Numbers

The fourth book of Moses, called Numbers, chapter 12, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 12 New English Translation

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

   1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). 2 They said, "Has the LORD only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard it.
   3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.)

The Response of the LORD

   4 The LORD spoke immediately to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: "The three of you come to the tent of meeting." So the three of them went. 5 And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent; he then called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
   6 The LORD said, "Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not like this; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I will speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles; and he will see the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" 9 The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he departed. 10 When the cloud departed from above the tent, Miriam became leprous as snow. Then Aaron looked at Miriam, and she was leprous!

The Intercession of Moses

   11 So Aaron said to Moses, "O my LORD, please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned! 12 Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its mother's womb!"
   13 Then Moses cried to the LORD, "Heal her now, O God." 14 The LORD said to Moses, "If her father had only spit in her face, would she not have been disgraced for seven days? Shut her out from the camp seven days, and afterward she can be brought back in again."
   15 So Miriam was shut outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey on until Miriam was brought back in. 16 After that the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

King James Version

   1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
   2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
   3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
   4 And the LORD 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.
   5 And the LORD 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.
   6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
   7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
   8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
   9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
   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.
   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.
   12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
   13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
   14 ¶ And the LORD 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.
   15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
   16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.