Numbers 12 · Verse 10

Numbers 12:10

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.
Numbers 12:10, King James Version

Numbers 12:10 in other translations

BSBAs the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, white as snow. Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous,
WEBThe cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
ASVAnd the cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
YLTand the cloud hath turned aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam is leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth unto Miriam, and lo, leprous!
DARBYand the cloud departed from off the tent. And behold, Miriam was leprous as snow; and Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
BBEAnd the cloud was moved from over the Tent; and straight away Miriam became a leper, as white as snow: and Aaron, looking at Miriam, saw that she was a leper.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Numbers 12:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Nu 12:10-16. Miriam's Leprosy.

10. the cloud departed from the tabernacle--that is, from the door to resume its permanent position over the mercy seat. Miriam became leprous--This malady in its most malignant form (Ex 4:6; 2Ki 5:27) as its color, combined with its sudden appearance, proved, was inflicted as a divine judgment; and she was made the victim, either because of her extreme violence or because the leprosy on Aaron would have interrupted or dishonored the holy service.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 Miriam became leprous - It is likely Miriam was chief in this mutiny; and it is probable that it was on this ground she is mentioned first, (see Num 12:1), and punished here, while Aaron is spared. Had he been smitten with the leprosy, his sacred character must have greatly suffered, and perhaps the priesthood itself have fallen into contempt. How many priests and preachers who deserved to be exposed to reproach and infamy, have been spared for the sake of the holy character they bore, that the ministry might not be blamed! But the just God will visit their transgressions in some other way, if they do not deeply deplore them and find mercy through Christ. Nothing tends to discredit the work of God so much as the transgressions and miscarriages of those who minister in holy things.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 12:10-16
The cloud departed, and Miriam became leprous. When God goes, evil comes: expect no good when God departs. Her foul tongue, as Bishop Hall says, was justly punished with a foul face. Aaron, as priest, was judge of the leprosy. He could not pronounce her leprous without trembling, knowing himself to be equally guilty. But if she was thus punished for speaking against Moses, what will become of those who sin against Christ? Aaron, who joined his sister in speaking against Moses, is forced for himself and his sister, to beseech him, and to speak highly of him whom he had so lately blamed. Those who trample upon the saints and servants of God, will one day be glad to make court to them. It is well when rebukes produce confession of sin and repentance. Such offenders, though corrected and disgraced, shall be pardoned. Moses made it appear, that he forgave the injury done him. To this pattern of Moses, and that of our Saviour, who said, "Father, forgive them," we must conform. A reason is given for Miriam's being put out of the camp for seven days; because thus she ought to accept the punishment of her sin. When under the tokens of God's displeasure for sin, it becomes us to take shame to ourselves. This hindered the people's progress in their march forward towards Canaan. Many things oppose us, but nothing so hinders us in the way to heaven, as sin.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Numbers 12:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהֶעָנָ֗ןve.he.'a.Nanand the cloudH6051
סָ֚רsarit departedH5493
מֵעַ֣לme.'Alfrom overH5921
הָאֹ֔הֶלha.'O.helthe tentH168
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
מִרְיָ֖םmir.YamMiriamH4813
מְצֹרַ֣עַתme.tzo.Ra.'at[was] leprousH6879
כַּשָּׁ֑לֶגka.Sha.leglike <the> snowH7950
וַיִּ֧פֶןvai.Yi.fenand he turnedH6437
אַהֲרֹ֛ן'a.ha.RonAaronH175
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מִרְיָ֖םmir.YamMiriamH4813
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
מְצֹרָֽעַת\׃me.tzo.Ra.'atleprousH6879

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 12:10

  • Deuteronomy 24:9

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

  • 2 Kings 5:27

    The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

  • 2 Chronicles 26:19-21

    Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

  • Exodus 4:6

    And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

  • 2 Kings 15:5

    And the Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the house, judging the people of the land.

  • Matthew 25:41

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

  • Hosea 9:12

    Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!

  • Ezekiel 10:4-5

    Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory. And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

  • Exodus 33:7-10

    And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

  • Ezekiel 10:18-19

    Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

  • Leviticus 13:2-46

    When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the cloud.
Ex 33:7-10; Eze 10:4,5,18,19; Ho 9:12; Mt 25:41
behold.
De 24:9
leprous.
Le 13:2,3-46; 2Ki 5:27; 15:5; 2Ch 26:19-21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 12:9

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

  • Numbers 12:10

    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.

  • Numbers 12:11

    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.

Read all of Numbers 12

Numbers 12:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la nube se apartó del tabernáculo: y he aquí que María era leprosa como la nieve; y miró Aarón á María, y he aquí que estaba leprosa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et la nuée se retira de dessus la tente: et voici, Marie était lépreuse, comme la neige; et Aaron se tourna vers Marie, et voici, elle était lépreuse.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Wolke wich von dem Zelte, und siehe, Mirjam war aussätzig wie Schnee; und Aaron wandte sich zu Mirjam, und siehe, sie war aussätzig.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		nubes quoque recessit quæ erat super tabernaculum: et ecce Maria apparuit candens lepra quasi nix. Cumque respexisset eam Aaron, et vidisset perfusam lepra,