Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses

12 Miriam [Ex. 15:20] and Aaron [^CMoses’ sister and brother] began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite [^Cperhaps Zipporah (Hab. 3:7), but more likely an Ethiopian]). ² They said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?” And the Lord heard this.

³ (Now Moses was very ·humble [or devout]. He was the ·least proud [^Lmost humble; or most devout] person on earth.)

⁴ So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “All three of you come to the Meeting Tent.” So they went. ⁵ The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud [^Crepresenting his presence; Ex. 13:21] and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near. ⁶ He said, “Listen to my words:

⁹ The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease [^Crendering her ritually unclean; Num. 5:2; Lev. 13:2]. ¹¹ Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my ·master [lord], ·forgive us for our foolish sin [do not punish us for our foolish sin; ^Ldo not lay sin on us that we foolishly committed]. ¹² Don’t let her be like a baby who is ·born dead [stillborn]. (Sometimes a baby is born with half of its flesh eaten away.)”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord answered Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, ·she would [^Lwould she not…?] have been shamed for seven days, so ·put her [she was shut] outside the camp for seven days. After that, she may come back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was ·put [shut] outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she came back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth and camped in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Paran.