Rebellion at the Center: Conflict continues in chapter 12. Chapter 11 started with problems on the outskirts of the camp, which spread to the whole people. Now problems surface at the heart of the leadership, with Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. Commentators have wondered which pieces of ancient Israel’s history generated such stories to comprise Numbers traditions. Chapters 11 and 12 seem to have come from earlier materials that the Priestly tradents have used. Various attempts have been made to associate Numbers 12 with conflicts among priestly and/or prophetic groups (for the scholarly literature, see Davies, Numbers, pp. 115–17). Chapter 12 affirms the authority of Mosaic leadership, although chapter 11 shows the authority being shared. Both chapters probably reflect a monarchical setting, a…