Numbers 12

The Complaints of Miriam and Aaron

1While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them. 3(Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.)

4So immediately the Lord called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle,#12:4 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting. all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle. 5Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle.#12:5 Hebrew the tent; also in 12:10. “Aaron and Miriam!” he called, and they stepped forward. 6And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:

“If there were prophets among you,

I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions.

I would speak to them in dreams.

7But not with my servant Moses.

Of all my house, he is the one I trust.

8I speak to him face to face,

clearly, and not in riddles!

He sees the Lord as he is.

So why were you not afraid

to criticize my servant Moses?”

9The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. 10As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy.#12:10 Or with a skin disease. The Hebrew word used here can describe various skin diseases. When Aaron saw what had happened to her, 11he cried out to Moses, “Oh, my master! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed. 12Don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, already decayed at birth.”

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

14But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had done nothing more than spit in her face, wouldn’t she be defiled for seven days? So keep her outside the camp for seven days, and after that she may be accepted back.”

15So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they traveled again. 16Then they left Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

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Numbers 12

Dissension of Aaron and Miriam

1Then #Ex. 15:20, 21; Num. 20:1Miriam and Aaron spoke #Num. 11:1against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for #Ex. 2:21he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through #Num. 16:3Moses? #Ex. 15:20; Mic. 6:4Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord #Gen. 29:33; Num. 11:1; 2 Kin. 19:4; Is. 37:4; Ezek. 35:12, 13heard it. 3(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

4#(Ps. 76:9)Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5#Ex. 19:9; 34:5; Num. 11:25; 16:19Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6Then He said,

“Hear now My words:

If there is a prophet among you,

I, the Lord, make Myself known to him #Gen. 46:2; 1 Sam. 3:15; Job 33:15; Ezek. 1:1; Dan. 8:2; Luke 1:11; Acts 10:11, 17; 22:17, 18in a vision;

I speak to him #Gen. 31:10; 1 Kin. 3:5, 15; Matt. 1:20in a dream.

7Not so with #Josh. 1:1; Ps. 105:26My servant Moses;

#Heb. 3:2, 5He is faithful in all #1 Tim. 1:12My house.

8I speak with him #Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:10; Hos. 12:13face to face,

Even #(1 Cor. 13:12)plainly, and not in dark sayings;

And he sees #Ex. 33:19–23the form of the Lord.

Why then #2 Pet. 2:10; Jude 8were you not afraid

To speak against My servant Moses?”

9So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, #Deut. 24:9suddenly Miriam became #Ex. 4:6; 2 Kin. 5:27; 15:5; 2 Chr. 26:19, 20leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please #2 Sam. 19:19; 24:10do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12Please #Ps. 88:4do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”

13So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please #Ps. 103:3heal her, O God, I pray!”

14Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but #Deut. 25:9; Job 30:10; Is. 50:6spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be #Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:1–4shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15#Deut. 24:9; 2 Chr. 26:20, 21So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16And afterward the people moved from #Num. 11:35; 33:17, 18Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

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