Numbers 12
New International Reader's Version
Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
12 Miriam and Aaron began to say bad things about Moses. That’s because Moses had married a woman from Cush. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard what they said.
3 Moses was a very humble man. In fact, he was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.
4 The Lord spoke to Moses, Aaron and Miriam. He said, “All three of you, come out to the tent of meeting.” So they did. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud. He stood at the entrance to the tent. And he told Aaron and Miriam to come to him. The two of them stepped forward. 6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to my words.
“Suppose there is a prophet among you.
I, the Lord, make myself known to them in visions.
I speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses.
He is faithful in everything he does in my house.
8 With Moses I speak face to face.
I speak with him clearly. I do not speak in riddles.
I let him see something of what I look like.
So why were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”
9 The Lord was very angry with them. And he left them.
10 When the cloud went up from above the tent, there stood Miriam. She had a disease that made her skin as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her. He saw that she had a skin disease. 11 So he said to Moses, “We have committed a very foolish sin. Please don’t hold it against us. 12 Don’t let Miriam be like a baby that was born dead. Don’t let her look like a dead baby whose body is half eaten away.”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord. He said, “Please, God, heal her!”
14 The Lord answered Moses. He said, “Suppose her father had spit in her face. Then she would have been put to shame for seven days. So keep her outside the camp for seven days. After that, you can bring her back.” 15 So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days. The people didn’t move on until she was brought back.
16 After that, the people left Hazeroth. They camped in the Desert of Paran.
Numbers 12
New King James Version
Dissension of Aaron and Miriam
12 Then (A)Miriam and Aaron [a]spoke (B)against Moses because of the [b]Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for (C)he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through (D)Moses? (E)Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord (F)heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)
4 (G)Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 (H)Then 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. 6 Then He said,
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him (I)in a vision;
I speak to him (J)in a dream.
7 Not so with (K)My servant Moses;
(L)He is faithful in all (M)My house.
8 I speak with him (N)face to face,
Even (O)plainly,[c] and not in [d]dark sayings;
And he sees (P)the form of the Lord.
Why then (Q)were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”
9 So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, (R)suddenly Miriam became (S)leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please (T)do not lay [e]this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Please (U)do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please (V)heal her, O God, I pray!”
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but (W)spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be (X)shut[f] out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 (Y)So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people moved from (Z)Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.
Footnotes
- Numbers 12:1 criticized
- Numbers 12:1 Cushite
- Numbers 12:8 appearing
- Numbers 12:8 riddles
- Numbers 12:11 the penalty for this
- Numbers 12:14 exiled
Numbers 12
English Standard Version
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. 2 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. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Not so with (F)my servant Moses. (G)He is faithful in all my house. 8 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?” 9 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
- Numbers 12:10 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
- Numbers 12:11 Hebrew do not lay sin upon us
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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