< Numbers 12 >

1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married: for he had married a Cushite woman.
[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, hath Yhwh indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And Yhwh heard it.
3 ( Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which 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 And Yhwh spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
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 Yhwh came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, 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 Yhwh will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto 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 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
But that is not the way I speak to my servant Moses. I trust that he will lead my people [well].
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of Yhwh shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant 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 Yhwh was kindled against them; and he departed.
Yahweh was very angry with Miriam and Aaron, and he left.
10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon 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 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we 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 dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh 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 unto Yhwh, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
So Moses/I cried out to Yahweh, saying, “God, I plead with you to heal her!”
14 And Yhwh said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her 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 out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought 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 afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched 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.

< Numbers 12 >