We turn now to the wilderness road, where memory is not merely a faculty of the mind but a covenantal obligation. In this verse from Deuteronomy—uttered in the final discourse of Moses—we encounter a command that binds divine action to human recollection. It is a summons to remember, and through that remembrance, to learn.
μνήσθητι ὅσα ἐποίησεν κύριος ὁ θεός σου τῇ Μαριαμ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκπορευομένων ὑμῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου
This verse issues a directive that intertwines theological history with ethical formation. At its heart lies a verb of profound psychological and grammatical depth: μνήσθητι, an imperative form that demands active recall—not passive recollection, but deliberate moral engagement.
The Verb That Commands Memory: A Study of μνήσθητι
Let us begin with the grammatical core of the verse:
| Category | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Root | μιμνῄσκω |
| Form | Aorist middle imperative, second person singular |
| Literal Translation | “Remember!” or “Call to mind!” |
| Grammatical Notes | This is a deponent verb (middle voice only), commonly used in exhortations. Its use here as an aorist imperative suggests a punctiliar act of remembering—a decisive moment of recollection with enduring consequences. |
The imperative mood places the command directly upon the shoulders of the audience. This is no abstract suggestion—it is a moral demand embedded in grammatical form. And yet, the verb’s middle voice hints at something more intimate: the subject must take responsibility for their own act of remembering. There is no external agent compelling it.
ὅσα ἐποίησεν: The Relative Clause That Shapes Divine Action
The phrase ὅσα ἐποίησεν introduces a relative clause that encapsulates divine activity:
- ὅσα: Neuter plural relative pronoun – “as many as,” “all the things which”
- ἐποίησεν: Aorist active indicative, third person singular of ποιέω – “he did”
Together, these words frame the entirety of what the Lord did to Miriam—not just one event, but a constellation of actions. The use of the aorist tense again emphasizes completeness, suggesting that the divine intervention was decisive and morally significant.
Note the syntactic function: this relative clause modifies an implied noun such as πράγματα or ἔργα, though it remains unexpressed. The LXX translator thus creates a rhetorical effect—what was done becomes weighty by virtue of its omission of detail, forcing the reader to engage theologically with the silence.
τῇ Μαριαμ: Dative of Interest and Narrative Significance
The dative case of τῇ Μαριαμ deserves close attention:
- Form: Feminine singular dative of proper noun Μαριὰμ
- Translation: “To Miriam” or “With regard to Miriam”
- Syntactic Function: Dative of interest or indirect object indicating the recipient or focus of the action
In Hebrew narrative tradition, Miriam’s leprosy (Num 12) is a public demonstration of divine judgment against her and Aaron’s criticism of Moses. The LXX translator captures this moment not merely as historical record, but as a moral exemplum. By placing Miriam in the dative, the Greek text subtly elevates her role—not as a passive sufferer, but as the focal point of divine correction.
ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκπορευομένων ὑμῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου: Temporal Participle and Narrative Setting
This prepositional phrase provides the temporal and spatial context of the remembered event:
- ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ: “On the way” – locative dative expressing setting
- ἐκπορευομένων ὑμῶν: Present middle participle, genitive plural of ἐκπορεύομαι – “going out” or “journeying forth”
- ἐξ Αἰγύπτου: Prepositional phrase denoting origin – “out of Egypt”
The participle ἐκπορευομένων is especially instructive. It functions adverbially, modifying the main verb ἐποίησεν, and indicates ongoing action concurrent with the divine act. Thus, the Lord’s action toward Miriam occurs during the people’s exodus journey—an era of testing, revelation, and covenant formation.
This participial construction mirrors the Hebrew syntax of Numbers 12, where Miriam’s leprosy coincides with Israel’s movement from Ḥaṣeroth into the wilderness. The LXX preserves this temporal overlap, reinforcing the idea that divine discipline unfolds in the midst of pilgrimage.
Memory and Moral Formation: The Weight of a Command in Voice and Aspect
Deuteronomy 24:9 does not simply recount history—it enlists it. The grammar of this verse compels the reader to become a participant in the sacred story. Through the aorist imperative μνήσθητι, the command to remember is immediate and urgent. Through the relative clause ὅσα ἐποίησεν, the past is made present. Through the dative τῇ Μαριαμ, the individual is raised to theological prominence. And through the participial phrase ἐκπορευομένων ὑμῶν, the entire community is drawn into the narrative arc of divine encounter.
For the advanced student of Septuagint Greek, this verse offers a masterclass in how grammar serves theology. The moral urgency of the imperative, the aspectual precision of the aorist, and the subtle inflections of the dative all converge to shape a moral imagination rooted in divine memory.
To remember Miriam is not merely to recall an ancient event—it is to heed the voice of the law, to feel the tremors of divine holiness, and to walk forward with reverence in the path that leads from Egypt to the Promised Land.
