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Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses

12 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had taken as a wife (for he had taken a (A)Cushite woman); (B)and they said, “Has Yahweh indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And Yahweh heard it. (Now the man Moses was (C)very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) Suddenly Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. (D)Then Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called [a]Aaron and Miriam. And then both came forward, and He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, Yahweh, shall make Myself known to him in a (E)vision.
I shall speak with him in a (F)dream.
Not so, with (G)My servant Moses,
(H)He is faithful in all My household;
(I)With him I speak mouth to mouth,
Indeed clearly, and not in riddles,
And he beholds (J)the form of Yahweh.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant, against Moses?”

So the anger of Yahweh burned against them, and (K)He went away. 10 But the cloud withdrew from over the tent, and behold, (L)Miriam was leprous, as (M)white as snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, (N)do not place this sin on us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!” 13 And Moses cried out to Yahweh, saying, “O God, (O)heal her, I pray!” 14 But Yahweh said to Moses, “If her father had but (P)spit in her face, would she not bear her dishonor for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days (Q)outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So (R)Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was received again.

16 Afterward, however, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 12:5 Or “Aaron and Miriam!”

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

12 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? (A)Has he not spoken through us also?” And (B)the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. And (C)the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him (D)in a vision; I speak with him (E)in a dream. Not so with (F)my servant Moses. (G)He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak (H)mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in (I)riddles, and he beholds (J)the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, (K)Miriam was (L)leprous,[a] like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, (M)do not punish us[b] because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but (N)spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be (O)shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam (P)was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from (Q)Hazeroth, and camped in (R)the wilderness of Paran.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 12:10 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  2. Numbers 12:11 Hebrew do not lay sin upon us