Miriam's Reward of Wisdom and Pharaoh's Decree Against His Own People

Another interpretation: Yocheved received her reward as priesthood and kingship, namely Moses and Aaron. What reward did Miriam receive? Wisdom, as it is said, "Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom" (Job 28:28). He raised up from her Bezalel, who was wise, as it is said, "And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom" (Exodus 31:3). "And Pharaoh charged all his people" (Exodus 1:22) - he decreed even upon his own people. For the astrologers were saying: On this day the redeemer of Israel is born, but we do not know whether he is an Egyptian or not. At that hour Pharaoh gathered all the Egyptians and said to them, Lend me your sons for one day. As it is said, "Every son that is born you shall cast into the river" - it is not written here "to Israel," but "every son," whether of Israel or of Egypt. Who is the one who decreed a thing, and the LORD did not command it (Lamentations 3:37)? As it is said, "For with a strong hand he will send them out" (Exodus 6:1), and so it came to pass: "And He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea" (Psalms 136:15). And likewise, "according to all that Haman commanded" - Haman commanded "to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish" (Esther 3:13); who is the one who decreed and the LORD did not command it? And what did the LORD command? "His wicked device should return upon his own head" (Esther 9:25), and so it came to pass: "And they hanged him and his sons upon the gallows." "And Pharaoh charged all his people" - he decreed even upon his own people. At first he decreed, If it be a son, you shall kill him; afterward, "every son that is born"; and at the last, he decreed even against his own people.