Numbers Chapter 12

4 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel.

5 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.

6 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes.

7 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever Jehovah shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

8 And they set forward from the mount of Jehovah three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting-place for them.

9 And the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp.

10 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

11 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Jehovah, unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.

12 And the people were as murmurers,

13 speaking evil in the ears of Jehovah: and when Jehovah heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of Jehovah burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.

14 And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto Jehovah, and the fire abated.

15 And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of Jehovah burnt among them.

16 And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had taken; for he had taken a Cushite as wife.

2 And they said, Has Jehovah indeed spoken only to Moses? has he not spoken also to us? And Jehovah heard it.

3 But the man Moses was very meek, above all men that were upon the face of the earth.

4 Then Jehovah spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting. And they went out, they three.

5 And Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak to him in a dream.

7 Not so my servant Moses: he is faithful in all my house.

8 Mouth to mouth do I speak to him openly, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah doth he behold. Why then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?

9 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he went away;

10 and the cloud departed from off the tent. And behold, Miriam was leprous as snow; and Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

11 Then Aaron said to Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not this sin upon us, wherein we have been foolish, and have sinned!

12 Let her not be as one stillborn, half of whose flesh is consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb.

13 And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, OGod, heal her, I beseech thee!

14 And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterwards she shall be received in [again].

15 And Miriam was shut outside the camp seven days; and the people did not journey till Miriam was received in [again].

16 And afterwards the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

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.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Locutaque est Maria et Aaron contra Moysen propter uxorem eius Æthiopissam,

2 et dixerunt: Num per solum Moysen locutus est Dominus? nonne et nobis similiter est locutus? Quod cum audisset Dominus,

3 (Erat enim Moyses vir mitissimus super omnes homines qui morabantur in terra)

4 statim locutus est ad eum, et ad Aaron et Mariam: Egredimini vos tantum tres ad tabernaculum fœderis. Cumque fuissent egressi,

5 descendit Dominus in columna nubis, et stetit in introitu tabernaculi vocans Aaron et Mariam. Qui cum issent,

6 dixit ad eos: Audite sermones meos: si quis fuerit inter vos propheta Domini, in visione apparebo ei, vel per somnium loquar ad illum.

7 At non talis servus meus Moyses, qui in omni domo mea fidelissimus est:

8 ore enim ad os loquor ei: et palam, et non per ænigmata et figuras Dominum videt. Quare ergo non timuistis detrahere servo meo Mosyi?

9 Iratusque contra eos, abiit:

10 nubes quoque recessit quæ erat super tabernaculum: et ecce Maria apparuit candens lepra quasi nix. Cumque respexisset eam Aaron, et vidisset perfusam lepra,

11 ait ad Moysen: Obsecro domine mi, ne imponas nobis hoc peccatum quod stulte commisimus,

12 ne fiat hæc quasi mortua, et ut abortivum quod proiicitur de vulva matris suæ. ecce iam medium carnis eius devoratum est a lepra.

13 Clamavitque Moyses ad Dominum, dicens: Deus, obsecro, sana eam.

14 Cui respondit Dominus: Si pater eius spuisset in faciem illius, nonne debuerat saltem septem diebus rubore suffundi? Separetur septem diebus extra castra, et postea revocabitur.

15 Exclusa est itaque Maria extra castra septem diebus: et populus non est motus de loco illo, donec revocata est Maria.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.

2 They said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us?” And the LORD heard it.

3 Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth.

4 The LORD spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!” The three of them came out.

5 The LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward.

6 He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so. He is faithful in all my house.

8 With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see the LORD’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

9 The LORD’s anger burned against them; and he departed.

10 The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

11 Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, please don’t count this sin against us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned.

12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”

13 Moses cried to the LORD, saying, “Heal her, God, I beg you!”

14 The LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.”

15 Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again.

16 Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And Miriam speaketh--Aaron also--against Moses concerning the circumstance of the Cushite woman whom he had taken: for a Cushite woman he had taken;

2 and they say, `Only by Moses hath Jehovah spoken? also by us hath he not spoken?' and Jehovah heareth.

3 And the man Moses <FI>is<Fi> very humble, more than any of the men who <FI>are<Fi> on the face of the ground.

4 And Jehovah saith suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, `Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting;' and they three come out.

5 And Jehovah cometh down in the pillar of the cloud, and standeth at the opening of the tent, and calleth Aaron and Miriam, and they come out both of them.

6 And He saith, `Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah--in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him;

7 not so My servant Moses; in all My house he <FI>is<Fi> stedfast;

8 mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and <FI>by<Fi> an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant--against Moses?'

9 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on,

10 and the cloud hath turned aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam <FI>is<Fi> leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth unto Miriam, and lo, leprous!

11 And Aaron saith unto Moses, `O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin <FI>in<Fi> which we have been foolish, and <FI>in<Fi> which we have sinned;

12 let her not, I pray thee, be as <FI>one<Fi> dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother--the half of his flesh is consumed.'

13 And Moses crieth unto Jehovah, saying, `O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.'

14 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `And her father had but spat in her face--is she not ashamed seven days? she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she is gathered.'

15 And Miriam is shut out at the outside of the camp seven days, and the people hath not journeyed till Miriam is gathered;

16 and afterwards have the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and they encamp in the wilderness of Paran.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).