Numbers 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Miriam, and Aaron too, criticised Moses over the Cushite woman he had married. He had indeedmarried a Cushite woman.	1 While they were in Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the marriage he had contracted with a Cushite woman.
2 They said, 'Is Moses the only one through whom Yahweh has spoken? Has he not spoken through ustoo?' Yahweh heard this.	2 They complained, "Is it through Moses alone that the LORD speaks? Does he not speak through us also?" And the LORD heard this.
3 Now Moses was extremely humble, the humblest man on earth.	3 Now, Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth.
4 Suddenly Yahweh said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, 'Come out, al three of you, to the Tent ofMeeting.' They went, al three of them,	4 So at once the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the meeting tent." And the three of them went.
5 and Yahweh descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He cal ed Aaronand Miriam and they both came forward.	5 Then the LORD came down in the column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called Aaron and Miriam. When both came forward,
6 Yahweh said: Listen to my words! if there is a prophet among you, I reveal myself to him in a vision, I speak to him in a dream.	6 he said, "Now listen to the words of the LORD: Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him;
7 Not so with my servant Moses; to him my whole household is entrusted;	7 Not so with my servant Moses! Throughout my house he bears my trust:
8 to him I speak face to face, plainly and not in riddles, and he sees Yahweh's form. How, then, couldyou dare to criticise my servant Moses?	8 face to face I speak to him, plainly and not in riddles. The presence of the LORD he beholds. Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?"
9 Yahweh's anger was aroused by them. He went away,	9 So angry was the LORD against them that when he departed,
10 and as soon as the cloud left the Tent, there was Miriam covered with a virulent skin-disease, whiteas snow! Aaron turned to look at her and saw that she had contracted a virulent skin-disease.	10 and the cloud withdrew from the tent, there was Miriam, a snow-white leper! When Aaron turned and saw her a leper,
11 Aaron said to Moses: 'Oh, my Lord, please do not punish us for the sin we have been foolishenough to commit.	11 "Ah, my lord!" he said to Moses, "please do not charge us with the sin that we have foolishly committed!
12 Do not let her be like some monster with its flesh half eaten away when it leaves its mother's womb!'	12 Let her not thus be like the stillborn babe that comes forth from its mother's womb with its flesh half consumed."
13 Moses pleaded with Yahweh. 'O God,' he said, 'I beg you, please heal her!'	13 Then Moses cried to the LORD, "Please, not this! Pray, heal her!"
14 Yahweh then said to Moses, 'If her father had done no more than spit in her face, would she not beunclean for seven days? Have her shut out of the camp for seven days, and then have her brought in again.'	14 But the LORD answered Moses, "Suppose her father had spit in her face, would she not hide in shame for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; only then may she be brought back."
15 Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days. The people did not set out until she returned.	15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not start out again until she was brought back.
16 Then the people moved on from Hazeroth and pitched camp in the desert of Paran.	16 After that the people set out from Hazeroth and encamped in the desert of Paran.