Miriam the * prophetesse] By whom the Lord spake: They who vilifie the female sex, especially with reference to Religion, may here observe in point of holy prophecie, that male and female are all one in God as in Christ, Galatians 3:28. Judg. 4. 4. 2 Kings 12:14. Luke 2:36. Acts 21:9. the sister of Aaron] And of Moses, yet she is called Aarons sister, rather then the sister of Moses, because she was Aarons sister before she was his sister, being elder then either of them; and because Moses was long absent from her, (when Aaron continued with her) and so she was longer, and more generally knowne, by the name of Aarons sister, then the sister of Moses: these three were the principall conducters of the people out of Egypt into Canaan, Micah 6:4. timbrell] Psalms 68:25. 2 Samuel 6:5. That is, a little Drum, Tabor, or Tabret; the Hebrew word Toph, cometh from a word signifying to strike; some of them had little bells hanging within them, which when the skin of the Tabret was stroken, returned a musicall sound. and with dances] Or, flutes. Signifying their great joy: which custome the Jewes observed in great solemnities, Jud. 11. 34. But it ought not to be a cloake to cover our wanton dances: for this dancing was a religious and outward expressing of their inward rejoycing, and glorifying in God: besides; it was not a mixt dancing of men and women, but the women danced by themselves, as the manner was, Judges 21:21.