1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses concerning the Cushite woman {kushit: land of Cush} whom he had taken, for he had taken a Cushite wife {ishah: spouse}.
2 And they said, “Has the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Arbiter} spoken only through Moses {Moshe: chosen mediator}? Has He not also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard it.
3 Now the man Moses was very humble{anaw: deeply meek}, more than any person{adam: individual human} on the face of the earth.
4 Then the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} said suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, “Go out, you three, to the tent of meeting {moed: appointed place}.” And the three of them went out.
5 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Judge} descended in a pillar {amud: vertical column} of cloud, stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came out.
6 And He {YHWH, Divine Revealer} said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD {YHWH, Source of Revelation} will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.”
7 Not so is My {YHWH, Sovereign Lord} servant {ebed: commissioned representative} Moses; in all My house he is faithful.
8 Mouth to mouth I speak with him, plainly and not in riddles {bechidot: obscure sayings}; and the form of the LORD {YHWH, Revealer of Glory} he beholds. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?
9 And the anger of the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} burned against them, and He departed {vayelekh: withdrew His presence}.
10 And the cloud {heanan: covering presence} departed from above the tent, and behold, Miriam was leprous {metzoraat: ritual affliction} like snow; and Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my lord {adoni: respectful title}, do not lay upon us the sin {chatat: moral transgression} in which we have acted so foolishly and by which we have sinned.”
12 Please do not let her {na: plea for mercy} be like the dead—like one who, when he comes out from the womb of his mother, half of his flesh {basar: physical body} is consumed.
13 And Moses cried out to the LORD {YHWH, Merciful Healer}, saying, "God, please {na: urgent petition} heal her—please."
14 And the LORD {YHWH, Disciplinary Judge} said to Moses, “If her father had surely spat {yarok: severe contempt} in her face, would she not be disgraced for seven days? She shall be confined outside the camp for seven days, and afterward she may be gathered back into the community.”
15 So Miriam {Miryam: Moses’ sister} was confined outside the camp {machaneh: Israel’s encampment} for seven days, and the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again.
16 Afterward, the people {ha'am: assembled community} set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness {midbar: arid region} of Paran.