled in
music, and in this sense the word "prophecy" is sometimes used in
Scripture
(1Ch 25:1;
1Co 11:5).
took a timbrel--or "tabret"--a musical instrument in the form of
a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling
noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It was
beat with the fingers, and corresponds to our tambourine.
all the women went out after her with timbrels and with
dances--We shall understand this by attending to the modern customs
of the East, where the dance--a slow, grave, and solemn gesture,
generally accompanied with singing and the sound of the timbrel, is
still led by the principal female of the company, the rest imitating
her movements and repeating the words of the song as they drop from her
lips.
JFB.
Outline
1 Moses' song
22 The people find water
23 The bitter waters at Marah are sweetened.
27 The people come to Elim where there were 12 wells of water.
Photo of Date Palms in the Jordan Valley
Important Topics for Bible Study
Moses and all of Israel praise the
Lord
fearful [in] praises
Israel arrived at the bitter waters of Marah
The people murmured against their leader Moses
Moses brings their cry before the Lord
The bitter waters are sweetened
He proved them
Jehovah Rapha
Israel comes to an oasis called Elim
They found 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees
Quick Reference Map
Map of the Possible Route of the
Exodus
(Click to Enlarge)
Ancient Customs
Song
singing
timbrel and dancing
Pharaoh's chariots and his host
habitation
prophetess
murmured
a statute and an ordinance
encampment
Ancient People
God, Moses, Miriam
the LORD
Geography
Egypt
Edom
Moab
the Red sea
the wilderness
Quick Reference Maps
Map of the Red Sea and Egypt
(Click to Enlarge)
The Old Testament
Exodus Resources
Moses
and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The
Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings