The Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
1And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2And 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.) 4And 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. 5And 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.
6And 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.
7My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8With 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?
9And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb. 13And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. 14And 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. 15And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
16And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?” And Yahweh heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 4 Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!” The three of them came out. 5 Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward.
6 He said, “Hear now my words. If there is a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”
9 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and he departed. 10 The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, please don’t count this sin against us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned. 12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “Heal her, God, I beg you!” 14 Yahweh said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.” 15 Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.
16 Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron
1 Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife. 2 “Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” they said. “Does He not also speak through us?” And the LORD heard this.
3 Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.
4 And suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three, come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three went out, 5 and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward, 6 He said, “Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision;
I will speak to him in a dream.
7 But this is not so with My servant Moses;
he is faithful in all My house. a
8 I speak with him face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the LORD.
Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?” 9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them, and He departed.
10 As the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, b white as snow. Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous, 11 and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Please do not let her be like a stillborn infant whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, please heal her!”
14 But the LORD answered Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”
15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was brought in again. 16 After that, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.
Footnotes:
7 a Cited in Hebrews 3:5
10 b The Hebrew word traditionally translated as leprous was used for various skin diseases; see Leviticus 13.
The Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
1And Miriam speaketh -- Aaron also -- against Moses concerning the circumstance of the Cushite woman whom he had taken: for a Cushite woman he had taken; 2and they say, 'Only by Moses hath Jehovah spoken? also by us hath he not spoken?' and Jehovah heareth. 3And the man Moses is very humble, more than any of the men who are on the face of the ground. 4And Jehovah saith suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, 'Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting;' and they three come out. 5And Jehovah cometh down in the pillar of the cloud, and standeth at the opening of the tent, and calleth Aaron and Miriam, and they come out both of them.
6And He saith, 'Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah -- in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him;
7not so My servant Moses; in all My house he is stedfast;
8mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and by an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant -- against Moses?'
9And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on, 10and the cloud hath turned aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam is leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth unto Miriam, and lo, leprous! 11And Aaron saith unto Moses, 'O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin in which we have been foolish, and in which we have sinned; 12let her not, I pray thee, be as one dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother -- the half of his flesh is consumed.' 13And Moses crieth unto Jehovah, saying, 'O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.' 14And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'And her father had but spat in her face -- is she not ashamed seven days? she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she is gathered.' 15And Miriam is shut out at the outside of the camp seven days, and the people hath not journeyed till Miriam is gathered;
16and afterwards have the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and they encamp in the wilderness of Paran.
