1

Sotah 12a says that Azubah is Miriam.

enter image description here

When I looked up I Chronicles 2:19 ( pic below ) , it said, 'And Azubah died, and Caleb took to himself Ephrath, and she bore him Hur'.

It seems from what I read in I Chronicles 2:19, Azubah and Ephrath cannot be the same women according to I Chronicles 2:19; unless you give an entire new meaning to the word, 'died' in I Chronicles 2:19.

( Ephrath is AKA Miriam. I am not providing a source for this cause it is accepted by all) . enter image description here

So are the 2 names Azubah and Miram talking about the same person or not?

Is it possible that Azubah was actually Bitya, Moshe Rabbeinu's adoptive mother who was also the daughter of Pharaoh? I say this because in I Chronicles 4:18, Rashi talks about '...the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married. ( Mered being Caleb according to Rashi).

More indication that Azubah was not Miriam can be found in the pic below whose Ref is: I Chronicles 2:18

enter image description here

3
  • Rashi says "died" is not literal, rather she was stricken with Tzaraat: sefaria.org/…
    – shmosel
    Commented Jan 15, 2023 at 4:48
  • See also Artscroll Sotah 11b footnote 70.
    – shmosel
    Commented Jan 15, 2023 at 4:49
  • @shmosel - and as we know from I believe masechta taanis, tzaraas is one of the four categories of people who are considered like they are "dead".
    – Dov
    Commented Jan 15, 2023 at 10:08

1 Answer 1

2

As has been mentioned in the comments, she was not literally dead, and Miriam, Azuvah and Epfras are all one of the same.

Refer to the Midrash in Shemos Rabbah 1:17 which notes that she fell ill and was treated as if she is dead. After she was healed, Calev remarried her and seated her for the wedding procession in his great happiness for her.

עֲזוּבָה זוֹ מִרְיָם, וְלָמָּה נִקְרֵאת שְׁמָהּ עֲזוּבָה, שֶׁהַכֹּל עֲזָבוּהָ. הוֹלִיד, וַהֲלֹא אִשְׁתּוֹ הָיְתָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ יְלָדָהּ. יְרִיעוֹת, שֶׁהָיוּ פָּנֶיהָ דּוֹמִין לִירִיעוֹת. וְאֵלֶּה בָנֶיהָ, אַל תִּקְרֵי בָנֶיהָ, אֶלָּא בּוֹנֶיהָ. יֵשֶׁר, זֶה כָּלֵב, שֶׁיִּשֵׁר אֶת עַצְמוֹ. שׁוֹבָב, שֶׁשִּׁבֵּב אֶת עַצְמוֹ. וְאַרְדּוֹן, שֶׁרִדָּה אֶת יִצְרוֹ. (דברי הימים א ב, יט): וַתָּמָת עֲזוּבָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנֶּחְלֵית וְנָהֲגוּ בָּהּ מִנְהַג מֵתָה. וְגַם כָּלֵב עֲזָבָהּ (דברי הימים א ב, יט): וַיִּקַּח לוֹ כָלֵב אֶת אֶפְרָת, זוֹ מִרְיָם, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ אֶפְרָת, שֶׁפָּרוּ וְרָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יָדֶיהָ. מַהוּ וַיִּקַּח לוֹ, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְרַפֵּאת עָשָׂה בָהּ מַעֲשֵׂה לִקּוּחִין, הוֹשִׁיבָהּ בְּאַפִּרְיוֹן בְּרֹב שִׂמְחָתוֹ בָהּ.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .