Jealousy of Aaron and Miriam. 1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the Cushite woman he had married; for he had in fact married a Cushite woman.^* 2They complained,^* “Is it through Moses alone that the LORD has spoken? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard this. 3^a Now the man Moses was very humble, more than anyone else on earth. 4So at once the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam: Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting. And the three of them went. 5Then the LORD came down in a column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called, “Aaron and Miriam.” When both came forward, 6the LORD said: Now listen to my words:

If there are prophets among you,

in visions I reveal myself to them,

in dreams I speak to them;

7Not so with my servant Moses!

Throughout my house he is worthy of trust:^{* b}

8face to face I speak to him,^c

plainly and not in riddles.

The likeness of the LORD he beholds.

Why, then, do you not fear to speak against my servant Moses? 9And so the LORD’s wrath flared against them, and he departed.

Miriam’s Punishment. 10Now the cloud withdrew from the tent, and there was Miriam,^d stricken with a scaly infection, white as snow!^* When Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw her stricken with snow-white scales,