Miriam

19Pharaoh's horses went into the sea with his chariots and his riders. The LORD brought the water of the sea back over them. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the middle of the sea.

For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

20Then Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand. All the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.

And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

NoteA timbrel was a small round drum you held in one hand. You hit it and shook it, much like a tambourine today. The King James also calls Miriam a "prophetess," someone who told people what God said.

21Miriam sang back to them, "Sing to the LORD, for he has won a great and glorious victory. He threw the horse and its rider into the sea."

And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

1Miriam and Aaron said unkind things about Moses. It was because of the woman Moses had married. She came from Cush, a land far to the south.

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

NoteMiriam and Aaron were Moses' big sister and big brother.

2They said, "Has the LORD only spoken through Moses? Has he not spoken through us too?" And the LORD heard them say it.

And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

NoteLORD in big letters is God's own special name.

3Now Moses was a very humble man. He was more humble than anyone else on earth.

(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

NoteHumble means he did not think he was better than others.

4Right away the LORD spoke to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. He said, "You three come out to the tent where I meet my people." So all three came out.

And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

NoteThe tent was a special tent where God met his people. The people carried it with them when they moved.

5The LORD came down in a tall cloud. He stood at the door of the tent. He called Aaron and Miriam, and they both stepped forward.

And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

NoteGod showed he was there by a tall cloud, like a pillar. The people could see it above the tent.

6He said, "Listen to my words. When there is a prophet among you, someone who tells people what I say, I show myself to him in a picture he sees. I speak to him in a dream.

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

NoteA vision is a picture God shows someone while they are awake.

7But it is not that way with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.

My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

NoteFaithful means you can always trust him to do right. "My house" here means God's people, like one big family.

8With him I speak face to face. I speak clearly, not in puzzles. He sees what the LORD looks like. So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

NoteFace to face means talking closely, the way good friends talk.

9The LORD was very angry with them. Then he went away.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

10The cloud lifted up off the tent. Miriam's skin turned white as snow with a bad skin disease. Aaron looked at her and saw she was sick.

And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

NoteThis skin disease made the skin turn white and flaky. People who had it had to stay away from everyone else.

11Aaron said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold this sin against us. We were foolish, and we did wrong.

And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

Note"My lord" was a polite way to speak to someone you looked up to.

12Please do not let her be like a baby born dead, with half its body wasted away."

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

NoteAaron meant that the sickness was eating away her body. It was his way of saying how very sick she looked.

13So Moses called out to the LORD. He said, "O God, please heal her now!"

And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

14The LORD said to Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, she would feel shame for seven days. So keep her outside the camp for seven days. After that she may come back in."

And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

NoteSpitting in someone's face was a big insult back then. The person would stay away from others for a while.

15Miriam stayed outside the camp for seven days. The people did not travel until she came back.

And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

NoteThe camp was where all the people lived in their tents.

16After that the people left Hazeroth. They set up camp in the dry, empty land of Paran.

And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

NoteHazeroth and Paran are places in the desert. The people walked from one to the other and put up their tents.

1In the first month, all the people of Israel came to the desert of Zin. They stayed at a place called Kadesh. Miriam died there, and they buried her there.

Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

NoteMiriam was the big sister of Moses and Aaron. A desert is a dry, sandy place where almost nothing grows. Kadesh was a stopping place with a spring of water.

8Be very careful when someone has a bad skin disease. Do exactly what the priests, the Levites, teach you. They are the men who care for worship and teach God's rules. Do just as I have commanded them.

Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.

NoteIn Bible times a bad skin disease could not be cured. The priests looked at a person's skin. They decided if he must stay away from others for a while.

9Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam. It happened on the road, after you came out of Egypt.

Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

NoteThe Levites were one family group in Israel. God chose them to care for the worship tent and to teach God's rules. Miriam was Moses' sister.

3"My people, what have I done to you? How have I made you tired of me? Tell me."

O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

4"I brought you up out of Egypt. I set you free from being slaves there. I sent Moses ahead of you, and Aaron and Miriam too."

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

NoteLong ago God's people were slaves in Egypt, a country far to the south. Slaves are people forced to work and not allowed to leave. God brought them out and made them free. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were the leaders who walked them out.

5"My people, remember what Balak, the king of Moab, planned. Remember what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember your trip from Shittim to Gilgal. Then you will know that the LORD does what is right."

O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

NoteBalak was a king who wanted God's people hurt. He paid a man named Balaam to speak words against them. Balaam ended up speaking kind words about them instead. Shittim and Gilgal were two places on the long walk to their new home.