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What was Miriam's husband's name?


Miriam's husband was Caleb son of Yefuneh of the tribe of Judah.1

Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent to reconnoiter the Land of Canaan, in preparation for the Israelites' impending invasion of Israel. He and Joshua were the only two scouts who did not go along with the negative and pessimistic report provided by the other ten scouts. Instead they encouraged the people to have faith in G‑d's ability to deliver Canaan's inhabitants into their hands. Caleb famously told the Jews: "Didn't Moses split the sea, bring down the manna, and cause the quails to fly down to us? We can surely go up!... We will succeed in whatever Moses says!"

Caleb's role is even more remarkable than Joshua's. Before embarking on their mission, Moses prayed on behalf of his trusted assistant Joshua, which explains why he didn't succumb to the scouts' nefarious plot. Caleb, however, was "on his own." As soon as he reached Canaan he headed for the Cave of Machpelah where the Patriarchs and Matriarchs are interred, and pleaded with them to intercede with G‑d to give him the necessary courage and strength to remain faithful to his mission.

Obviously, Caleb was a man of great caliber. His upright character and actions in the incident with the spies is discussed at great length in the Torah (Numbers 13-14).

In the aftermath of the spy debacle, G‑d decreed that all the adult, male Israelites would perish before the nation entered the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb were given immunity from this decree, due to their courage and faith.

And they were both handsomely rewarded. Joshua succeeded Moses as the next Jewish leader, and Caleb was given the city of Hebron as his personal inheritance -- not incidentally, the city which houses the Cave of Machpelah.

Miriam and Caleb were two courageous leaders who were eminently suited for each other. Miriam "earned her stripes" in Egypt, when as a Jewish midwife she stood up to Pharaoh's demand that she murder Jewish babies.

According to Jewish tradition, Caleb was also one of the two scouts sent by Joshua to Jericho immediately before the Jews crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan.

Chana Weisberg for Chabad.org

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FOOTNOTES
1.

Talmud Sotah 12a.


By Chana Weisberg   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Chana Weisberg is a writer, editor and lecturer. Her latest books include Tending the Garden: The Unique Gifts of the Jewish Woman and the best selling Divine Whispers on finding spirituality in daily life. She has served as the Dean of several women's educational institutes and lectures internationally on issues relating to women, faith, relationships and the Jewish soul.
All names of persons and locations or other identifying features referenced in these questions have been omitted or changed to preserve the anonymity of the questioners.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Mar 1, 2012
Calebs wife
The gemara in megiila daf 13 amud alef states clearly that caleb married basya.
Posted By john, suffern, ny

Posted: July 12, 2008
prayer of Caleb
What exactly is the prayer of Caleb?
Posted By Anonymous, muntinlupa , philippines

Posted: Dec 2, 2007
Re: What?
In Divrei Hayamim I (Chronicles I) 4:18 the daughter of Pharaoh is referred to as Bityah. The commentators on the verse quote from the Talmud in Megillah that she married Caleb.
Posted By Baruch S. Davidson, Chabad.org "Ask the Rabbi" Team

Posted: Nov 29, 2007
What?
Bitya.....you mean Batya or basya.

And no, shes didnt marry Caleb. Where's your source?
Posted By Avraham, Brookyln, NY

Posted: June 6, 2007
Caleb's wives
By the way, Caleb also married Bitya the daughter of Pharaoh. The two women first met at the river when Miriam offered Bitya to get a Jewish nursemaid for baby Moses and ended up marrying the same man.
Posted By Gershon McGreevy, Witchita, KS



 


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