12
1 And Mariam and Aaron spoke against Moses, because of the Ethiopian woman whom Moses took; for he had taken an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, Has the Lord spoken to Moses only? has he not also spoken to us? and the Lord heard it. 3 And the man Moses was very meek beyond all the men that were upon the earth. 4 And the Lord said immediately to Moses and Aaron and Mariam, Come forth *all three of you to the tabernacle of witness. 5 And the three came forth to the tabernacle of witness; and the Lord descended in a pillar of a cloud, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of witness; and Aaron and Mariam were called; and both came forth. 6 And he said to them, Hear my words: If there should be of you a prophet to the Lord, I will be made known to him in a vision, and in sleep will I speak to him. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house. 8 I will speak to him mouth to mouth apparently, and not in dark speeches; and he has seen the glory of the Lord; and why were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? 9 And the great anger of the Lord was upon them, and he departed. 10 And the cloud departed from the tabernacle; and, behold, Mariam was leprous, white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Mariam, and, behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, I beseech thee, my lord, do not lay sin upon us, for we were ignorant wherein we sinned. 12 Let her not be as it were like death, as an abortion coming out of his mother's womb, when the disease devours the half of the flesh. 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, O God, I beseech thee, heal her. 14 And the Lord said to Moses, If her father had only spit in her face, †would she not be ashamed seven days? let her be set apart seven days without the camp, and afterwards she shall come in.
15 And Mariam was separated without the camp seven days; and the people moved not forward till Mariam was cleansed.
16 And afterwards the people set forth from Aseroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Pharan.
* 12:4 Gr. the three. † 12:14 Gr. will.