Numbers 12: Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses
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What happens?
Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, and ask whether Yahweh has spoken only through Moses. Yahweh calls the three of them to the Tent and says that he speaks to prophets in visions and dreams, but with Moses mouth to mouth. When the cloud leaves, Miriam has a skin disease, white as snow; Aaron begs Moses, Moses cries to God to heal her, and she is shut outside the camp for seven days while the people wait.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 5 of the 16 verses: his call to the three in verse 4, his words to Aaron and Miriam in verses 6 to 8, and his answer to Moses in verse 14. Miriam and Aaron speak in verse 2, Aaron speaks to Moses in verses 11 and 12, and Moses cries out to God in verse 13. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.
In plain English: Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
The Hebrew word: "Cushite woman" is kushit, which the dictionary gives as "a Cushite woman". This is the only verse that uses it. The dictionary gives Cush as "Cush (or Ethiopia), the name of a son of Ham, and of his territory" (see ).
Good to know: The text does not say who this woman is, when Moses married her, or why Miriam and Aaron spoke against him because of her. Readers differ. Some take her to be Zipporah, the daughter of the priest of Midian ( and ), and point to , which names "the tents of Cushan" beside the land of Midian. Others take her to be a second wife, from Cush. In the complaint they speak aloud is about Yahweh speaking through Moses.
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2They said, “Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?” And Yahweh heard it.
In plain English: They said, "Has Yahweh really spoken only through (or: with) Moses? Has he not spoken through us too?" And Yahweh heard it.
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3Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth.
In plain English: Now the man Moses was very humble, more than anyone else on the face of the earth.
The Hebrew word: "Humble" is anav, which the dictionary gives as "depressed (figuratively), in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly)".
How it is translated: This Bible says "humble" in 14 of the 19 verses that use anav, and "poor" in 6.
Good to know: The text does not explain this verse further, or say why it is placed here. Readers who hold that Moses wrote Numbers have asked how he could say this about himself, and some say a later writer added the line. The text itself does not say who wrote it.
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4Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!” The three of them came out.God speaks
In plain English: Suddenly Yahweh said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, the three of you!" And the three of them came out.
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5Yahweh 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.
In plain English: Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
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6He said, “Now hear 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.God speaks
In plain English: He said, "Listen to my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, make myself known to him in a vision. I speak with him in a dream.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says word for word "if there is your prophet, Yahweh, in a vision to him I make myself known".
What changes: This Bible reads "I, Yahweh, make myself known". It can also be read "if there is a prophet of Yahweh among you, I make myself known to him". Either way, Yahweh is the one speaking.
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7My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.God speaks
In plain English: It is not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.
Good to know: and use these words, "faithful in all his house", for Moses, and compare him with Jesus.
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8With 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?”God speaks
In plain English: With him I speak mouth to mouth, openly (literally: and in appearance), and not in riddles, and he sees the form of Yahweh. So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?"
The Hebrew word: "Form" is temunah, which the dictionary gives as "a shape", "embodiment", or "manifestation". It is the same word as "image" in the second commandment ().
How it is translated: This Bible says "form" in 8 of the 10 verses that use temunah.
Good to know: In Moses tells Israel that at Sinai they heard a voice but "saw no form". Here Yahweh says Moses sees his form. says Yahweh spoke to Moses "face to face". The text does not describe what Moses saw.
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9Yahweh’s anger burned against them; and he departed.
In plain English: Yahweh's anger burned against them, and he went away.
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10The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
In plain English: When the cloud went away from over the Tent, there was Miriam with a skin disease (this Bible: leprous), as white as snow. Aaron turned to look at Miriam, and there she was with the skin disease.
Good to know: "Leprous" is the word tsara'at, a skin disease (see the note on ). The same words, "leprous, as white as snow", are used of Moses' hand in . A person with the disease lived outside the camp ().
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11Aaron 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.
In plain English: Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord, please do not hold against us this sin, in which we acted foolishly and in which we sinned.
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12Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”
In plain English: Please do not let her be like one who is dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb."
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13Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “Heal her, God, I beg you!”
In plain English: Moses cried out to Yahweh, "God, please heal her, please!"
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14Yahweh 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.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "If her father had only spit in her face, would she not be in disgrace for seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp for seven days, and after that she is to be brought back in."
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15Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.
In plain English: So Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was brought back in.
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16Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
In plain English: After that the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
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