Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite).

They said, "Is Moses the only one the Lord speaks through? Doesn't he also speak through us?" And the Lord heard this.

(Now Moses was very humble. He was the least proud person on earth.)

So the Lord suddenly spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, "All three of you come to the Meeting Tent." So they went.

The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both came near.

He said, "Listen to my words: When a prophet is among you, I, the Lord, will show myself to him in visions; I will speak to him in dreams.

But this is not true with my servant Moses. I trust him to lead all my people.

I speak face to face with him -- clearly, not with hidden meanings. He has even seen the form of the Lord. You should be afraid to speak against my servant Moses."

The Lord was very angry with them, and he left.

When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease.

Aaron said to Moses, "Please, my master, forgive us for our foolish sin.

Don't let her be like a baby who is born dead. (Sometimes a baby is born with half of its flesh eaten away.)"

So Moses cried out to the Lord, "God, please heal her!"

The Lord answered Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, she would have been shamed for seven days, so put her outside the camp for sev-en days. After that, she may come back."

So Miriam was put outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she came back.

After that, the people left Hazeroth and camped in the Desert of Paran.