Numbers 12

1 Miriam and Aaron were critical of Moses because of his Ethiopian wife—he'd married an Ethiopian woman.

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.

2 “Is it only through Moses that the Lord speaks?” they asked. “Doesn't he speak through us too?” The Lord heard all this.

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

3 Moses was a very humble man, more than anyone else on earth.

Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men who were upon the face of the earth.

4 All of a sudden the Lord called for Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, telling them, “The three of you, come to the Tent of Meeting.” The three of them did so.

And Jehovah spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out ye three to the tent of meeting. And the three came out.

5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood in the entrance to the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam and they came forward.

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

6 “Now listen to my words, he told them. If you had prophets, I the Lord would reveal myself to them in visions; I would communicate with them in dreams.

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 with him in a dream.

7 But it's not like this with my servant Moses, who of all my people is the one who is faithful.

My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.

8 I talk to him personally, face to face. I speak plainly, not in riddles. He sees the likeness of the Lord. So why weren't you afraid when you criticized my servant Moses?”

With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches, and he has beheld the form of Jehovah. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

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

And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he departed.

10 As the cloud rose above the Tent, Miriam's skin suddenly turned white with leprosy. Aaron turned to look and saw that she had leprosy.

And the cloud removed from over the tent. And, behold, Miriam was leprous, as snow. And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

11 He said to Moses, “My lord, please don't punish us for this sin that we've so stupidly committed.

And Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned.

12 Please don't let her become like a stillborn baby whose flesh is already decaying when they're born!”

Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb.

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

And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, Heal her, O God, I beseech thee.

14 But the Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face wouldn't she have been disgraced for seven days? Keep her in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and then she can be taken back in.”

And Jehovah said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.

15 Miriam was kept in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was taken back in.

And Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days. And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

16 Then the people left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Desert of Paran.

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