Numbers 12

1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had taken; for he had taken a Cushite as wife.

[Moses’/My older sister] Miriam and [his/my older brother] Aaron were saying this: “Is Moses the only one to whom Yahweh has spoken messages to tell to us [RHQ]? Does Yahweh not speak messages to us two also?” [They told people that] they were saying that because Moses/I had married a woman who was a descendant of the Cush people-group, [but they were really saying that because they (were jealous/did not want Moses/me to be the only leader of the Israeli people)]. But Yahweh heard what they were saying.

2 And they said, Has Jehovah indeed spoken only to Moses? has he not spoken also to us? And Jehovah heard it.

3 But the man Moses was very meek, above all men that were upon the face of the earth.

[The truth was that] Moses/I was very humble. He/I was more humble than anyone else on the earth [and Moses/I had not appointed himself/myself to be their leader].

4 Then Jehovah spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting. And they went out, they three.

So immediately Yahweh spoke to Moses/me and to Aaron and Miriam. He said, “All three of you must go and stand at the Sacred Tent.” So they/we did that.

5 And Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.

Then Yahweh descended to the entrance of the tent in a cloud [that resembled a huge white] pillar. He told Aaron and Miriam to step forward, so they did.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak to him in a dream.

Then he said to them, “Listen to me! When a prophet is among you, I [usually] reveal myself to him by allowing him to see visions, and I speak to him in dreams.

7 Not so my servant Moses: he is faithful in all my house.

But that is not the way I speak to my servant Moses. I trust that he will lead my people [well].

8 Mouth to mouth do I speak to him openly, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah doth he behold. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

So I talk to him face-to-face. I speak to him (clearly/using words that he will understand easily), not using parables. He has even seen what I look like. So you should be afraid to criticize my servant Moses!”

9 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he went away;

Yahweh was very angry with Miriam and Aaron, and he left.

10 and the cloud departed from off the tent. And behold, Miriam was leprous as snow; and Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

When the cloud rose up from the Sacred Tent, Aaron looked at Miriam, and he saw that her skin was [as white] as snow, because she now had leprosy.

11 Then Aaron said to Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not this sin upon us, wherein we have been foolish, and have sinned!

Aaron said to Moses/me, “My master, please do not punish us for this sin that we have foolishly committed.

12 Let her not be as one stillborn, half of whose flesh is consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb.

Do not allow Miriam to be like a baby that is already dead when it is born, whose flesh is already half decayed!”

13 And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, O God, heal her, I beseech thee!

So Moses/I cried out to Yahweh, saying, “God, I plead with you to heal her!”

14 And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterwards she shall be received in [again].

But Yahweh replied, “If her father had [rebuked her for doing something wrong by] spitting in her face, she would have been ashamed for seven days. [She should be ashamed because of what she has done]. So send her outside the camp for seven days. Then [she will not have leprosy any more, and] she may return to the camp.”

15 And Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days; and the people did not journey till Miriam was received in [again].

So they sent her outside the camp for seven days. (The people/We) did not move [to another location] until she returned.

16 And afterwards the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

But after [she returned], they/we left Hazeroth and moved [north] in the Paran Desert and set up their/our tents there.