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12:1  Miriam [Ex. 15:20] and Aaron [C Moses’ sister and brother] began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite [C perhaps Zipporah (Hab. 3:7), but more likely an Ethiopian]).
12:2  They said, “Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn’t he also speak through us?” And the Lord heard this.
12:3  (Now Moses was very ·humble [or devout]. He was the ·least proud [L most humble; or most devout] person on earth.)
12:4  So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “All three of you come to the Meeting Tent.” So they went.
12:5  The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud [C representing his presence; Ex. 13:21] and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near.
12:6  He said, “Listen to my words: When prophets are among you, I, the Lord, ·will show myself [make myself known] to them in visions; I will speak to them in dreams [C indirectly].
12:7  But this is not true with my servant Moses. I trust him to lead all my ·people [L house].
12:8  I speak face to face with him— clearly, not with hidden meanings [C directly]. He has even seen the form of the Lord [Heb. 3:1–6]. ·You should be [L Why are you not…?] afraid to speak against my servant Moses.”
12:9  The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.
12:10  When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease [C rendering her ritually unclean; Num. 5:2; Lev. 13:2].
12:11  Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my ·master [lord], ·forgive us for our foolish sin [do not punish us for our foolish sin; L do not lay sin on us that we foolishly committed].
12:12  Don’t let her be like a baby who is ·born dead [stillborn]. (Sometimes a baby is born with half of its flesh eaten away.)”
12:13  So Moses cried out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”
12:14  The Lord answered Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, ·she would [L would she not…?] have been shamed for seven days, so ·put her [she was shut] outside the camp for seven days. After that, she may come back.”
12:15  So Miriam was ·put [shut] outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she came back.
12:16  After that, the people left Hazeroth and camped in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Paran.