Numbers 12:1-13
Expanded Bible
Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses
12 Miriam [Ex. 15:20] and Aaron [C Moses’ sister and brother] began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite [C perhaps Zipporah (Hab. 3:7), but more likely an Ethiopian]). 2 They said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?” And the Lord heard this.
3 (Now Moses was very ·humble [or devout]. He was the ·least proud [L most humble; or most devout] person on earth.)
4 So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “All three of you come to the Meeting Tent.” So they went. 5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud [C representing his presence; Ex. 13:21] and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near. 6 He said, “Listen to my words:
When prophets are among you,
I, the Lord, ·will show myself [make myself known] to them in visions;
I will speak to them in dreams [C indirectly].
7 But this is not true with my servant Moses.
I trust him to lead all my ·people [L house].
8 I speak face to face with him—
clearly, not with hidden meanings [C directly].
He has even seen the form of the Lord [Heb. 3:1–6].
·You should be [L Why are you not…?] afraid
to speak against my servant Moses.”
9 The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.
10 When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease [C rendering her ritually unclean; Num. 5:2; Lev. 13:2]. 11 Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my ·master [lord], ·forgive us for our foolish sin [do not punish us for our foolish sin; L do not lay sin on us that we foolishly committed]. 12 Don’t let her be like a baby who is ·born dead [stillborn]. (Sometimes a baby is born with half of its flesh eaten away.)”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”
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