4Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out.

5Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud,12:5 Dt 31:15 stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward,

6he said:

10As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam’s skin suddenly became diseased, resembling snow.12:10 A reference to whiteness or flakiness of the skin When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased

11and said to Moses, “My lord, please don’t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.

12Please don’t let her be like a dead baby12:12 Alt Hb tradition reads baby who comes out of our mother’s womb and our flesh is half eaten away. whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”

13Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “God, please heal her!” 12:13 Gn 20:17; Ex 15:26; Lv 14:3; Dt 32:39

14The Lord answered Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp12:14 Lv 13:46; Nm 5:1–4; 2Kg 15:5 for seven days;12:14 Lv 13:4 after that she may be brought back in.”

15So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was brought back in.12:15 Lv 14:2,8

16After that, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.