Числа 12:13

Moses, with his mildness, took compassion upon his sister, upon whom this punishment had fallen, and cried to the Lord, "O God, I beseech Thee, heal her." The connection of the particle נא with אל is certainly unusual, but yet it is analogous to the construction with such exclamations as אוי (Jer 4:31; Jer 45:3) and הנּה (Gen 12:11; Gen 16:2, etc.); since אל in the vocative is to be regarded as equivalent to an exclamation; whereas the alteration into אל, as proposed by J. D. Michaelis and Knobel, does not even give a fitting sense, apart altogether from the fact, that the repetition of נא after the verb, with נא אל before it, would be altogether unexampled.

In the foregoing chapter we had the vexation which the people gave to Moses; in this we have his patience tried by his own relations. I. Miriam and Aaron, his own brother and sister, affronted him (Num 12:1-3). II. God called them to an account for it (Num 12:4-9). III. Miriam was smitten with a leprosy for it (Num 12:10). IV. Aaron submits, and Moses meekly intercedes for Miriam (Num 12:11-13). V. She is healed, but put to shame for seven days (Num 12:14-16). And this is recorded to show that the best persons and families have both their follies and their crosses.