Numbers 12:14

¹² Please do not let her be like a stillborn infant whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, please heal her!”

But the LORD answered Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”

¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was brought in again.

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

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: But the LORD answered Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: The LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.”
ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.
DARBY: And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterwards she shall be received in [again].
BLB: And YHWH said to Moses, “And if her father surely had spit in her face, would not she be shamed seven days? Let her be shut seven days outside of the camp, and afterward she may be received.”

ÅB: Og Herren sa til Moses: Om hennes far hadde spyttet henne i ansiktet, skulle hun da ikke sitte med skammen i syv dager? La henne holdes innestengt utenfor leiren i syv dager, så kan hun komme tilbake igjen.
OTB: Herren svarte Moses: «Hvis hennes far hadde spyttet henne i ansiktet, ville hun ikke da være i vanære i syv dager? Hold henne utenfor leiren i syv dager; deretter kan hun bli tatt tilbake.»
B1930: Og Herren sa til Moses: Om hennes far hadde spyttet henne i ansiktet, skulde hun da ikke sitte med skammen i syv dager? La henne holdes innestengt utenfor leiren i syv dager, så kan hun komme tilbake igjen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 25:9
his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brother’s line.”
Read in context
Job 30:10
They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
Read in context
Numbers 5:2–3
“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.
Read in context
Isaiah 50:6
I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.
Read in context
Leviticus 13:45–46
A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
Read in context
Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
Read in context
2 Chronicles 26:20–21
When Azariah the chief priest and all the priests turned to him and saw his leprous forehead, they rushed him out. Indeed, he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had afflicted him.
Read in context
Leviticus 14:8
The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.
Read in context