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The Book of Bamidbar (Numbers): Chapter 12

1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.

2 And they said: 'Hath HaShem indeed spoken only with Moses? hath He not spoken also with us?' And HaShem heard it.--

3 Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth.--

4 And HaShem spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam: 'Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting.' And they three came out.

5 And HaShem came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.

6 And He said: 'Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among you, I HaShem do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house;

8 with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of HaShem doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?'

9 And the anger of HaShem was kindled against them; and He departed.

10 And when the cloud was removed from over the Tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam; and, behold, she was leprous.

11 And Aaron said unto Moses: 'Oh my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned.

12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.'

13 And Moses cried unto HaShem, saying: 'Heal her now, O G-d, I beseech Thee.'

14 And HaShem said unto Moses: 'If her father had but spit in her face, should she not hide in shame seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.'

15 And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

16 And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.


Sources: Portions copyright © 1997 by Benyamin Pilant, All Rights Reserved
JPS Electronic Edition, based on the 1917 JPS translation, Copyright © 1998 by Larry Nelson, All Rights Reserved
Jewish Bible