Miriam Is Disciplined
Numbers 12, verse 1. Now Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he married; for he married an Ethiopian woman. Numbers 12, verse 2. So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” But the Lord heard it. Numbers 12, verse 3. (Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men on the face of the earth.) Numbers 12, verse 4. Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of testimony.” So the three came out to the tabernacle of testimony. Numbers 12, verse 5. Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud, and stood upon the door of the tabernacle of testimony; and He called Aaron and Miriam, and both went forward. Numbers 12, verse 6. Then He said, “Hear now My words: Should a prophet of yours belong to the Lord, I would make Myself known to him in a vision; I would speak to him in a dream. Numbers 12, verse 7. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. Numbers 12, verse 8. I speak with him face to face, even in visible form, and not in obscure sayings; and he saw the Lord's glory. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” Numbers 12, verse 9. So the Lord's anger was aroused against them, and He departed. Numbers 12, verse 10. But when the cloud departed from the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. Numbers 12, verse 11. So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not lay an extra charge of sin on us, because we were ignorant, and did not know we sinned. Numbers 12, verse 12. Do not let her be as one dead, like a miscarriage with its flesh half consumed.” Numbers 12, verse 13. So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Heal her, I beg you, O God.” Numbers 12, verse 14. Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward let her enter.” Numbers 12, verse 15. So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not break camp till Miriam was cleansed. Numbers 12, verse 16. After this, the people broke camp at Hazeroth, and camped in the Desert of Paran.