Numbers 12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses
12 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman),(A) 2 and they said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.(B) 3 Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.(C) 4 Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. 5 Then 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.(D) 6 And he said, “Hear my words:
When there are prophets among you,
I the Lord make myself known to them in visions;
I speak to them in dreams.(E)
7 Not so with my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.(F)
8 With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles,
and he beholds the form of the Lord.
“Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”(G) 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.
10 When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam’s skin had become diseased, as white as snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw that she was diseased.(H) 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us[a] for a sin that we have so foolishly committed.(I) 12 Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, “O God, please heal her.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.”(J) 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out on the march until Miriam had been brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
Footnotes
- 12.11 Heb do not lay sin upon us
Numbers 12
International Standard Version
Aaron and Miriam Rebel
12 Miriam and Aaron rebelled against Moses on account of the Cushite woman that he had married. 2 They asked, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”
But the Lord heard it.
3 Now the man Moses was very humble—more than any person on earth. 4 All of a sudden, the Lord told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “The three of you are to come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. So both of them went forward.
6 Then he told the two of them: “Pay attention to what I have to say! When there is a prophet among you, won’t I, the Lord, reveal myself to him in a vision? Won’t I speak with him in a dream? 7 But that’s not how it is with my servant Moses, since he has been entrusted with my entire household! 8 I speak to him audibly[a] and in visions, not in mysteries.[b] If he can gaze at the image of the Lord, why aren’t you afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 Because the Lord was very angry with them, he left, 10 but when the cloud ascended from the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as white as snow! Aaron turned toward Miriam, and she had leprosy!
11 Aaron begged Moses, “I pray my lord, please don’t hold this sin against us, since we’ve acted foolishly and sinned in doing so. 12 Please don’t let her be like one of the living dead, who is born with a congenital skin disease.”[c]
13 So Moses prayed to the Lord: “O Lord, please heal her.”
14 But the Lord told Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she be humiliated? She is to be placed in isolation for seven days. After that, she may be brought in.” 15 So Miriam was isolated outside the camp for seven days and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in. 16 After that, the people traveled from Hazeroth and encamped in the Wilderness of Paran.
Footnotes
- Numbers 12:8 Lit. mouth to mouth
- Numbers 12:8 Lit. dark speeches
- Numbers 12:12 Lit. with half his skin consumed
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