What exactly does that mean, "He made houses for them?"
The text presents two perspectives, attributed to Rav and Levi. One suggests that God rewarded the midwives with priestly houses and Levite houses. The other? That they were granted royal houses! Now, how do we get from brave midwives to royalty?
Well, the text tells us that the priestly and Levite houses came through Moses and Aaron. But the royal houses? Those came from Miriam, because David, the future king of Israel, emerged from her lineage. This is where things get really interesting, and the Rabbis begin connecting the dots in surprising ways.
To understand Miriam's role, the text takes us on a bit of a detour, citing I (Chronicles 2:18): “Caleb son of Ḥetzron begot Azuva, his wife, and Yeriot, and these are her sons: Yesher, Shovav, and Ardon.” The Rabbis propose that Azuva is none other than Miriam!
Why the name Azuva? Because, the text suggests, everyone abandoned her. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, she was sickly, and no one wanted to marry her.
But here's where it gets even more intriguing. The verse says Caleb "begot" Azuva, but she was already his wife! Rabbi Yoḥanan offers a beautiful interpretation: anyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven, the verse ascribes merit to him as though he begot her. What a powerful idea!
The text continues, "Yeriot, because her face was like sheets [yeriot]." Her face was beautiful, like the beautifully dyed sheets of the Tabernacle. And "these are her sons [baneha]," but don't read it as baneha, but rather as boneha, the one who built her. Her husband!
The text then goes on to interpret the names of her sons – Yesher, Shovav, and Ardon – as allusions to Caleb’s righteousness in resisting the counsel of the spies who discouraged the Israelites from entering the Promised Land. Yesher because he made himself upright [yisher], not swayed by the scouts. Shovav, because he broke [shibev] himself, overcoming his evil inclination. And Ardon, because he dominated [rida] his inclination.
Then comes a sadder note: “Azuva died” (I (Chronicles 2:1)9). But the Rabbis interpret this not as literal death, but as a period of illness – specifically, when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy. The text notes that during mourning, the children of Israel sat in place for seven days. And Caleb, too, abandoned her. According to the text, he left her when she was a leper, only to remarry her when she recovered.
“Caleb took Efrat” (I (Chronicles 2:1)9), the text states, and this refers to Miriam. Why was she named Efrat? Because Israel procreated [faru] thanks to her! As we find in Midrash Rabbah, in Egypt, she convinced her father to remarry her mother, and the rest of Israel followed suit, leading to the continuation of the Israelite people. "Took" means that after she recovered, he performed an act of marriage and seated her on a sedan chair because of his great joy over her.
The text draws a parallel, noting that Miriam is called by different names based on events in her life. It brings up the passage from I (Chronicles 4:5): “Ashḥur father of Tekoa had two wives: Ḥela and Naara.” Ashḥur is identified as Caleb, and the two wives, Ḥela and Naara, are, again, Miriam! She was called Ḥela because she was ill [ḥalta], and Naara because she shook off [ninara] her illness, and God restored her to her youth [lenaaruta].
After her cure, "Naara bore him" sons, Aḥuzam and Ḥefer. The text continues, interpreting the names of the sons of Hela, Tzeret, Tzoḥar, and Etnan, as alluding to Miriam’s renewed beauty and desirability after her recovery.
Finally, the text circles back to David, asking: From where is it derived that David descended from Miriam? It cites I (Samuel 17:12): “David was the son of that nobleman [Efrati] from Bethlehem of Judah.”
And the text concludes by connecting Caleb's actions to the future kingdom of David. Caleb, who undercut [kitzetz] the counsel of the scouts, paved the way for the good deeds that would eventually lead to David's reign. Miriam, who inspired hope and renewal, was privileged to have David, whose kingdom God elevated, descend from her.
So, what do we take away from this intricate tapestry of names, interpretations, and connections? Perhaps it's a reminder that even seemingly small acts of faith and courage can have profound and lasting consequences, shaping not only individual lives but the destiny of entire nations. And that sometimes, the most powerful stories are hidden in the spaces between the lines, waiting to be discovered.
“It was because the midwives feared God, He made houses for them” (Exodus 1:21). “It was because the midwives feared [God, He made houses for them].” Rav and Levi, one said: Priestly houses and Levite houses, and one said: Royal houses. Priestly and Levite houses from Moses and Aaron, royal houses from Miriam, because David emerged from Miriam, as it is written: “Caleb son of Ḥetzron begot Azuva, his wife, and Yeriot, and these are her sons: Yesher, Shovav, and Ardon” (I Chronicles 2:18). Azuva is Miriam. Why was she named Azuva? It is because everyone abandoned her.33Because she was sickly, none of the youths of Israel wanted to marry her. “Begot,” but wasn’t she his wife? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Anyone who marries a woman for the sake of Heaven, the verse ascribes merit to him as though he begot her. “Yeriot,” because her face was like sheets [yeriot].34Her face was beautiful like the sheets of the Tabernacle that were beautifully dyed. “And these are her sons [baneha],” do not read it as baneha, but rather as boneha, the one who built her.35Her husband. Yesher is Caleb, because he made himself upright [yisher],36He was not swayed by the counsel of the scouts. [he is also called] Shovav, because he broke [shibev] himself,37He overcame his evil inclination and resisted the counsel of the scouts. [and he is called] Ardon, because he dominated [rida] his inclination. “Azuva died” (I Chronicles 2:19), this teaches that she fell ill and they treated her as though she were dead,38This is referring to when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy; as when necessary for mourning the dead, the children of Israel sat in place for seven days. and Caleb, too, abandoned her.39When she was a leper, Caleb left her. When she recovered, he remarried her. “Caleb took Efrat” (I Chronicles 2:19), this is Miriam. Why was she named Efrat? It is because Israel procreated [faru] thanks to her.40In Egypt, she convinced her father to remarry her mother and the rest of Israel followed suit. What is: “Took”? It means that after she recovered, he performed an act of marriage and he seated her on a sedan chair because of his great joy over her. Likewise, you find elsewhere that Miriam is called two names after events that befell her. That is what is written: “Ashḥur father of Tekoa had two wives: Ḥela and Naara.” (I Chronicles 4:5). Ashḥur is Caleb, because Ashḥur was the son of Ḥetzron. Why is he named Ashḥur? It is because his face was blackened [hishḥir] with fasts.41He fasted so that he would not be influenced by the scouts. “Father of,” because he became like a father to her; “Tekoa,” because he affixed [taka] his heart to his Father in Heaven; “had two wives,” as though they were two wives; “Ḥela and Naara,” they were not Ḥela and Naara, but rather she was Miriam. Why was she called Ḥela and Naara? It is because she was ill [ḥalta], and she shook off [ninara] her illness, and the Holy One blessed be He restored her to her youth [lenaaruta]. “Naara bore him” (I Chronicles 4:6) – after she was cured she bore him sons, “Aḥuzam and Ḥefer” (ibid.). “And the sons of Ḥela; Tzeret, Tzoḥar, and Etnan” (I Chronicles 4:7) – “Tzeret,” because she became a rival to her friends;42They were envious of her beauty. “Tzoḥar,” because her countenance was comparable to noon [tzohorayim]; “and Etnan,” because anyone who saw her would bring a gift [etnan] to his wife.43Upon seeing Miriam, one would be filled with desire and would seek to seduce one’s own wife to engage in relations. That is why it is written: “Caleb took Efrat and she bore him Ḥur” (I Chronicles 2:19).44As explained above, this verse refers to Caleb remarrying Miriam after her recovery. From where is it derived that David descended from Miriam? It is as it is written: “David was the son of that nobleman [Efrati] from Bethlehem of Judah” (I Samuel 17:12). Likewise you find that one verse says: “And the sons of Ḥela…” [and the next verse states:] “and Kotz begot Anuv, [Hatzoveva, and the families of Aḥarḥel son of Harum]” (I Chronicles 4:8). Kotz is Caleb, who undercut [kitzetz] the counsel of the scouts. “Begot Anuv,” he adopted good deeds at the time that they brought a cluster of grapes, as were it not for Caleb, they would not have brought it. “Hatzoveva,” he fulfilled the will [tzivyono] of the Holy One blessed be He; “and the families of Aḥarḥel,” Aḥarḥel is Miriam. Why was she named that? It is on the basis of: “All the women emerged after her [aḥareha] [with drums and dances]” (Exodus 15:20). What are “families?” He was privileged to establish families from her. “Son of Harum,” she was privileged to have David, whose kingdom the Holy One blessed be He elevated, descend from her, as you say: “He will give strength to His king, etc.” (I Samuel 2:10).
