Miriam and Aaron Challenge Moses

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married. They said Yahweh had spoken through them as well, not only through Moses. Yahweh heard this. The passage also says that Moses was very humble, more humble than anyone else on the earth.

Suddenly Yahweh told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to come to the Tent of Meeting. Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. Then he called Aaron and Miriam forward.

Yahweh said he might speak to a prophet in a vision or a dream, but Moses was different. Moses was faithful in all Yahweh’s house. With Moses, Yahweh spoke plainly and not in riddles. So Yahweh asked why they had not been afraid to speak against his servant Moses.

Yahweh’s anger burned, and he departed. When the cloud moved away from over the Tent, Miriam was leprous, white as snow. Aaron saw her and begged Moses not to hold their sin against them. He said they had acted foolishly and sinned, and he pleaded that Miriam would not be left like one as good as dead.

Moses cried out to God and begged him to heal her. Yahweh answered that Miriam should be shut outside the camp for seven days, and afterwards she could be brought in again. So Miriam stayed outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not travel until she returned. After that, they set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.