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.
The LORD said to Moses, 'If her father had spit in her face, wouldn't she be ashamed for seven days? Let her be shut out from the camp for seven days, and after that, let her be welcomed back in.'
God is saying that Miriam's punishment of being excluded from the community for seven days is actually merciful compared to the shame she would feel if her own father had publicly dishonored her.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes after Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite woman and questioned his unique authority as God's spokesman. God had just struck Miriam with leprosy as punishment for her rebellion against Moses' leadership. In ancient Middle Eastern culture, a father spitting in someone's face was considered one of the most severe forms of public disgrace and rejection.
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