Numbers 12

1 Then Miriam [the sister of Moses and Aaron, meaning rebellion] and Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites] criticized [spoke against, spoke evil] Moses because of the Cushite [Ethiopian, from the region of Cush] woman he had married [taken as his wife], for he had taken [gotten, acquired] a Cushite [woman from Ethiopia, a Cushitess] wife [woman, female companion]. word study 2 “Does the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] speak only [exclusively, solely] through Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet, and lawgiver]?” they said. “Does He not [is it not the case that He] also [too, as well] speak [communicate, convey His will] through us [through our prophetic voices, our leadership]?” And the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah] heard [listened to, gave attention to] this [their words, their challenge]. word study 3 Now Moses [the Israelite leader, a humble servant] was a very [exceedingly, meek] humble man [a male person], more so [above all, greatly] than any man [human] on the face [presence, surface] of the earth [land, ground]. word study 4 And suddenly [without warning, all of a sudden] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed], Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites], and Miriam [meaning rebellion, the sister of Moses and Aaron], “You three [the three of you], come out [go out, leave] to the Tent [the tabernacle, a nomad’s home] of Meeting [a meeting or appointed time, a sacred season or festival].” So the three [these three individuals] went out [came out, departed], word study 5 and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came down [descended to a lower place] in a pillar [column] of cloud, stood [stood firmly, in a strong sense] at the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the Tent [tabernacle, nomad’s home], and summoned [called out to, by name] Aaron [the first high priest] and Miriam [meaning rebellion]. When both of them had stepped forward [come out, emerged], word study 6 He said, “Hear now [listen carefully, give attention to] My words: If there is a prophet [one who speaks for God, a spokesperson] among you, I, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], will reveal Myself to him in a vision [a prophetic vision, a clear view]; I will speak to him in a dream [a prophetic message, a communication from God]. word study 7 But this is not [absence or negation] so [in this manner] with My servant [one who serves] Moses [the Israelite leader]; he is faithful [trustworthy, having unwavering loyalty] in all [everything] My house [dwelling place, including the family of God]. word study 8 I speak with him face to face [mouth to mouth, personally], clearly [plainly, openly] and not in riddles [dark speeches, enigmatic sayings]; he sees the form [likeness, image] of the LORD [Yehovah]. Why then were you unafraid [not fearful, lacking reverence] to speak against My servant [slave, attendant] Moses?” word study 9 So the anger [burning wrath, fierce indignation] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] burned [was kindled, ignited] against them, and He [as Judge, in righteous judgment] departed [went away, left their presence]. word study 10 As the cloud lifted from above the Tent [the tabernacle, a dwelling place for God], suddenly Miriam [the sister of Moses and Aaron] became leprous [afflicted with a skin disease], white as snow [completely pure and clean, yet ironically unclean]. Aaron turned toward her [facing her with concern], saw that she was leprous [struck with a disease that made her unclean], word study 11 and said [uttered, spoke] to Moses, “My lord [master, ruler], please [I pray, oh that] do not hold [place, set] against us this sin [transgression, guilt] we have so [extremely] foolishly [acted senselessly, been foolish] committed [done, acted]. word study 12 Please [I pray, I beseech] do not let her be like a stillborn infant [one dead, an abortive] whose flesh [body, living being] is half [partially] consumed [eaten away, decayed] when he comes out [is born, emerges] of his mother’s [parent’s, maternal figure’s] womb [matrix, place of fetal growth].” word study 13 So Moses [the Israelite leader, a servant of God] cried out [with urgent distress, to cry for help] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “O God [El, the powerful One], please [I pray, I beseech thee] heal [to mend, to cure] her [completely, from her affliction]!” word study 14 But the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] answered Moses, “If her father [the one who gave her life and guidance] had but spit [shown contempt or disgust] in her face [before her, in her presence], would she not have been in disgrace [ashamed, humiliated] for seven days? Let her be confined [shut up, isolated] outside the camp [the community of God’s people] for seven days; after that she may be brought back in [received again, restored to fellowship].” word study 15 So Miriam [the rebellious one] was confined [shut up, isolated] outside [beyond the boundary of] the camp [the Israelites’ encampments, a group of people] for seven days, and the people [a nation, a tribe] did not move on [set out, journey] until she was brought in [gathered, restored] again. word study 16 After that [following this event], the people [a nation, Amaw] set out [journeyed, traveled] from Hazeroth [a settlement, an Israelite camp] and camped [pitched their tents, encamped] in the Wilderness [a desert, open field] of Paran [a desert area in Arabia]. word study