The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron

1  וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר (And spoke) מִרְיָ֤ם (Miriam) וְאַהֲרֹן֙ (and Aaron) בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה (against Moses), עַל־ (upon) אֹד֛וֹת (occasion) הָאִשָּׁ֥ה (of the woman), הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית (the Cushite) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whom) לָקָ֑ח (he had taken); כִּֽי־ (for) אִשָּׁ֥ה (a woman) כֻשִׁ֖ית (a Cushite) לָקָֽח׃ (he had taken). 2  וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ (And they said), הֲרַ֤ק (Is it only) אַךְ־ (indeed) בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ (through Moses) דִּבֶּ֣ר (that has spoken) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH)? הֲלֹ֖א (Is it not) גַּם־ (also) בָּ֣נוּ (through us) דִבֵּ֑ר (that He has spoken)? וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע (And heard it) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

3  וְהָאִ֥ישׁ (And the man) מֹשֶׁ֖ה (Moses was) עָנָו (humble) מְאֹ֑ד (very), מִכֹּל֙ (more than all) הָֽאָדָ֔ם (men) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (who were) עַל־ (on) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ס (of the earth).

4  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) פִּתְאֹ֗ם (suddenly) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֤ה (Moses) וְאֶֽל־ (and) אַהֲרֹן֙ (Aaron) וְאֶל־ (and) מִרְיָ֔ם (Miriam), צְא֥וּ (Come out) שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶ֖ם (you⁺ three) אֶל־ (to) אֹ֣הֶל (the Tent) מוֹעֵ֑ד (of Meeting). וַיֵּצְא֖וּ (And came out) שְׁלָשְׁתָּֽם׃ (the three). 5  וַיֵּ֤רֶד (And came down) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) בְּעַמּ֣וּד (in the pillar) עָנָ֔ן (of cloud), וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד (and stood in) פֶּ֣תַח (the door) הָאֹ֑הֶל (of the tabernacle), וַיִּקְרָא֙ (and called) אַהֲרֹ֣ן (Aaron) וּמִרְיָ֔ם (and Miriam); וַיֵּצְא֖וּ (and went forward) שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (the two of them). 6  וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (And He said), שִׁמְעוּ־ (Hear) נָ֣א (now) דְבָרָ֑י (My words):

אִם־ (If) יִֽהְיֶה֙ (there is) נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם (a prophet among you⁺),

יְהוָ֗ה (I YHWH) בַּמַּרְאָה֙ (in a vision) אֵלָ֣יו (to him) אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע (make Myself known);

בַּחֲל֖וֹם (in a dream) אֲדַבֶּר־ (I speak) בּֽוֹ׃ (to him).

7  לֹא־ (Not) כֵ֖ן (so) עַבְדִּ֣י (My servant) מֹשֶׁ֑ה (Moses);

בְּכָל־ (in all) בֵּיתִ֖י (My house) נֶאֱמָ֥ן (faithful) הֽוּא׃ (He is).

8  פֶּ֣ה (Mouth) אֶל־ (to) פֶּ֞ה (mouth) אֲדַבֶּר־ (I speak) בּ֗וֹ (with him),

וּמַרְאֶה֙ (and even plainly) וְלֹ֣א (and not) בְחִידֹ֔ת (in riddles);

וּתְמֻנַ֥ת (and the form) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) יַבִּ֑יט (he sees).

וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ (And why) לֹ֣א (not) יְרֵאתֶ֔ם (were you⁺ afraid) לְדַבֵּ֖ר (to speak) בְּעַבְדִּ֥י (against My servant) בְמֹשֶֽׁה׃ (Moses)? 9  וַיִּֽחַר (And was kindled) אַ֧ף (the anger) יְהוָ֛ה (of YHWH) בָּ֖ם (against them), וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ (and He departed).

10  וְהֶעָנָ֗ן (And the cloud) סָ֚ר (departed) מֵעַ֣ל (from above) הָאֹ֔הֶל (the Tent); וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold) מִרְיָ֖ם (Miriam) מְצֹרַ֣עַת (was leprous) כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג (as snow). וַיִּ֧פֶן (And turned) אַהֲרֹ֛ן (Aaron) אֶל־ (toward) מִרְיָ֖ם (Miriam), וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold), מְצֹרָֽעַת׃ (she was leprous). 11  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said) אַהֲרֹ֖ן (Aaron) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֑ה (Moses), בִּ֣י (Oh), אֲדֹנִ֔י (my lord) אַל־ (not), נָ֨א (please) תָשֵׁ֤ת (do lay) עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ (on us) חַטָּ֔את (this sin) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (which) נוֹאַ֖לְנוּ (we have done foolishly), וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and in which) חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (we have sinned). 12  אַל־ (Not) נָ֥א (please) תְהִ֖י (do let her be) כַּמֵּ֑ת (as one dead), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (who) בְּצֵאתוֹ֙ (in his coming out) מֵרֶ֣חֶם (from the womb) אִמּ֔וֹ (of his mother), וַיֵּאָכֵ֖ל (and is consumed) חֲצִ֥י (half) בְשָׂרֽוֹ׃ (of his flesh).

13  וַיִּצְעַ֣ק (And cried out) מֹשֶׁ֔ה (Moses) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), אֵ֕ל (O God), נָ֛א (please), רְפָ֥א (heal) נָ֖א (please) לָֽהּ׃פ (her).

14  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moses), וְאָבִ֙יהָ֙ (And if her father) יָרֹ֤ק (spitting) יָרַק֙ (had spit) בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ (in her face), הֲלֹ֥א (would not) תִכָּלֵ֖ם (she be shamed) שִׁבְעַ֣ת (seven) יָמִ֑ים (days)? תִּסָּגֵ֞ר (Let her be shut) שִׁבְעַ֤ת (seven) יָמִים֙ (days) מִח֣וּץ (outside) לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (of the camp), וְאַחַ֖ר (and afterward) תֵּאָסֵֽף׃ (she may be received).

15  וַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר (And was shut) מִרְיָ֛ם (Miriam) מִח֥וּץ (outside) לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה (of the camp) שִׁבְעַ֣ת (seven) יָמִ֑ים (days), וְהָעָם֙ (and the people) לֹ֣א (not) נָסַ֔ע (did journey) עַד־ (until) הֵאָסֵ֖ף (the bringing in of) מִרְיָֽם׃ (Miriam). 16  וְאַחַ֛ר (And afterward) נָסְע֥וּ (set out) הָעָ֖ם (the people) מֵחֲצֵר֑וֹת (from Hazeroth), וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ (and they camped) בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר (in the Wilderness) פָּארָֽן׃פ (of Paran).