Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 12:12
Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
12. be as one dead ] i.e. become so by the terrible effects of the spreading disease.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As one dead; either naturally, because part of her flesh was putrefied and dead, and not to be restored but by the mighty power of God; or morally, because she was cut off from all converse with others, Lev 13:46.
When he cometh out of his mothers womb; like an untimely birth, without due shape and proportion, or like a still-born child that hath been for some time dead in the womb, which when it comes forth is white and putrefied, and part of it consumed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Let her not be as one dead,…. As she was in a ceremonial sense, being to be shut up and excluded from the society of people, and as defiling by touching as a dead carcase; and, in a natural sense, her flesh, by the disease upon her, was become as dead flesh, putrid and rotten, and unless miraculously cured it would issue in her death:
of whom the flesh is half consumed, when he cometh out of his mother’s womb; like an abortive, or one stillborn, that has been dead some time in its mother’s womb; and therefore when brought forth its flesh is almost wasted away, or at least half consumed: and in such a plight and condition was Miriam already, or quickly would be, through the force of her disease.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(12) Let her not be as one dead.This is another of the places in which the Scribes are said to have altered the text. The original is said to have been as follows:Let her not be as one dead, who proceeded from the womb of our mother, and half of our flesh be consumed. The leper was as one dead in two respects(1) as being shut out from inter course with his brethren; and (2) as causing ceremonial defilement in the case of those who were brought into contact with him, similar to that which was caused by touching a dead body. He was, as Archbishop Trench has remarked, a dreadful parable of death (On the Miracles, p. 214). In the most severe types of leprosy there was, as the same writer has observed, a dissolution, little by little, of the whole body, so that one limb after another actually decayed and fell away (Ibid, p. 213).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. As one dead Cut off from society and from all religious privileges, dwelling alone without the camp. Compelled to proclaim her own defilement to all comers. Lev 13:45-46, notes. Keil renders this thus: Let her not be as the dead thing on whose coming out of his mother’s womb half its flesh is consumed; that is, like a stillborn child, which comes into the world half decomposed. Leprosy decomposes the living body.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘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.’
He begged that she might not be as a stillborn baby coming from its mother’s womb wrinkled, partially formed and looking grotesque, a baby that no one bothered to clean it up. For if she was permanently skin diseased she too was distorted, and was as good as dead.
( Note: ‘Leprous’ is probably a misnomer. Modern leprosy was seemingly fairly rare in Old Testament times. The word means rather a general skin disease. It could also be used of mould and fungi in clothes and houses.)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Num 12:12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
Ver. 12. As one dead. ] As “free among the dead,” free of that company.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
dead = stillborn.
the flesh. The Primitive Text lead “our flesh”. This is one of the eighteen emendations of the Sopherim (see App-33), to avoid what was supposed to he derogatory to Aaron.
his mother’s. The Primitive Text read “our mother’s” (see above note): thus it is made impersonal.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
as one dead: Psa 88:4, Psa 88:5, Eph 2:1-5, Col 2:13, 1Ti 5:6
of whom: Job 3:16, Psa 58:8, 1Co 15:8
Reciprocal: Lev 13:2 – the plague of leprosy Job 13:28 – And he
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12:12 Let her not be as one {g} dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.
(g) As a child that is stillborn, as if it is only the skin.