"And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances."
Exodus 15:20 · King James Bible
The story
Miriam is the older sister of Moses and Aaron. She is the little girl who stands at a distance and watches the basket of reeds float on the Nile — and who has the courage to run up to Pharaoh's daughter and offer to fetch a Hebrew nurse (Exodus 2:4–8). Because of her, Moses is raised by his own mother.Years later, after the Red Sea crossing, Miriam is called a prophetess. She takes a timbrel and leads the women of Israel in the first great hymn of salvation: "Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously." Micah 6:4 later names Miriam alongside Moses and Aaron as one of the three the Lord sent to lead Israel out of Egypt.
She and Aaron once speak against Moses; the Lord is displeased and Miriam becomes leprous for seven days until Moses prays for her (Numbers 12). She dies in the wilderness at Kadesh and is buried there (Numbers 20:1).