1 Miriam and Aaron were critical of Moses because of his Ethiopian*“Ethiopian”: literally, “Cushite,” referring to the land southeast of Egypt. wife—he'd married an Ethiopian woman. 2 “Is it only through Moses that the Lord speaks?” they asked. “Doesn't he speak through us too?” The Lord heard all this.

3 Moses was a very humble man, more than anyone else on earth.

4 All of a sudden the Lord called for Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, telling them, “The three of you, come to the Tent of Meeting.” The three of them did so.

5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood in the entrance to the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam and they came forward. 6 “Now listen to my words, he told them. If you had prophets, I the Lord would reveal myself to them in visions; I would communicate with them in dreams. 7 But it's not like this with my servant Moses, who of all my people is the one who is faithful. 8 I talk to him personally, face to face. I speak plainly, not in riddles. He sees the likeness of the Lord. So why weren't you afraid when you criticized my servant Moses?” 9 The Lord was angry with them, and he left.

10 As the cloud rose above the Tent, Miriam's skin suddenly turned white with leprosy. Aaron turned to look and saw that she had leprosy. 11 He said to Moses, “My lord, please don't punish us for this sin that we've so stupidly committed. 12 Please don't let her become like a stillborn baby whose flesh is already decaying when they're born!”

13 Moses called out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”

14 But the Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face wouldn't she have been disgraced for seven days? Keep her in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and then she can be taken back in.”

15 Miriam was kept in isolation outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was taken back in. 16 Then the people left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Desert of Paran.

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